Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/293

Book IV. to the reputation of Polier, whose orders directing him only to dislodge the enemy from the choultry, he would have been culpable, had he pushed his success farther without a subsequent order; which the major had no reason to send, as from the situation he was in, he could not discover the distress of the enemy. On the retreat of the grenadiers, the French again took possession of the water course, and renewed the cannonade, which lasted till the evening, when the want of provisions, as well as the excessive fatigue which the English troops had undergone, obliged them to repass the river, and return to Tritchinopoly; where they arrived at 10 at night, having without intermission been employed 20 hours either in march or action. The loss they sustained was much less than might have been expected, from the fire to which they had been exposed; for only three officers were wounded, and two with four private men and a few Sepoys killed.

The operations of this day shewed that the French troops were commanded by an abler officer than any who had yet appeared at their head; and little hopes remaining of dislodging the Mysoreans from the pagoda, major Lawrence gave his whole attention to the means of supplying the city with provisions. For this purpose the army marched into the plain, and encamped at the Facquire's Tope, within the entrenchment which Virana, the Mysore general had lately abandoned, where they lay conveniently for protecting the convoys coming from Tondiman's country; proper agents, supported by a detachment of troops, were sent to purchase grain, and at the same time the King of Tanjore was requested to collect and send supplies. But the Mysorean was not wanting to counteract these measures; e kept an agent both at Tanjore, and with Tondiman, who represented, that if Tritchinopoly should once be provided with a considerable stock of provisions, it was not to be doubted but that the Nabob and the English would immediately carry their arms again into the Carnatic, leaving their allies exposed to the just resentment of the regent, who would not fail to take the severest revenge for the service they had rendered his enemies. This reasoning was well adapted to the genius of those to whom it was addressed; for the