Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/189

Book III. of 200 Europeans were sent to post themselves opposite to the fort on the southern bank of the Caveri, in order to cover his retreat: but the Sepoys, instead of passing the river a few at a time, whilst the Europeans were firing from the wall to amuse the enemy, threw themselves precipitately into the water all together, every one pressing to get over to the covering party as fast as he could. Their noise in this confusion discovered them to the enemy, who increased it by firing upon them, and at the same time prepared to assault the fort; upon which the Europeans likewise plunged into the river, and throwing away their arms, with difficulty joined the covering party. This success determined Chunda-saheb to cross the Caveri, and leaving a garrison in Seringham, he encamped with the rest of his army to the east of Tritchinopoly. The presidency of Fort St. David saw, with great anxiety, their efforts to support Mahomed-ally, frustrated by the retreat of his army out of the Carnatic, where he now no longer possessed a single district: and Verdachelum, the only fort to the north of the Coleroon which acknowledged him, was invested by the troops of a neighbouring polygar. The ships from Europe having brought some recruits, a detachment of 80 Europeans and 300 Sepoys, with a large convoy of stores, were sent from Fort St. David in the middle of July to relieve it; but every good officer being already in the field, there remained none in the garrison to whom such a command could be prudently intrusted. The governor Mr. Saunders therefore requested Mr. Pigot, one of the council, and a man of resolution, to proceed with the detachment until it should be out of risque of enemies, and then to send it forward under the command of the military officer to Tritchinopoly. Lieutenant Clive likewise resolved to accompany this detachment. This young man, soon after the reduction of Devi-Cotah, had reassumed the mercantile service of the company, in which he first went to India; and from that time had held the office of commissary for supplying the European troops with provisions. In the prosecution of this employment, as well as from his love of enterprise, he had accompanied the army from the beginning of this campaign, until they began to retreat before the enemy at Vol-condah. The detachment surprized the Polygar's troops at midnight, who took flight at the