Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/217

Book III. Here the scattered troops of Rajah-saheb no sooner saw the English retire to their garrisons, after the taking of Conjeveram, than they reassembled and moved, in the beginning of January, down to the seacoast, carrying their ravages into the Company's territory of Ponamalee, where they burnt several villages, and plundered the country houses built by the English at the foot of St. Thomas's mount: after these hostilities, they returned to Conjeveram, and having repaired the damages which the pagoda had sustained from the English, they garrisoned it with 300 Sepoys, and then kept the field between this place and the fort of Ponamalee, which they sometimes threatened to attack. The violences they committed, and the contributions they levied, impaired the Nabob's as well as the Company's revenues so much, that the presidency determined to make an effort, with all the force they could assemble, to reduce this enemy, before they sent a reinforcement to Tritchinopoly. Captain Clive, appointed to this service, returned in the beginning of February to Madrass, where, whilst he was employed in levying Sepoys, a detachment of 100 Europeans arrived from Bengal: with these, and 80 more from the garrison of Madrass, he took the field the 22d of February, and was the same day joined by 200 Europeans and 500 Sepoys from the garrison of Arcot. His whole force united consisted of 380 Europeans, 1300 Sepoys, with six field pieces: the enemy were 2500 horse, 2000 Sepoys, and 400 Europeans, with a large train of artillery: and, notwithstanding this superiority, they no sooner heard of the preparations that the English were making to attack them, than they fortified themselves strongly in their camp at Vendalore, a village situated about 25 miles south-west of Madrass. Captain Clive marched towards them with an intent of attacking their camp by surprize in the rear; but had not proceeded far before he received information that they had suddenly abandoned it, and had dispersed with the appearance of people terrified by some disaster, insomuch that it was believed they had received news of some bad success at Tritchinopoly, and were hurrying thither to reinforce the army of Chunda-saheb. The English however continued their march, and took possession of the ground the enemy had quitted, where, some hours after, intelligence was received, that all the dispersed parties were re-united at