Indian Theater
September 6th - Battle of Vandivasi (wandiwash)
After the end of the Monsoon season British force in India resumed their campaign against the French. Forde sent Sir Eyre Coote to take the fort at Vandivasi in southern India to pave the way for British land forces to march on Pondicherry, while sea forces under Admiral Pocock would prepare to bombard and blockade Pondicherry from the sea.
The Marquis de Bussy though expected this and had spent most of the preceding months, undoing much of Lally’s damage to Indian relations and renewing alliances with the Mughal empire.
On September 6th, 2000 British and European soldiers, and 2500 Indian Sepoys prepared to besiege the French held Fort against what they though was a 6000 strong mixed force of French and Mahratta forces. It was not however as Bussey came upon the scene from the flank with an additional 2500 French and European forces and 3000 freshly recruited Mughal warriors. The Battle turned to French favor when Sir Eyre Coote was struck down.
Battle Results:
British Forces: ~700 British and European casualties, ~1100 Indian casualties, all guns captured. Sir Eyre Coote KIA.
French Forces: ~800 French and European casualties, ~1500 Indian casualties.
Clear French Victory
The British army and their Indian allies broke and were chased by Bussy and the French all the way to the Palar River, where the British and their Indian allies suffered an additional ~300 casualties, and over 200 taken prisoner.
Bussy did not pursue further and took his forces south to Pondicherry.
September 14th: Battle of Pondicherry Beach
Bussy returned to Pondicherry on September 14th to find it under blockade with the British preparing troop transports at sea, preparing to disembark. Several hastily erected French and ex-British guns (captured from the battle of Vandivasi) quickly caused the British marines and infantry led by Francis Forde to flee back to their boats after taking numerous casualties. This prompted the British ships under Admiral Pocock to move in to provide covering fire for a British withdrawal. Bussy was then forced to retreat back into the safety of Pondicherry lest his own forces be smashed by the guns from the British fleet offshore, but not before several of the British guns were destroyed by the French where they had been abandoned on the beach.
Battle Results:
British casualties: ~650 casualties, 15 guns lost.
French and Indian casualties: ~500
French Victory
The British marines redeployed afterwards, and were faced with resuming the bombardment despite the casualties the French had inflicted and losing about a dozen guns to French destruction. (3 of their abandoned guns were restored to working order) They also learned from a wounded Indian soldier that was left behind of Sir Eyre Coote’s fate at Vandivasi.
September 5th – December 30th: Siege of Pondicherry
Despite the setback and lack of reinforcements expected from Coote, the British resumed the siege. While Pondicherry took a significant beating, the British didn’t have enough guns or men to storm the city, so the opted to try and stave and batter it into submission.
December 30th: Battle of Veerampattinam
On December 30th, while some of the smaller drafted British had maneuvered closer to the inlets around the city to obtain better firing positions or cover the British shore gun emplacements. A portion of the French fleet that had escaped the British Atlantic blockade during the Battle of Pertuis d’Antioche on July 6th, arrived at their destination.
French Admiral Anne Antoine Comte de’Ache commanded the French fleet consisting of the Centaure (70), Comte-de-Provence (68), Fortune (58), Conde (44), Duc d’Berry (44), Vigilant (20), Elephant (20), escorting several supply and merchant ships of less than 20 guns.
Admiral Pocock commanded the British fleet consisting of HMS Elizabeth (70), Cumberland (66), Medway (60), Mary Galley (44), Queensborough (24), Alborough (20), Deal Castle (20), and several transports.
Pocock immediately realized he was in a tough spot. The smaller frigates and transports were not in an ideal position to be protected and he would have to confront the French fleet in order to provide time for the British shore forces to be evacuated. Battle lines formed up off shore of the coastal village of Veerampattinum.
In fierce battle the French slowly pushed the British fleet back, but Pocock bought enough time for nearly 3/4ths of Forde’s shore forces to evacuate. Many of the guns that had been brought ashore had to be left behind in order to obtain speed in the evacuation. From behind the safety of the French ships of the line, some of their smaller vessels disembarked French marines and reinforcement that had been bound for India, behind the British lines on land, hastening their departure.
