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

Book X. the high road, near a village called Gallapool, and in sight of a fort called Peddipore. They had 500 Europeans, many more pieces of cannon than they could use at once, a great number of the troops of the country, of which 500 were horse, and 6000 Sepoys. Of the English force embarked from Bengal, only 30 Europeans and a few Sepoys were wanting, who had been left sick at Vizagapatam; so that there were in the field 470 Europeans, and 1900 Sepoys. The Rajah had 500 paltry horse, and 5000 foot, some with aukward firearms, the rest with pikes and bows: but he had collected 40 Europeans, who managed four field-pieces under the command of Mr. Bristol; besides which his own troops had some useless cannon. On the 6th, the English and the Rajah's army advanced and took possession of a village called Chambole, on the high road likewise, within four miles of the enemy, when each deemed the situation of the other too strong to be attacked: on which Colonel Forde, as the only means to draw the enemy from theirs to a general action, resolved to march round and regain the road to Rajahmundrum in their rear, by passing under the hills to their left, where the enemy could not derive much advantage from their horse. The Rajah approved; and on the 9th, at four in the morning, the English troops were in motion; but the Rajah's with their usual indolence not prepared to march. Near the foot of the hills, about three miles to the right of the village of Chambole, was another called Condore, to gain which, the English troops having filed from the right, were in march, when, at day-break, they heard a strong cannonade towards the Rajah's camp. It was from 6 guns, which Mr. Conflans, ignorant, of Colonel Forde's march, had sent on in the night, under the guidance of an intelligent deserter, who had noticed a spot that bore upon the camp; and Mr. Conflans was following to support them with his whole army and the rest of his field-artillery. The Rajah sent messages after messages, which met the English troops returning to his relief; and his own, quickened by the danger, were removing as fast as they could out of the reach of it; and having, in much confusion, joined the English, continued marching on with them to the village of Condore, where all arrived at eight o'clock. The enemy, although