Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/203

Book III. or four discharges flung them into such confusion that they overset the raft, and tumbled into the ditch; where some of them where drowned, and the rest, intent only on their own preservation, swam back and left the raft behind.

In these different attacks the enemy continued the storm for an hour, when they relinquished all their attempts of annoyance at once, and employed themselves earnestly in carrying off their dead. Amongst these was the commander of their Sepoys, who fell in the fausse-braye of the northern breach: he had distinguished himself with great bravery in the attack, and was so much beloved by his troops, that one of them crossed the ditch and earned off his body, exposing himself during the attempt to the fire of 40 muskets, from which he had the good fortune to escape. It seemed as if the enemy expected that the garrison would permit them to fulfil this duty to their friends; but finding that they suffered severely in attempting it, they at last retreated and disappeared. Their loss during the storm was computed to be not less than 400 men killed and wounded, of which very few were Europeans, for most of the French troops were observed drawn up and looking on at a distance. Of the defenders, only four Europeans were killed and two Sepoys wounded. Many of the garrison being disabled by sickness or wounds, the number which repulsed the storm was no more than 80 Europeans, officers included, and 120 Sepoys; and these, besides, serving five pieces of cannon, expended 12,000 musket cartridges during the attack.

Two hours after the enemy renewed their fire upon the fort, both with their cannon and with musketry from the houses: at two in the afternoon they demanded leave to bury their dead, which was granted and a truce allowed until four: they then recommenced and continued their fire smartly till two in the morning, when on a sudden it ceased totally; and at day-break, intelligence was brought that the whole army had abandoned the town with precipitation. On receiving this joyful news, the garrison, immediately marched into the enemy's quarters, where they found four pieces of artillery, four mortars and a large quantity of ammunition, which they brought in triumph into the fort. During the time that the garrison were shut up in the