Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/365

Book V greater than could have been expected, did not pursue, but continued their march quietly to the camp; their loss was seven Europeans killed, and forty-eight, with six officers out of nine, wounded and 150 Sepoys were either killed or wounded. The enemy suffered much more, having near 200 of their battalion, and 300 Sepoys killed or wounded. The convoy which had returned into the woods, receiving information of the enemy's retreat, set out again, and arrived the same night at the camp, which was in such want of provisions, that if the enemy had only taken the resolution of encamping near the ground where they had fought, the English army would have been obliged to march away the next day to Tanjore.

The enemy reflecting with much vexation upon their disgrace. thought it necessary to perform some exploit which might re-establish their reputation: but thinking it desperate to attack the English in their camp, they determined to wreck their vengeance on the Polygar Tondiman, whose attachment to the English had alone enabled them to stand their ground at Tritchinopoly, so long after they could get no more provisions from the Tanjore country. Accordingly the second night after the engagement, M. Maissin with all his Europeans, 3000 Sepoys, and 2000 horse, marched into the Polygar's country, with an intention to commit every kind of ravage; but the inhabitants alarmed, removed their effects, and drove their cattle into the thickest parts of their woods, where it was impossible to follow them, and the enemy found nothing but empty villages to burn, except at Killanore, where after dispersing the English Sepoys stationed there, they took three or four hundred bags of rice, and an iron gun. Vexed that they had with much fatigue been able to do very little mischief in this country, they resolved to fall on the dominions of the king of Tanjore, and plundering as they went, appeared before Kelli Cottah, which surrendered on the second day.

Major Lawrence not doubting but that the war thus unexpectedly carried into his country would convince the king of the necessity of acting again in conjunction with the English, determined to avail himself of the first impression which these hostilities might make