Siege of Madras

Siege

First skirmishes

Madras in 1758 was divided broadly into two distinct parts. The "Black town", or "Great Parachery", where the majority of the native Paraiyar population lived and 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 street fighting 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 a breakthrough, as the British defences remained largely intact. A large mine was detonated under the fortress, but this also 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Muhammed Yusuf Khan, the British Sepoy commander of Madras Paraiyar Regiment at Chingleput; the only force that had not withdrawn into Madras upon the approach of the French.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 fired 26,554 cannonballs 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.

The British victory at Madras was considered part of the Annus Mirabilis of 1759, 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. This string of battles were a major turning point in the battle for dominance on the subcontinent between Britain and France.