Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/401

Book V Division of artillery, from moving on, and these stopped the whole line of the baggage: thus the front division and main body of the army were separated from the rear, which by the absence of those Sepoys belonging to it, who were suffered to proceed, was likewise deprived of a great part of its force. The Colleries, although unperceived, kept spies near the road, watching every motion, but cunningly retrained from making any attack, until the main body had advanced two miles beyond the tumbril, which caused the impediment, when numbers of them began to appear near the rear guard of the baggage; but the fire of a few platoons soon obliged them to retreat; and as they remained quiet for some time, it was imagined that they would not venture to make another attempt: but on a sudden they appeared in much greater numbers at the other end of the line, where the numbril had embarrassed the road, and attacked the rear division of artillery: here the whole number of troops did not exceed a hundred men, of which only twenty-five were Europeans: this force not being sufficient to protect all the carriages, the two officers of the artillery prudently determined to give their whole attention to the preservation of their field pieces, and of the tumbrils, which carried their powder and shot. These happened to be all together in the rear of such carriages as were laden with other kinds of military stores; but fortunately some of the wood on the right hand was cut down, and afforded an opening which commanded the road in front where the enemy were assembled; the officers therefore contrived to get their field pieces into the opening, from whence they fired smartly; but the Colleries nevertheless maintained the attack for some time with courage, and with a variety of weapons; arrows, matchlocks, rockets, avelins, and pikes; every one accompanying his efforts with horrible creams and bowlings, and answering every shot that was fired upon them with the same outcries; but finding themselves much galled, they at length quitted the road, and retired into the thickets on each side, from whence they renewed the fight with equal vigour, and with better success, since the artillery men were obliged to divide their attention to many different parts at once: many of the Colleries now pushed into the road amongst the tumbrils and carriages, and with their long spears stabbed the draught bullocks, and wounded or drove