▁C ull oden . ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁and ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁an ▁experienced ▁soldier , ▁he ▁went ▁out ▁to ▁India ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁East ▁India ▁Company ' s ▁troops . ▁Du ple ix ' s ▁schemes ▁for ▁the ▁French ▁con quest ▁of ▁southern ▁India ▁were ▁on ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁taking ▁effect , ▁and ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁his ▁arrival ▁at ▁Fort ▁St ▁David , ▁Lawrence ▁was ▁act ively ▁engaged . ▁He ▁successfully ▁fo iled ▁an ▁attempted ▁surprise ▁by ▁French ▁troops ▁at ▁C ud dal ore , ▁but ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁a ▁French ▁caval ry ▁pat rol ▁at ▁Ari anc op ang ▁( mod ern ▁Ari ank upp am ) ▁whilst ▁leading ▁forces ▁to ▁assist ▁Admir al ▁Edward ▁Bos ca wen ▁in ▁enfor cing ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁P ond icher ry ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁kept ▁prisoner ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁until ▁the ▁peace ▁of ▁A ix - la - Ch ap elle . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 9 ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁command ▁at ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Dev ic ota , ▁during ▁which ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁sub ordinate ▁officers ▁was ▁Robert ▁C live ▁( 1 7 2 5 – 1 7 7 4 ), ▁the ▁future ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁British ▁India , ▁with ▁whom ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁friendship ▁began . ▁When ▁C live ▁had ▁become ▁famous ▁he ▁hon oured ▁Lawrence ▁by ▁ref using ▁to ▁accept ▁a ▁sword ▁of ▁honour ▁unless ▁one ▁was ▁voted ▁to