Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/242

234 that Mr. D'Auteuil would inadvertently come near enough to give them an opportunity of falling upon him on the plain before he could regain Vol-condah. He did indeed advance within seven miles of Utatoor; but either from some rumour, or suspicion, his courage failed him on a sudden, and he took the resolution of returning in great haste to the place from whence he came. Captain Clive was no sooner informed of his retreat than he set out in pursuit of him, and early in the morning sent the Morattoes before, instructing them to keep their main body out of sight, and to endeavour to harrass and retard the enemy's march with small parties, such as might be mistaken for detachments sent only in quest of plunder, and prevent them from suspecting any thing more. Some of them came up with the enemy in the afternoon, within a league of Vol-condah, and amused Mr. D'Auteuil so well, that he, hoping to entice them within reach of his fire, wasted some time in making evolutions; but greater numbers coming in sight, he began to suspect the stratagem, and forming his men in a column with two field pieces in front, retreated. By this time the whole body of Morattoes came up and hovered round him until he reached Vol-condah, where he drew up between the mud wall of the pettah and the river Valarru, which was almost dry. Soon after the Sepoys, who formed the van of the English column, appeared outmarching the Europeans at a great rate; 600 of them had, in the enemy's service, stormed the breaches at the assault of Arcot, and having since that time been employed in the English service in several actions under the command of captain Clive, entertained no small opinion of their own prowess when supported by a body of Europeans. These men no sooner came within cannon-shot of the enemy, than they ran precipitately to attack them, without regarding any order. They received the fire of the enemy's cannon, and musketry, which killed many of them, but did not check the rest from rushing on to the push of bayonet. The Morattoes, animated by such an example, galloped across the river, and charging the flanks, increased the confusion, which the Sepoys had made in the center. The attack was two general and impetuous to be long resisted, and the enemy retired hastily through