Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/661

 CiiAP. XI I THE CONTENDING FORCES. ^7

debris secured his left flank, he not only would have the protection of the tire a d. itoo. of the fort on his right, but could not be prevented from throwing into it any number of troops that might be deemed advisable. He might then, if necessary, by a sally of the garrison, when sufticiently reinforced, drive the enemy from their batteries in the town, and attack them with the whole army, either on the flank or iu the rear, thus rendering all the entrenchments and other defences which they had thi'own up iu front of their position entirely useless. Lally, though he had failed to anticipate this movement, no sooner saw it commenced than he penetrated the object of it ; and, as the only effectual means of now pre- venting it, determined no longer to delay the encounter. The camp, as if it had been suddenly aroused from a state of lethargy, beat to arms, and the troops were seen issuing forth to occupy the ground in front, which had previously been marked out as a battle-field.

The whole French force di*awn out consisted of 2250 Europeans, of whom Tiie Kreucu

force.

300 were cavalry and 1300 sepoys. Besides these, 150 Europeans and 300 sepoys continued at the batteries against the fort. The Mahrattas numbered 3000 horse ; but instead of taking part in the action, they considered it sufficient service to guard their own camp, and remain on the watch for an o])portunity of pillaging the British baggage. The Frencii order of battle was as follows: — On the right the European cavalry ; next, the regiment of Lorraine, musteiing 400 men ; next again, the Indian battalion, 700 ; and lastly, Lally's regiment, 400, whose left were under a tank, which had been retrenched, and in which were posted 300 men, chiefly miu-ines from Count d' Ache's squadron, or soldiers who had returned after failing to relieve Masulipatam. Another tank, in the rear of the retrenched one, was occupied by 400 sepoys, whom Bussy had brought from Kurpa. The rest of the se])oys, 900 in number, were ranged behind a ridge which ran along the front of the camp. At each extremity of this ridge was a retrenclnnent, guarded by fifty Europeans. Of the artillery, in all six- teen field-pieces, fom* were placed in the retrenched tank, and the remainder in sections of three each between the different bodies of troops forming the line.

The British army consisted of 1 900 Europeans, including eighty cavalry, ^he Brit:»ii 1250 black horse, and 2100 sepoys, and was ranged in three distinct lines. In the first were Coote's regiment on the right, the Company's two battalions iu the centre, and Draper's regiment on the left ; all these without their grenadiers. On the flanks of this line were 1800 sepoys, 900 on each. In the second line were all the grenadiers of the anny, amounting to 300, and having on each flank 100 sepoys. The third line was formed by the cavalry, the eight}' Euro- peans occupying the centre. Two companies of sepoys stood apart, with two field-pieces, a little in advance of the left of the first line. The artillery consisted of twenty-six field-pieces.

The action was commenced by Lally in pei-son. While the British were marcliing up, and before they were within cannon-shot, he put himself at the