Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/421

Book X. 30 or 40 returned into the fort, and none of them had received a wound. On the 21st another detachment of 1000 Sepoys with 20 Europeans sallied at o'clock in the day, under the conduct of Lieutenant Balantyne and Ensign Crowley, in order to beat up a party with 2 guns which were reported to be posted at the pagoda in the village of Triplicane about a mile to the south of the fort. They crossed the bar of the Triplicane river, and proceeded, driving several small Sepoy guards before them to the pagoda; where, not finding either the party or the guns they were seeking, they turned into the St. Thomé road, and crossing it, marched along the other road, which leads to the Choultry-plain, intending to attack the enemy's, guards on the outside of the enclosures near the village of Chindadrepettah; but before they arrived on the plain 300 Europeans were reported advancing from Triplicane river, on which the detachment marched back to the bridge, and returned by the strand of the river to the bar, where a company of grenadiers were waiting to cover their retreat. Whilst this detachment was abroad, two pieces of battering cannon, drawn by a great many bullocks and Coolies, were perceived crossing from the village of Chindadrepettah to the s. w. towards the black town, and being within random shot of the western bastions several cannon were fired upon them, which, soon stopt the bullocks and Coolies, and one of the guns sunk to the axel-tree in the mud; upon which 300 Sepoys, encouraged by the promise of a reward, marched with Jemaul Saheb to spike up these guns: on their appearance the drivers cast off and hurried away the bullocks, and the Coolies ran away; but before the Sepoys got to the bridge, which leads to Egmore, 2100 European horse, followed by some infantry, appeared advancing from the camp in the black town; on which the party was recalled into the fort.

On the l7th, all the English prisoners that had been taken at the sally were sent away for Pondicherry. They were 100, and were escorted by 150 of the European horse, 40 European foot, and 500 Sepoys. They moved slowly, and proceeded towards Sadrass, by the road near the sea shore, which passeth by Cobelong, where they were