Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/193

Book III their fire at the same instant, amongst numbers crowded together in the tank; which immediately put them to flight. The troops then took possession of the village under the walls of the fort, and summoned the governor. Messages passed, during which his spies discovered that the English had no battering cannon, which intelligence determined him not to surrender. Several shells were therefore thrown into the fort from a cohorn mortar, which proving ineffectual, the troops marched back to Arcot, and the enemy's cavalry hovered round them as they retreated, but kept out of the reach of their fire.

The garrison remained in the fort 10 days, diligently employed in many necessary works; and the enemy, now augmented to 3000 men, imputing this intermission of their sallies to fear, encamped within three miles of the town, giving out that they intended to besiege the fort. Captain Clive determined to take advantage of their security; and on the 14th of September marched out, two hours after midnight, with the greatest part of his garrison, and entering their camp by surprize, found them, as he expected, asleep. The troops beat up the camp from one end to the other, firing continually on numbers taking flight on all sides with shrieks and confusion: the terror was so great that very few made use of their arms, and even these few, after a single discharge made at random, mingled with the rest of the fugitives; and when the day broke, none of them remained in sight. This success was obtained without the loss of a man.

The two 18 pounders, which had been demanded from Madrass, with some military stores, were at this time on the road, but escorted only by a few Sepoys; and the enemy hoping to intercept them, sent a large detachment, which took possession of the great pagoda of Conjeveram: 30 Europeans and 50 Sepoys, with a field piece, were sent from the fort to dislodge them, and on then arrival found the pagoda abandoned; the enemy having retreated to a fort in the neighbourhood, where they were continually reinforced from the main body. Much depending on the safe arrival of the convoy, captain Clive, reserving only 30 Europeans and 50 Sepoys for the guard of the fort, sent all the rest to strengthen the detachment which escorted it. On this the enemy changed their design, and returned