Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/104

98 instead of repressing, caught the despondency, and prevailed on Mr.Law to dispatch a letter to Mr. Bussy, expressing their doubts and anxiety concerning the farther progress of the reinforcement. In the mean time the news of Mahmood Cawn's defection had been spread with exaggeration through the main camp at Golcondah, and encouraged the ministry to send more troops against the reinforcement. Mr. Bussy, to repress this intention, sent in the night of the 12th a strong party, consisting entirely of Europeans, to beat up the advanced guards of the camp, and the attack was made with much success; but on the same night he received the letter from Mr. Law, which encreased his perplexity; because he could not trust his Sepoys in the field where their seducer Murzafacawn acted, nor could he without equal imprudence send a number of Europeans sufficient to make their way to Meliapore. Judging, however, from his own experience in various conjunctures, he deemed the reinforcement strong enough to accomplish the remaining, as they had the preceding part of the march, provided the officers led them with intrepidity; and in this conviction he wrote to Mr. Law, commanding him, in the name of the King, to march immediately, and at all events, on the receipt of the letter. Not doubting, likewise, that the ministry of Salabadjing, if they should hear of the despondency of the reinforcement, would make an utmost effort in this time of decision, unless deterred by the strongest apprehensions, he the next day pitched his own tent, which was very conspicuous, and encamped with 150 Europeans and 300 Sepoys, on the strand above the bridge on the other side of the river Moussi. The numbers were studiously magnified, and, with the presence of Mr. Bussy in the field, inspired such a variety of apprehensions concerning his designs in the camp at Golcondah, that they even recalled the detachments they had sent the day before. The peremptory order from Mr. Bussy at Meliapore arrived in the morning of the 14th, and Mr. Law immediately issued orders to march. The reinforcement, although they had remained four days and three nights at Meliapore, had not got the rest they wanted; for the fort was in several parts open, and the enemy had harrassed