Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/326

318 revenue of 60,000 pagodas, or 24,000 pounds sterling. This revenue the Nabob assigned over to the English as a reimbursement in part of the great expences they had incurred in the war; and as neither the Bramins nor the pilgrims are sollicitous to whom this money is paid, provided the feast goes on without interruption, it was the intention of Mahomed Comaul to get possession of the pagoda before the feast began. The presidency of Madrass, alarmed for the safety of a place in which the company was so much interested, sent a detachment of forty Europeans, two companies of Sepoys, and three pieces of cannon, with orders to march and defend the pagoda: they were to be joined on the road by Nazeabulla, the Nabob's brother, at the head of a large body of troops, but these not coming up in time, the detachment proceeded without them. When arrived near Tripetti they were unexpectedly surrounded by the whole of Mahomed Comaul's force, 5000 men, horse and foot; the detachment had just time to take shelter in a neighbouring village, where the enemy immediately attacked them, and although constantly repulsed, they did not desist from their attempts before the night set in; when the detachment having lost several of their Europeans, and expended all their ammunition, retreated; the next day they were joined by Nazeabulla Cawn's army, with whom the day afterwards they proceeded again towards Tripetti. Mahomed Comaul met them on the plain, and the action began by a cannonade, which having created some confusion amongst the enemy, ensign Holt, who commanded the English detachment, marched up with his Europeans and Sepoys to improve the advantage; but before they came near enough to give their fire, a shot from a wall-piece killed ensign Holt. However the men, not disconcerted by this accident, pushed on under the command of their next officer, ensign Ogilby, and attacked the enemy with great vivacity, who were already wavering, when a lucky shot from one of the field pieces killed the elephant of Mahomed Comaul. His army seeing the standard of their general fall to the ground, as usual took flight, and with so much precipitation, that before he had time to mount a horse, they left him at the mercy of his enemies. He was taken prisoner and carried to Nazeabulla Cawn, by whose order he was instantly beheaded. His death removed the most dangerous