"Pondicherry, 2nd January, 1761." The British fleet suffered considerably; many vessels which had to cut their cables, were totally dismasted, and the _Queensberry_, _Newcastle_, and _Protector_ were driven on shore; while _Le Duc d'Acquitaine_ of sixty-four guns (French prize), commanded by Sir William Hewitt, Bart., and the _Sunderland_ of sixty guns, commanded by the Hon. James Colville, both foundered, and all on board perished. Captain Colville was the son of Lord Colville, of Culross, a Scottish peer, who died on the Carthagena expedition in 1740, and brother of Alexander Lord Colville, who in 1764 was Commodore in North America. On the reappearance of Admiral Cornish with more of the fleet, the hope of the French sank again, and Lally, enraged at what he considered the mutinous repining of his soldiers, met their remonstrances with turbulence and contempt, and by an unwise, and perhaps over-strained exercise of authority, at this fatal and desperate crisis, most unfortunately contrived to render himself unpopular with the Governor, the Council, and the proud chevaliers of old France, who officered his little band of troops. Still, however, the siege was pressed, and still the defence went on. On the 5th January, Coote attacked the redoubt of San Thome, sword in hand, at the head of a body of Scottish Highlanders and English grenadiers, and won it, thus silencing four 28-pounders; but two days afterwards, Lally retook it by 300 grenadiers, from the sepoys who were left in charge of it. On the 13th Coote sent 700 Europeans, 400 Lascars, and a company of pioneers under a major, to erect another battery of eleven guns and three mortars. Under the clear splendour of an Oriental moon, these works were carried on within 500 yards of the walls; and this _Batterie Royale_ was permitted to be erected without molestation, for in their sullen despair the garrison never fired a shot at it. On the 14th the _Hanover Battery_ ruined the north-west bastion, and on the following day the _Batterie Royale_ beat down the ravelin at the Madras gate; thus by the 15th of January a great and practicable breach was effected, and the cannon of the gallant Lally were silenced or dismounted.