A.D. 1757.
reserved to accompany the army in its movements, was placed on machines, each forming a kind of stage, about six feet high, and large enough to contain a cannon, with its ammunition, and the gunners required to manage it. Every machine was dragged along by forty to fifty yoke of white oxen of the largest size, and attended, moreover, by an elephant trained to assist at difficult tugs by shoving with his forehead. Behind the posts occupied by Sinfray, and the two cannon near the river, Meer Mudden, the son of Mohun Loll, was stationed with 5000 horse and 7000 foot. The rest of the army, consisting of separate compact masses, formed an immense curve which commenced at a hillock of trees, situated without the entrenchment, about 300 yards east of the redoubt, A distant cannonade. and terminated about half a mile east of the southern angle of the grove. The artillery, two, three, and four pieces together, were stationed at the different openings between the columns in the curve. Clive had fixed his head-quarters at a hunting-house of the nabob, situated a little north of the grove, on the bank of the river, and, having ascended to the roof, surveyed the vast host in splendid array hemming him in on every side, except that towards the river. At first, to show the enemy how unable they were to intimidate him, he abandoned the shelter of the grove, and drew up his little army in front of it in a line facing the tank. The battalion occupied the centre, while the sepoys in two equal divisions formed the wings. Three of the field-pieces were placed on the right, and three on the left of the battalion; the other two field-pieces and the howitzers were advanced about 200 yards in front of the left wing. At eight o'clock the first shot was fired by the enemy, and a distant cannonade was kept up for some time. It produced no result, and Clive again placed his men under the shelter of the grove. This apparent retreat elated the enemy, who now, advancing nearer, fired with great vivacity, though to very little purpose, for the troops remained quietly seated among the trees, while the artillery, sheltered behind the bank, continued the cannonade. Though Clive had drawn up in line of battle he had no intention of bringing on a general engagement. He knew the advantages which night would give him; and hence, in accordance with his original design, it was resolved at eleven o'clock, after consulting his officers, to continue the cannonade during the day, and attack the camp at Cannonade to be continued during the day. mid-night. After this resolution his personal presence was less necessary, and he retired into his quarters to snatch an interval of rest. He had lain down, and is said to have been fast asleep, when Major Kilpatrick sent to inform him that he had a good opportunity of seizing the tank which Sinfray occupied, and was about to advance for that purpose with two companies of the battalion and two field-pieces. Clive started up, and running to the detachment stopped it, at the same time reprimanding the major for acting without orders. He soon perceived, however, that the proposed attack ought to be executed, and placing himself at the head of the detachment, found little difficulty in driving out Sinfray and his Frenchmen, and obliging them to retire into the redoubt.
