Battle of Masulipatnam

Battle of Masulipatnam
Part of 3rd Carnatic War Seven Years War
Date:	6 March-7 April 1759
Location:	Machilipatnam, Andra Pradesh
Presidency:	Bengal
Co-ordinates:	16.171004°N 81.176033°E
Result:	British victory
Combatants
East India Company	French
Commanders
Lt Col Francis Forde	General Conflans
Strength
400 Europeans 1400 sepoys	500 Europeans 2,000 sepoys
Casualties
Europeans: 22 killed and 62 wounded Sepoys: 50 killed and 150 wounded	Europeans: 113 killed

This was an event during the 3rd Carnatic War

Summary

After the Battle of Condore Colonel Forde was unable to pursue his campaign due to lack of money promised by Rajah Anunderaj. A new treaty was negotiated and on 28 January 1759 Forde was able to resume his march to Masulipatam. A detachment under Captain Knox captured French guns and stores at Narsurpore. On 3 March Concal was captured and Forde sighted Masulipatam on 6 March. Siege batteries were constructed but the French under Du Rocher occupied Rajamundry and the Rajah deserted the British. Conflans in Masulipatam appealed to the Nizam of Hyderabad who sent a force of 35,000 to help the French. Forde managed to storm the fortress in time to discourage the Nizam who entered into a treaty with the British.

Field Army

• 312 men Bengal European Regiment
• 30 artillerymen
• 30 sailors from HEIC Ship Hardwicke
• 1,400 sepoys

Biographies

Entries in the Dictionary of Indian Biography 1906
Francis Forde (1718-1770)

Spelling Variants

Modern name: Machilipatnam
Variants: Machhilipatnam/Masulipatnam/Masulipatam/Masulipatanam

External Links

Carnatic Wars Heritage History
3rd Carnatic War Wikipedia
British expedition against Masulipatam 1759 www.kronoskaf.com
Masulipatam Gazetteer 1857

Historical Books on-line

The Decisive Battles of India: from 1746 to 1849 inclusive - Machhlipatanam www.archive.org