Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/211

Book VIII briskly as the line was approaching, and more especially from the tower on the left of the breach, that Col. Forde ordered a six-pounder from the battery, which, at the distance of a hundred yards, kept up a constant fire on the parapet of this tower, more indeed with the hope of intimidating, than the expectation of doing any detriment. The first few Sepoys who got up the breach were immediately stopped by the pikes from advancing either forwards, or on either hand, and had scarcely discharged their muskets before they were all wounded; on which those immediately behind ran down in confusion, and the whole body in an instant broke; but dispersed to the right and left of the rest of the line. The Coffrees, led by Ensign Elliot, took their place without trepidation, and having mounted, maintained their ground on the breach gallantly, endeavouring, after they had fired, to break down the pikes with their muskets, and even to push into the trenches: but in vain, for, in a few minutes, four of them were killed, and thirteen, with Lieutenant Elliot, wounded; on which the rest were called down. The Europeans, who during this contest had remained thronged at the foot of the breach, now mounted, every man as he stood nearest, without regard to rank, order, or command. This assault continued half an hour, during which Capt. Hunt was shot with an arrow, Callender and Richard Smith, and Mr. Alexander, the commissary, were bruised with stones, and with them four of the soldiers killed, and 27 wounded on the breach, and the enemy still as active as ever; on which Colonel Forde, who was at the foot of the wall, ordered the retreat, which was made with more hurry than became troops who had hitherto behaved with so much courage; for every man, instead of waiting for his officers and colours, ran as fast as he could to take shelter in the battery, and all passed the field-piece without stopping to bring it away, until captain Richard Smith, who, in rotation of duty, brought up the rear, halted with a few of his own company, and afterwards, with the assistance of some of the Nabob's horsemen, who were near, dragged the field-piece to the battery: during which two of his Serjeants, and two of the horsemen, were wounded from the walls. The Nabob's army, during