As his men bit off the ends of the tallow paper cartridges and spat the ball down the muzzles of their muskets a sudden movement drew Arthur’s eye to the main gateway into the camp. A column of men was emerging through it, the colours of the East India Company at their head. At once he was giddy with relief.‘They’re coming!’ He thrust his arm out in the direction of the new arrivals. ‘They’re here!’

His men raised a cheer now, and down below as word of the relief column flew through the crowd they turned away from the arsenal and clutched their unloaded weapons restlessly, making little sound as they faced the new threat.

There was another shout from the men on the ramparts and Arthur saw a sepoy excitedly pointing to another column emerging between the barracks of the Nizam’s army. Arthur indulged the sepoys for a moment before he ordered them to still their tongues. A silence hung over the camp as Arthur turned to the crowd.

‘Lay down your weapons and return to your quarters.’

‘What? And let you slaughter us like dogs!’A voice cried back.

‘No! There will be no killing. Lay down your arms and get back to your quarters, now. If not, you will be fired on.’

One of the men tried to defy him, standing on an upturned washing tub to harangue his comrades. It was clear from the crowd’s reaction that they would be easily stirred into action by their speaker and Arthur realised that now was the time for ruthlessness.

‘Take aim. Prepare to fire . . . on my word . . .’ He leaned forward to address the crowd again.‘This is your last warning. Lay down your weapons and return to the barracks or you will be shot down!’