Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/219

Book III. cavalry made several unsuccessful attacks both on the party opposed to them, and the baggage in the rear: but their artillery in the grove being answered only by three pieces of cannon, did execution in proportion to this superiority, and either killed or disabled so many of the English gunners that prudence seemed to dictate a retreat, unless their cannon could be taken. Captain Clive did not despair of this last resource, and at ten at night sent one Shawlum, a serjeant, who spoke the country languages, with a few Sepoys, to reconnoitre: he returned and reported that the enemy had posted no guards in the rear of the grove; on which intelligence 200 of the best Europeans and 400 Sepoys were immediately ordered to proceed thither under the command of lieutenant Keene, with Shawlum as their guide. Captain Clive himself accompanied the detachment half way, and on his return found the troops he had left fighting in the water-course so much dispirited by the departure of Keene's detachment, that they were on the point of taking flight, and some had already run away; he, however, not without difficulty, rallied them, and the firing was renewed. In the mean time Keene taking a large circuit, came directly opposite to the rear of the grove, and halted at the distance of 300 yards from it, whilst ensign Symmonds advanced alone to examine the enemy's disposition. This officer had not proceeded far before e came to a deep trench, in which a large body, consisting of all the enemy's Sepoys, whose service had not been demanded in the watercourse, were sitting down to avoid the random shots of the fight. They challenged Symmonds, and prepared at first to shoot him, but deceived by his speaking French, suffered him to pass as a French officer; he then went on to the grove, where he perceived, besides the men employed at the guns, 100 Europeans stationed to support them, who only kept a look-out towards the field of battle; and passing in his return at a distance to the right of the trench where he had found the enemy's Sepoys, he rejoined his own detachment; who immediately marched by the same way he had returned, and entering the grove unperceived, gave their fire in a general volley at the distance 30 yards. It fell heavy, and astonished the enemy so much that they did not return a single shot, but instantly abandoned their