Siege of Madras The Siege of Madras was a siege of Madras , British India , between December 1758 and February 1759 by French forces under the command of Lally during the Seven Years ' War . The British garrison was able to hold out until it was relieved . The British fired 26 , 554 cannon balls and more than 200 , 000 cartridge rounds in defence of the town . The failure to take Madras was a huge disappointment for the French and a massive setback to their campaign in India compounded by the later Battle of Wandiwash . Background . Britain and France had been struggling for colonial supremacy in India for several years . in 1746 the city had been captured at the Battle of Madras , but was returned in 1748 . Following the fresh outbreak of war both sides were soon in conflict again . By 1757 Britain held the upper hands after several victories by Robert Clive . In 1758 French reinforcements under Lally had arrived in Pondicherry and set about advancing France ' s position on the Coromandel Coast , notably capturing Fort St . David . This caused alarm to the British , most of whose troops were with Clive in Bengal . Lally was poised to strike against Madras in June 1758 , but short of money , he launched an unsuccessful attack on Tanjore hoping to raise revenue there . By the time he was ready to launch his assault on Madras it was December before the first French troops reached Madras , delayed partly by the onset of the monsoon season . This gave the British extra time to prepare their defences , and withdraw their outposts - boosting the garrison to nearly 4 , 000 troops . Siege . First skirmishes . Madras in 1758 was divided broadly into two distinct parts . The " Black town " where the majority native population lived which was unfortified - and the " White town " where the smaller European population lived which was dominated by Fort St George . On 14 December , French troops entered the Black town unopposed , and finding it undefended , began to loot the houses . The British then launched a sortie with 600 men under Colonel William Draper attacking the scattered French . Bloody streetfighting broke out which left 300 dead on each side , before Draper ' s men withdrew into the fort . While the result had been indecisive , and casualties even , the fight had a devastating effect on French morale . The two French commanders Lally and Bussy began arguing over the failure to cut off and trap Draper ' s raiding force . Lally fiercely criticised Bussy in public , but did not dismiss him from his post as second - in - command . Bombardment commences . As the French took up their positions around the city , ready to besiege Fort St George , they were unable to open fire as they were still waiting for artillery ammunition to be brought up for the major siege guns . For three weeks the guns stood silent , until on 2 January 1759 they began firing on the citadel . In spite of an intense five day bombardment , and several infantry assaults the French failed to make the breakthrough they were hoping to - as the British defences remained largely intact . A large mine was detonated under the fortress , but this made little impact on the defences . French morale fell further as they realised how little effect their attacks had had on the defenders . Many of the soldiers grew disgruntled and deserted , including 150 who switched sides to join the garrison . Lally was also facing an attack on his lines of supply by Muhammed Yusuf Khan the British Sepoy commander at Chingleput , the only force that had not withdrawn into Madras upon the approach of the French . Lally managed to beat off the British attack , but they still remained in the vicinity menacing his rear stealing much needed supplies and blocking the passage of many to his forces . Major Assault . After several weeks of heavy bombardment , the French were at last starting to make headway against the town ' s defences . The main bastion had been destroyed , and a breach opened in the walls . The heavy exchange of fire had flattened much of Madras , with most of the town ' s houses gutted by shells . On 30 January a Royal Navy frigate ran the French blockade and carried a large sum of money and a company of reinforcements into Madras . Significantly they brought the news that the British fleet under Admiral George Pocock was on its way from Calcutta . When Lally discovered this news he became aware that he would have to launch an all - or - nothing assault to storm the fortress before Pocock arrived . He convened a council of war , where it was agreed to launch an intense bombardment on the British guns , to knock them out of action . French withdrawal . On 16 February six British vessels , carrying 600 troops , arrived off Madras . Faced with this added threat Lally took the immediate decision to break off the siege and withdraw south . Aftermath . The British victory at Madras was considered part of the Annus Mirabilis of 1759 as part of a string of British successes around the globe , and helped lay the foundations for eventual British strategic supremacy in India . British forces went on the offensive in India , decisively defeating a French force at Wandiwash and then capturing Pondicherry in 1761 . The string of battles were a major turning point in the battle for dominance on the subcontinent between Britain and France .