Battle Results:
British Forces: HMS Cumberland (66) sunk, Queensborough (24) captured with crew, 2 transport ships lost to French guns, 1 captured with crew (no troops aboard). HMS Elizabeth (70), Medway (60) and Mary Galley (44) took significant damage.
~450 casualties on land, 20 guns abandoned (later taken by the French)
French Forces: Moderate to Significant damage to all French Ships of the Line and Frigates
Clear French Victory
HMS Cumberland was sunk by the French guns, sacrificed to buy the time need for the force evacuation. HMS Queensborough (24) grounded on a sandbar and was captured by the French. (once lightened and raised by high tide).
The Siege of Pondicherry was lifted with the British retreat, and much need supplies, trade and money was delivered to the French forces in India.
(meanwhile back in Europe, the last battle during the year 1760 takes place in Silesia
October 31st: Battle of Glogau
The Battle of Glogau is often cited by historians of this timeline as one of the most pivotal and important battles of the war. Many often speculated on what might have been had the battle come out differently.
In the lead up to the battle, by late fall, Fredrick had finally gotten confirmation from his spies and scouts that the Russians, for whatever reason, had truly departed east. The had gone so far as to even leave behind only garrison forces in Konigsberg and East Prussia, the main army under Lopukhin heading toward Russia. Rumors and speculation were only that Empress Elizabeth might be dead and Peter III, a Prusso-phile was in charge, but no formal diplomatic channel from Russia had yet been received.
With the earlier raid on Prague, Fredrick’s forces has smashed Austrian supply lines from Bohemia, destroyed the Austro-Saxon army and undid most of their gains, but at the cost of losing middle Silesia to Von Daun and the main Austrian army.
Daun however still had enough supply lines running through Moravia, and Upper Silesia down the Oder, though that would be changing as the Oder River began to freeze for the winter.
After the success in taking Middle Silesia, Daun wanted to finish the job (and lessen Maria Theresa’ ire for letting Prague get raided) and marched on Glogau in mid October, hoping to take it quickly before winter fully set in, still assuming the Fredrick would be busy holding off the Russians (or possibly defeated by them)
Fredrick saw his chance, a fair portion of Daun’s forces were still occupying and pacifying middle Silesia. He took the risk of pulling more troops from nearby garrisons to bolster his forces. And set about a plan to battle the Austrians. Fredrick decided he would succeed or he would die trying, and personally risked himself on the battle to inspire his men. If he lost, the war would be over for Prussia.
On October 31st, on all-hallows night, during a light steady rain, Fredrick the Great, with the assistance of Zieten, Manteuffel and Seyditz led his 52,000 strong army and took the Austrian lines around north and west of Glogau by surprise in a series of fierce attacks, in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Although much of his forces were surprised Daun and Siskovits were able to rally an effective defense from their ~63000 strong force, which seriously hurt Fredrick’s forces.
Battle Results:
Austrian Forces: ~17000 casualties, large numbers of guns and supplies captured.
Prussian Forces: ~7700 casualties
Decisive Prussian Victory
Despite the rally, it was not enough. The Austrian lines broke and fled the battle. Fredrick’s forces had also come close to breaking. Both sides lost crucial commanders, Hans Joachim von Zieten and Joseph von Siskovits died on the field that dark rainy night.
It was a glorious and miraculous victory, perhaps, Fredrick’s finest tactical battle of the entire war. However Fredrick’s force had come close to breaking themselves, but it was narrowly avoided. Also, the cost of the victory had perhaps been too high, and he was only partially able to organize an effective pursuit. As Fredrick did not have the men or facilities to spare dealing with excess prisoners, many Austrians casualties met their final deaths at the end of a bayonet.
The Austrian retreat was complete enough that Fredrick was able to retake Liegnitz and Wohlau, before significant snows began to fall, resulting in the capture or death of an additional 3000 Austrian forces at the cost of only 300 more of his own casualties.
The results of the Battle would have a significant impact on the renewal of the Franco-Austrian treaty at the start of 1761.
