little garrison of Armegon on the Coromandel coast, consisting of 28
soldiers. In 1644 Fort St George was built and garrisoned, and in 1653
Madras became a presidency. In 1745 the garrison of Fort St George
consisted of 200 Europeans, while a similar number, with the addition
of 200 "Topasses" (descendants of the Portuguese), garrisoned Fort St
David. In 1748 the various independent companies on the Coromandel
coast and other places were consolidated into the Madras European
regiment. From this time the military history of the Madras army was
full of incident, and it bore the principal part in Clive's victories
of Arcot, Kavaripak and Plassey. In 1754 the 39th regiment of the
Royal army was sent to Madras. In 1758 three others followed. In 1772
the Madras army numbered 3000 European infantry and 16,000 natives,
and in 1784 the number of native troops had risen to 34,000.