Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/301

Book IV. The Major remained three hours at the foot of the rock, in order to give them an opportunity of renewing the fight; but finding that they shewed no inclination to move towards him, he prepared to return to his camp, leaving them to take possession of the rock again at their peril; for since the loss of the 200 Sepoys that defended it in the beginning of the action, he did not think it prudent to expose another detachment to the same risque, at such a distance from his main body. The three guns with the prisoners were placed in the center, and the troops marching in platoons on each side, the artillery was distributed in the front, rear, and intervals of the column. The real had scarcely got clear of the rock into the plain, when the whole of the enemy's cavalry set up their shout, and came furiously on, flourishing their swords as if they were resolved to exterminate at once the handful of men that opposed them. Whosoever has seen a body of ten thousand horse advancing on the full gallop all together, will acknowledge with the Mareschals Villars and Saxe that their appearance is tremendous, be their discipline or courage what it will; and such an onset would doubtless have disconcerted untried soldiers; but the enemy had to deal with Veterans equal to any who have done honour to the British nation; men convinced by repeated experience that a body of well-disciplined infantry would always prevail against irregular cavalry, let their numbers be ever so great. In this confidence they halted, and without the least emotion, waited for the enemy, who were suffered to come sufficiently near before the signal was given to the artillery officers: the cannonade then began from eight six pounders, loaded with grape, and was kept up at the rate of eight or ten shot in a minute from each piece, so well directed that every shot went amongst the crowd, as was visible by the numbers that dropped: this soon stopped their career, and they stood a while like men astonished by the fall of thunder; but finding no intermission of the fire, and that the battalion and Sepoys reserved theirs with recovered arms, they went to the right about, and got out of the reach as fast as they had come on, leaving the troops to return quietly to their camp. Thus was Tritchinopoly saved by a success, which astonished even those who, had gained it; nor was the attempt, however desperate it