474
HISTORY OF INDIA.
[Book III.
A I), I7r,2.
Attempt to iMtei'CB])t the roiii- forcemuiit.
Activity of Major Law
reiice.
Alarm of the French.
Scarcely lialf an Ihjui- had been spent by the troops in taking refreshment when the scouts came in at full speed to announce that the whole of the enemy's army was advancing. Clive, sent out to reconnoitre, observed that a large choultry with some stone buildings in front of the French battalion remained unoccupied, and was ordered forward as fast as possible with the first diviwion of artillery, supj)oi-ted by the grenadiers, to take possession of it. The enemy, though aware of their object, did not attem])t to outstrip them, as they might and ought to have done, and contented themselves with oj)ening a cannonade. It was the hottest that had yet taken place in India, the French filing from twenty-two pieces, and the Engli.sh from nine. The latter, though much fewer, did more execution, because the English not actually serving the guas were sheltered by the choultry and its buildings, while the French stood exposed in the open plain. This advantage soon told ; and the enemy beginning to waver, first drew back their artillery, and then commenced a general retreat. Had the native troops on the English side done their part a decided victory might have been gained, but they had remained almost inactive, as if they had been not com- batants, but mere spectators. This is said to have been owing, not to any want of bravery, but to the bad example set by Morari Row, whose intrigue with the enemy was now so far advanced that he was unwilling to act against them Though from this cause the enemy escaped with a comparatively small loss, an important object had been gained; for the reinforcement, no longer inteiTupted in its progress, arrived in the course of the evening at Trichinopoly.
Major Lawrence, not to allow the enemy to recover from the terror in.spu-ed by their defeat, proposed immediate action, but met with so many obstructions from his allies, whose notions of fortunate and unfortunate days often induced them to sacrifice their most favourable opportunities, that he resolved to attempt something with his own troops on his own responsibility. His object was to surprise Chunda Sahib's camp, which lay to the east of that of the French, and had no enti'enchments. With this view he despatched Captain Dalton with 400 men, with orders to make a long circuit, and commence liis attack on the east side of the camp, beat it up, and set fire to it. Owing to a blunder of the guides the expedition failed, but the mere fact of its having been attempted so alarmed the French commander that nothing would satisfy him but a retreat to the island of Seringham. Chunda Sahib remonstrated, but M. Law carried his point, and with so much precipitation, that a part of the baggage and whole magazines of provisions were set on fire, to save the difficulty of transport or prevent the danger of capture. The whole pi'oceeding looks like infatuation By retiring beyond the Cauvery the siege was truly at an end. Why then I'emain cooped up in an island, with the certainty of being soon pressed for sup- plies, and the probability of being excluded from the possibiHty of egress'? The only plausible account which has been given of the enemy's withdrawal to the island is, that " they were afraid to fight, and ashamed to retreat."
