Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-30


their speedy extirpation. But on the
Both of August, the garrison Of Arcot
were astounded by the intelligence,
that a British. force had been seen
marching toward the city, with per-
feet steadiness, in the midst OF ter
rife thunder storm. This they took
both as indicative of great courage, and
as an omen favorable to their enter
prise: they were awed accordingly
The next day two hundred Europeans
land three hundred sepoys presented
themselves before the capital Of the
Carnatic. The heart of the garrison
failed; they quietly marched out of
their strong hold, of which that hand
| full Of men took possession amid the
mute and wondering gaze of the in
habitants.
That bold band was led by young
clerk of limited education and unman-
ageable temper, who, at the time, &C
cording to his contemporary Orme,
"had neither read books nor conversed
with men capable of giving him much
instruction in the military art" Du
pleix's perfdity at Madras turned
against him and his schemes those pro-
digious passions which had sorely
troubled Shropshire pedagogues and
Indian merchants. Give, disguised as
Mussulman, fled from the scene of
the dishonored treaty, reached Fort
St. David, Joined the military, display
ed matches bravery, and, up to this
juncture, had alternaed between battles
and bookkeeping. BY the siege Of
TrichInopoly, he saw assailed the last
stay of his country's interests. Rous-
ed himself, he succeeded in rousing the
lethargic government; pointed out the
seizure Of Arcot as the only way to
procure diversion; offered to conduct
the expedition; obtained five hundred
men, under eight officers, Of whom
four left the desk, while the other two
had never been in action, marched
against a fortress manned by above
double his numbers, and took posses
sion without ever firing a shot. Pro-
lperty found, to the amount of half
million sterling, he restored to the
owners; conciliated the people by
moderation; repaired the fort, and pro-
visioned it for seige; made two sue
cesslul sorties against the former gar
rison, which fingered in the neighbor-
hood; beat up their whole camp in
night attack; and, at a time when all
his men but eighty were dispatched to
a distance, repealed an assault made by
them with knowledge Of his weak
ness. Raa Saheb, the son Of Chanda,
led against him four thousand men,
who were joined by the remains of the
garrison, and also one hundred and
forty French. They took possession
of the town; Give made "a sally, and
drove them from the street, but wes
compelled 70 retire to his fort. The
next day, two thousand men, under
NORTH Ali, arrived to reinforce Raja
Saheb. They commenced vigorous
siege; but the feeling within was in
domitable; Englishman and sepoy
were equally inhamed with the spirit
Of their leader. Daring and skill SO
counterbalanced paltry numbers and
wretched supplies, that it was fifty days
before the belcaguering host were pre-
pared to storm. AT the end of that
time, two wide breaches invited their
advance. Raja Saheb sent to Give a
proposal for honorable terms and cost
jly presents, if he would surrender, ac-
companied by severe threats in case
of resistance. Little did he know
the mind with which he had to deal
Danger awed Give, just as darkness
shrouds phosphorus; and to bend him
by threats, was as likely as to chisel
from granite drapery of gauze. His
soul was unutterably naughty, auda
cious, and infammable; but acute, self
possessed, and generous the while
At this juncture, his force was eighty
Englishmen, and oDe hundred and
twenty sepoys: the general who ehal-
Ilenged him, led host of ten thousand.
But the answer was, that "he had
better opinion of his prudence, than to
believe he would attempt to storm till
he had got better soldiers than the rab-
be of which his army was composed"
SuclTa spirit was more terrible to an
assailant than thousand men.
Even in times of peace, Mussulman
breasts are stirred with mighty pas
sions, by the anniversary of the day on
which Hassein and Jassein were mar
tyred. That day had come. Its mem
cries fired the soldiery with tenfold /