Clive, who had almost in boyhood entered the Company's offices, turned out, after the turbulence of his early years, a heaven-born general; he was destined to continue Dupleix's work, when abandoned by France, and to found to the advantage of the English that European dominion in India which had been the Governor of Pondicherry's dream.
The war still continued in the Carnatic: Mahomet Ali, Tchunda Sahib's rival, had for the last six months been besieged in Trichinopoli; the English had several times, but in vain, attempted to effect the raising of the siege; Clive, who had recently entered the Company's army, was for saving the last refuge of Mahomet Ali by a bold diversion against Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic.

To him was given the command of the expedition he had suggested.

In the month of September, 1751, he made himself master of Arcot by a surprise.

The Hindoo populations, left to themselves, passed almost without resistance from one master to another.
The Europeans did not signalize by the infliction of punishment the act of taking possession.

Clive was before long attacked in Arcot by Tchunda Sahib, who was supported by a French detachment.