Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/229

Book III. to intercept the reinforcements which might come from Pondicherry through the streights of Utatoor; and above all, that captain Clive's division should not be out of the reach of a forced march from the rest of the army encamped near Tritchinopoly, lest the whole of the enemy's force should fall upon him before major Lawrence could move to his assistance. It was therefore determined to chuse such a central situation between the streights of Utatoor and the Coleroon as would best answer all these intentions. Every thing being settled, captain Clive began his march in the night of the 6th of April with 400 Europeans, 700 Sepoys, 3000 Morattoes under the command of Innis-Khan, 1000 of the Tanjorine horse, and eight pieces of artillery, two of which were battering cannon, and six of them field pieces. To conceal their march, they crossed over into the island three miles to the eastward of Jumbakistna. The number of deep water-courses which intersected this part of it, rendered the transporting of the cannon difficult and laborious; and whilst the Europeans were employed at one of the water-courses, a body of the enemy's Sepoys, returning from Coiladdy with a convoy of oxen laden with provisions, came up, intending to pass at the same place; and before they could retreat, received two or three vollies, which killed several of them.

The troops having passed the Coleroon before morning, proceeded seven miles to the north of it, and took possession of the village of Samiavaram, in which are two pagodas about a quarter of a mile distant from each other, one on each side of the high road leading to Utatoor: these were allotted for the quarters of the Europeans and Sepoys; ravelins were immediately flung up before the gates, and a redoubt capable of receiving all the cannon was constructed to command the road to the north and south. The Morattoes and Tanjorines encamped round the pagodas.

Whilst the army were employed in these works, a party from Seringham took possession of Munsurpett, a pagoda situated near the high road between Pitchandah and Samiavaram. It commanded a view of the country several miles; which advantage, joined to that of its situation, rendered it the best advanced post that could be chosen by either side; a detachment was therefore immediately sent to dislodge