The Siege of Pondicherry By The British, 1760 Newspaper
This rare Edinburgh-based 1760 newspaper reports on the siege of Pondicherry by the British. A reference from this newspaper reads- “Major Monson, in conjunction with Admiral Cornish, was besieging Karrical (Karaikal), the only surviving settlement the enemy (French) had on the east coast of Coromandel, except Pondicherry, and it is the key to the district of Trichenopoly (Tiruchirapalli).
General Lally (French) used to boast that he would take Fort St David for breakfast, Madras for dinner, and Bengal for supper. How well he has kept his promise, we need not explain. The Malabar Coast has seen fewer scenes of war because of fewer consequences than the Coromandel side. There remains, belonging to the French, the little settlements about Mount Dilla, and that of Matri, near Tellicherry…”
The report mentions the French were in a pitiable condition, short of money and morale. After a series of military successes, Eyre Coote moved to blockade Pondicherry with reinforcements from Britain. Major George Monson was promoted colonel and took over command. He mounted an assault on the redoubts in the boundary hedge which formed the outer defence of the city. This was successful, though Monson was wounded and had to relinquish command to Coote, who completed the capture of Pondicherry.
More interesting news- the Moghul Emperor secretly solicited the Pathans to present themselves before the capital of Delhi. Which resented the Vizier. The report on the assassination of the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan III, who was succeeded by Aurangzeb’s grandson. Some more news on the siege of Pondicherry and the distress of the French. The East India Company established a settlement in Sindh near the River Indus.
Did you know – the French ordered its Inhabitants to donate a part of their belongings even the buckle of their shoelaces to improve the state’s financial position.
