Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/320

312 hurry and confusion, posted themselves on the sugar-loaf rock. The English troops advancing were prevented by the interruptions which they met with in the Mysore camp from keeping up in a line; so that the first division had outmarched the second, and the second the third; however as soon as they came nigh the enemy, whom they discovered by the portfires of their guns, the hindermost quickened their pace; but nevertheless the whole line was not completely formed before they came within twenty yards of the enemy, by which time the Sepoys to the right had advanced from the rear, in order to oppose those on the enemy's left: the artillery in the hurry could not keep up with the battalion. The French artillery had for some time fired with great vivacity, but most of the shot flew too high, and killed several of the flying Mysoreans. The action commenced just as the day began to dawn: Mr. Astruc, with indefatigable activity prevailed on his men to wait and receive the English fire before they gave theirs: amongst those who suffered in this onset was captain Kilpatrick, who commanded the division on the right; he fell desperately wounded; upon which captain Calliaud put himself at the head of the grenadiers, and took the command of the whole division; the French Sepoys on the left scarcely stood the first fire of the right wing of the English Sepoys, but took flight: which captain Calliaud perceiving, he wheeled instantly round with his division, and gaining the left flank of the intrenchment, behind which the left of the French battalion was posted, poured in a close fire upon them; and the grenadiers pushing on with their bayonets, drove them crowding upon their center: the whole line was already falling into confusion, when a well-levelled discharge from the center and left of the English battalion in front compleated the route, and they ran away in great disorder to gain the other side of the bank on their right, where Mr. Astruc endeavoured to rally them: but the grenadiers pursuing them closely, renewed the attack with their bayonets, and put them again to flight: every man now provided for his own safety, without any regard to order, running towards the golden rock, as this way was the only outlet not obstructed; but as soon as they got to some distance on the plain they dispersed and took various routes. The left wing of the English Seapoys had hitherto taken no share in the engagement, for by