Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/376

368 On the 14th of August the detachment arrived at Atchempettah, and the next day the whole array was reviewed in presence of the Nabob and Monac-gee. The English troops consisted of 1200 men in battalion, part of them Topasses, with 3000 Sepoys, and 14 field pieces: the Tanjorines were 2500 cavalry, and 3000 infantry mostly armed with muskets, and they had with them some pieces of cannon: the Nabob had only his guard of fifty horse. On the 16th the army marched and encamped at Natal-pettah, a village in the woods, six miles to the east of Elimiserum, and proceeding the next day, entered the plain about a mile to the south-east of this place, intending to pass between the sugar loaf and the French rocks. The enemy, informed by scouts of their approach, marched from their camp at the five rocks to oppose their passage. A deep watercourse, supplied from the Caveri to the eastward of Chucklypollam, intersects the plain nearly at an equal distance between the French rock and Elimiserum, and strikes to the south of the sugar loaf rock; a large bank ran along that side of the watercourse which was nearest to the enemy, who by taking possession of this bank might have obliged major Lawrence either to have altered the course of his march, or to have engaged them under a very great disadvantage: but their commander, Mr. Maissin, for reasons not publickly avowed, neglected to avail himself of this advantage. The English army advancing close by Elimiserum in a direct line from thence to the city, perceived and were surprized at this neglect; and major Lawrence immediately ordered the advanced guard, consisting of 400 Sepoys, and 100 Europeans with two field pieces, to proceed briskly and secure that part of the bank and watercourse over which he intended to march. As they approached the enemy cannonaded them, but did nothing more; and the whole army soon after crossed the bank without interruption; after which they halted and formed in two lines, extending obliquely between the sugar loaf and the French rocks from the watercourse towards the city. The first line was composed entirely of the English troops; the battalion which the field pieces in the center, and the Sepoys on each wing: in the second line was the baggage, accompanied by the Tanjorine cavalry and Peons, with the