Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/314

308 a bridge immediately under it, leading over the canal. The garrison in Fort St. David consisted of 1600 natives, Sepoys, Lascars, and To-passes; 619 Europeans, of whom 286 were effective; 83 pensioners or infirm; and 250 were seamen, the crews of the Triton and Bridgwater, which had run ashore on the appearance of the French squadron.

Intelligence was obtained on the 15th that the enemy intended on the ensuing night to attack all the posts on the sand; on which they were reinforced, to the number of 80 Europeans and 700 Sepoys. At sun-set, the French troops marched from Cuddalore to the gardenhouse, and at nine o'clock from thence in three divisions, which halted at some distance from the canal, waiting the signal to attack. The division on the right was to force and take possession of the gateway opposite to the hill of Thevenapatam; the center was to ford the canal, and march against Chuckley-point; and the division to the left crossing the canal where it joins the river Panar, was to come down and storm Patcharee; but the center and the left were not to begin their attack before the right was engaged. The signal was made by a rocket at ten o'clock, and at the same instant a strong fire commenced against the fort itself, from five guns on the ramparts of Cuddalore, the two on the battery on the bank of the Bandapollam river, and from two heavy mortars on the west. This annoyance was intended to distract the attention of the garrison, and succeeded, for they returned it with much violence, although with more uncertainty. The division on the right advancing to the attack of the Thevenapatam gateway, was unexpectedly stopped by the want of the bridge, which had been destroyed, and the canal hereabouts was not fordable; nor could the center division find the ford they expected. The posts on the sand were now alarmed, but the two divisions, nevertheless, stood on their ground, waiting for intelligence from the division on the left, which was led by the Count D'Estaign, who soon after sent word that he had crossed with ease at the head of the canal; on which the center moved up thither, and crossed after him, whilst the third division continued before the gateway, to keep the troops there and at Thevenapatam from reinforcing the two points.