efend it in his absence, marched on the 4th of September
with the rest of his forces against the enemy, who had retired from
the town to the mud fort of Timari, six miles south of Arcot. After a
few discharges with their cannon they retired hastily, and Clive
marched back to Arcot.

Two days later, however, he found that they had been reinforced, and
as their position threatened his line of communications, he again
advanced towards them. He found the enemy about two thousand strong,
drawn up in a grove under cover of the guns of the fort. The grove was
inclosed by a bank and ditch, and some fifty yards away was a dry
tank, inclosed by a bank higher than that which surrounded the grove.
In this the enemy could retire, when dislodged from their first
position.

Charlie's heart beat fast when he heard the order given to advance.
The enemy outnumbered them by five to one, and were in a strong
position. As the English advanced, the enemy's two field pieces opened
upon them. Only three men were killed, and, led by their officers, the
men went at the grove at the double. The enemy at once evacuated it,
and took refuge in the tank, from behind whose high bank they opened
fire upon the English.

Clive at once divided his men into two columns, and sent them round to
attack the tank upon two sides. The movement was completely
successful. At the same moment the men went with a rush at the banks,
and upon reaching the top opened a heavy fire upon the crowded mass
within. These at once fled in disorder.

Clive then summoned the fort to surrender; but the commander, seeing
that Clive had no battering train, refused to do so; and Clive fell
back upon Arcot again, until his eighteen-pounders should arrive.

For the next eight days, the troops were engaged in throwing up
defences, and strengthening and victualling the fort. The enemy,
gaining confidence, gathered to the number of three thousand, and
encamped three miles from the town, proclaiming that they were about
to besiege; and at midnight on the 14th Clive sallied out, took them
by surprise, and dispersed them.

The two eighteen-pounders, for which Clive had sent to Madras, were
now well upon the road, under the protection of a small body of
Sepoys, and were approaching Conjeveram. The enemy sent a considerable
body of troops to cut off the guns, and Clive found that the small
number which he had sent out, to meet the approaching party, would not
be sufficient. He therefore