Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/367

Book V. pieces of battering cannon, and some field pieces, appeared before the place; the Governor immediately applied for assistance to the company's agent at Devi Cotah: some time was lost in debating whether the troops intended for the re-inforcement of the army at Tritchinopoly ought to be exposed on this service: but, at length, exact intelligence being received of the enemy's numbers, it was concluded that they could run no risque in attacking them; and they marched, accompanied by five hundred Sepoys. Early the next morning they arrived within four miles of Palam Cotah; when the enemy, discovering them, immediately spiked up their heavy cannon, blew up and threw into ponds and wells all their ammunition, and marched away towards Chillambrum. Five hundred Sepoys were detached with orders to harrass them until the main body should come up; but they had so much the start, and continued their march with such precipitation, that the pursuit was vain. Two days after a report prevailed that the Morattoes who had entered the kingdom of Tanjore, intended to intercept the English troops in their return to Devi Cotah; to prevent which they immediately quitted Palam Cotah. The French at Chillambrum hearing of their departure, marched out in hopes of gaining some advantage over them in the retreat; and their advanced guard of Sepoys came up before the first division had crossed the Coleroon; ensign Richard Smith, with the rear guard of three hundred Sepoys, was ordered to make head against them, and kept them at a distance until the rest had gained the other bank; but as soon as he began to retreat with rear guard, the enemy, now augmented to the number of one thousand Sepoys, pressed hard upon him, and the freshes of the Coleroon happening to descend at this time, the river was risen so much since the first division began to cross, that it was now scarcely fordable: the rear, however, having no other resource, determined to cross it at all events, and were all the while exposed to the enemy's fire from the thickets which covered the bank, by which twenty men were wounded, and some of the shortest size were drowned in the stream. A few days after his return to Devi Cotah, captain Pigou received orders from major Lawrence to proceed to Tanjore.