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In Africa and India

Capture of Goree, Senegal

On December 5th, a British naval squadron led by Augustus Keppel bombarded the French Fortress at Goree before deploying marines to capture the fortress. 300 French garrison surrendered to the British, who suffered only light injuries, and captured 110 French guns.

Battle Results:
British Forces: Light injuries
French Forces: 300 captured, 110 guns captured.

Clear British Victory

Third Carnatic War: The Indian Theater

Battle of Condore

On December 10th, the next stage of conflicts in India began near Condore when Colonel Francis Forde led 2600 British troops and 5000 Indian allies against 6,500 French and an unrecorded number of their Indian allies led by the Marquis de Conflans. The Bloody but indecisive battle led to the British retreat after they managed to destroy or capture one quarter of the French baggage and artillery wagons.

Battle Results:
British Forces: 600 dead and wounded. 800 Indian troops dead and wounded
French Forces: 900 dead and wounded. Over 500 Indian allies dead and wounded. Loss of 1/4th of supply train to British fire or capture.

Indecisive French Victory

Siege of Madras

After the Monsoon season had passed the French sought to renew their control in India by taking Madras from British troops the British East India Company. Comte Thomas Arthur Lally and the Marquis de Bussy entered Madras on December 15th, and set about besieging Fort St. George, and the European section of the town where the Europeans and British troops had garrisons and set up defenses.

The British forces, were led by William Draper and Muhamad Yusef Khan consisting of 3900 British regulars, 2,200 Indian Sepoys, and 1,700 Europeans assisting in the defense. The French forces led by Lally and Bussy numbered 8,000 French soldiers, 4,000 allied Europeans, 3,500 allied Indian Sepoys, and 600 allied Indian Cavalry.

After waiting for 10 days for the arrival of Artillery shells and supplies the French finally began bombarding the British fortifications for seven days, and made multiple infantry assault to no avail as the fortifications stood firm.

Muhamad Yusef Khan who had not retreated into the fort, had been continually fighting fierce harassing skirmishes against the French supply lines. On January 10th, Lally took a sizeable French force out to meet Khan and ultimately defeated him in a bloody exchange in which Khan was killed by Musket fire.

On January 31st, the HMS Revenge (28) attempted to run the French Blockade in order to bring in supplies and reinforcements but was captured. From the British prisoners, the French learned that Admiral Pocock was on his way from Calcutta. Lally decided to press the bombardment harder and plan a final assault on the defenses. After several days of intense bombardment, the French detonated a mine under the fortifications on February 2nd, blowing a sizable breach in the defenses. The French stormed through the breach in a fierce assault to finally take the city.

Battle Results:
British Forces: 1,200 British, 1,300 Indian, 400 Europeans dead or wounded. 3,200 captured. Loss of the HMS Revenge (28)
French Forces: 1,500 French, 1,800 Indian, 600 Europeans dead or wounded.

French Victory