1 7 4 5 ▁accompanied ▁Charles ▁Edward ▁Stuart ▁( then ▁known ▁in ▁Jacob ite ▁circles ▁as ▁the ▁Prince ▁Reg ent , ▁or ▁Bon nie ▁Prince ▁Charlie ) ▁to ▁Scotland , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ide - de - camp ▁at ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁F alk irk ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 7 4 6 ). ▁ ▁Esc aping ▁to ▁France , ▁he ▁served ▁with ▁Marsh al ▁Sax e ▁in ▁the ▁Low ▁Count ries , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Ma astr icht ▁( 1 7 4 8 ) ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁mar éch al ▁de ▁camp . ▁ ▁When ▁war ▁broke ▁out ▁with ▁Britain ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 6 , ▁L ally ▁was ▁appointed ▁governor - general ▁of ▁French ▁India ▁and ▁commanded ▁a ▁French ▁expedition ▁to ▁India , ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁four ▁batt al ions , ▁two ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁from ▁his ▁own ▁Regiment ▁of ▁L ally ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁Brigade . ▁He ▁reached ▁P ond icher ry ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 7 5 8 , ▁and ▁within ▁six ▁weeks ▁had ▁pushed ▁the ▁British ▁back ▁from ▁the ▁coast ▁to ▁Mad ras ▁( in ▁modern - day ▁Chen na i ), ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁East ▁India ▁Company . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁man ▁of ▁courage ▁and ▁a ▁capable ▁general , ▁but ▁his ▁pride ▁and ▁fer ocity ▁made ▁him ▁un pop ular ▁with ▁his ▁officers ▁and ▁men . ▁He ▁was ▁un success ful ▁in ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁Tan j ore , ▁and ▁as ▁he ▁lack ed ▁French ▁naval ▁support ▁he ▁had ▁to