Siege of Arcot

The French were the epitome of imperialistic power in the world, at times stronger than the English however, the British clearly won over the French wiping out their existence. What strategy did the British employ?

The fight between the French and the English in the region of Carnatic; Image source:

Till now, we saw how the French were brutally crushing the British. The clever French governor Dupleix with his war strategy was winning his way through Carnatic and Hyderbad accumulating masses of wealth for the French company.

The last we saw was how the French had attacked the Fort at Trichonopally surrounding it completely. Inside the fort were British and Wallahjab, who was a possible claimant to the throne of Carnatic, someone whom the French didn't want to be on the throne.

A young clerk had managed to escape the surrounded fort. The man fled to Fort St David in hopes of getting help for the people stuck in there. At St David, all the officers were already brainstorming as to how to stop the French East India Company but all discussions led to disappointment. The French Company’s power was at its peak. The British had ruthlessly felt their strength.

At this crucial moment, the man escaping the French entered the discussion. He presented a plan, a smart, strategic, cunning plan to defeat the French. He volunteered to fight and create a diversion. This man was none other than Robert Clive, the person who along with Warren Hastings is credited with laying the foundation of the British Raj in India.

Robert Clive told them that the entire forces of Chanda Saheb, ruler of Carnatic with the French are at Trichonopally and are occupied with capturing it. There’s no use in sending the British forces at Trichonopally, that would lead to just another loss at their part. Instead, Clive volunteered to fight and create a diversion by taking a small unit consisting of only 500 soldiers to Arcot, the capital of Carnatic. As he had thought, the forces at Arcot were weak as they were occupied with the fight at Trichonopally. To everyone’s surprise, he captured Arcot with such a small unit!

As soon as Chanda Saheb found out about the fall of Arcot he left Trichonopally. This was the diversion created by Clive. He wanted the French and Chanda Saheb to leave for Trichonopally. Just when Chanda Saheb reached Arcot, a bigger force of British came in support of Clive. The British forces were on full enthusiasm mode from their victory at Arcot and managed to defeat the French and killed Chanda Saheb. The British now crowned Wallahjab, the ruler of Carnatic.

The scores were now tied and Dupleix was not a man to admit defeat. He attacked Fort St David, this time the British managing to block it. In return for this attack, Clive captured two French forts- Covelong and Chinlapet by the end of 1752. Dupleix still not ready to surrender attacked the British again. In what were three battles at Trichonopally, the French were badly defeated at the hands of the British.

The second war of Carnatic ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry. In this, the French were returned all their areas that were captured on one condition that was Dupleix must leave India and never return. It seems the English were aware that as long as Dupleix was there they could have a tough time defeating the French. France recalled Dupleix as the governor-general to India and continued exercising control over their territories in India.

In the next story, we see the last battle of Carnatic, wherein the absence of a strong governor, the French were badly defeated and ultimately led to their downfall in India, leaving the British the sole control.