Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/265

Book IV. This crisis of modern war is generally decided in an instant, and very few examples of it occur. The company of English grenadiers, with two platoons, broke the enemy's center, on which their whole line immediately gave way, and no quarter being expected in such a conflict, they threw down their arms as incumbrances to their flight. This was the moment for the Nabob's cavalry to charge, as they had been instructed; but instead of setting out in pursuit of the fugitives, they galloped into the camp, and employed themselves in plunder; however the Sepoys picked up many of them. Mr. Kirjean, with 13 officers and 100 private men, were made prisoners, and a greater number were killed; all the enemy's artillery, ammunition, and stores were taken. Of the English battalion, 4 officers and 78 private men were killed and wounded.

This victory broke the enemy's force so effectually, that Mr. Dupleix was obliged to wait the arrival of farther reinforcements before he attempted any thing more in the field; nor was this the only advantage obtained by it, for it checked the resolution which the Mysoreau had just taken of declaring openly for the French.

The English battalion no sooner quitted Tritchinopoly, than the regent set about accomplishing his scheme of surprizing the city, and by disbursing large sums of money, endeavoured to gain 500 of the Nabob's best Peons, armed with firelocks. The Jemautdars, or captains of these troops, received his bribes, and promised to join the 700 Mysoreans in the garrison whenever they should rise. Captain Dalton receiving some hints of the conspiracy, kept ward in the city with as much vigilance as if he had been in an enemy's country, and caused the artillery on the ramparts to be pointed every evening inwards on the quarters of the Mysoreans, and of the suspected Peons. These precautions naturally alarmed those who had been treating with the regent; but still none of them made any discovery; whereupon, at a general review of arms ordered for this purpose, he directed their flints to be taken out of their firelocks, under pretence of supplying them with some of a better sort. This convincing them that their practices were discovered, the Jemautdars came and confessed all that had passed, imploring forgiveness: each brought the sum he had received, and that of the principal man was 16,000