Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/89

Book I. In the night of the 8th of December the French army set out from Ariancopang, and arrived the next morning, by break of day, at the river Pannar, which runs into the sea about a mile and a half to the north of Fort St. David: their force consisted of 1,700 men, for the most part Europeans, of which 50 were cavalry: they had one or two companies of Caffre slaves, natives of Madagascar and of the eastern coast of Africa; which had been disciplined, and brought into India, by Mr. De la Bourdonnais. Their artillery consisted of six field pieces, and as many mortars. The garrison of Fort St. David, with the addition of the officers and soldiers who had made their escape from Madrass, consisted of no more than 200 Europeans, and 100 Topasses. These were intended to defend the fort: and as the Nabob's behaviour, when Madrass was attacked by De la Bourdonnais, had caused the English to suspect his assurances of assistance, they hired 2,000 Peons for the defence of Cuddalore and the company's territory, and distributed 8 or 900 muskets amongst them. At this time the English had not adopted the idea of training the Indian natives in the European discipline, notwithstanding the French had set the example, by raising four or five companies of Sepoys at Pondicherry.

The French army crossed the river Pannar, and entered the company's territory without any other opposition than the fire of some of the Peons, who galled them a little from behind thickets, and other covers; but retreated as soon as fired upon by the enemy's fieldpieces. At the distance of a mile and a half to the north-west of Fort St. David was a country-house appointed for the residence of the governor, behind which, to the north, was a large garden inclosed with a brick wall, and before the house, to the south, a court with buildings on each side of it. The ford where the French had passed the river was about a quarter of a mile from the garden; in which some Peons were stationed, whom the enemy soon dislodged. Mr. Dupleix having received intelligence that the Nabob had sent no more than 1,500 men to the assistance of the English, had instructed Mr. Bury to march through the company's territory, and assault the town of Cuddalpre. The French, having met with no other resistance than