Siege of Madras
Madras, held by the British, was besieged between December 1758 and February 1759 by French forces under the command of Comte de Lally during the Seven Years' War. The British garrison was able to hold out until it was relieved.[1]
For the 1746 capture of Madras, see Battle of Madras.The British victory contributed to the Annus Mirabilis of 1759.
Background[edit]
Great Britain and France had been struggling for control in India for several years. In 1746 the city had been captured by the French during the War of the Austrian Succession, but it was returned to the British in 1748. Following the fresh outbreak of war both sides were soon in conflict again. By 1757 Britain held the upper hand in India 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.[2] This caused alarm to the British, most of whose troops were with Clive in Bengal.[3] 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, increasing the garrison to nearly 4,000 troops.[4]
Aftermath[edit]
The British fired 26,554 cannonballs and more than 200,000 cartridge rounds in defence of the town.[11] 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.