Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/441

Book X. the 20th, they fired none of the four guns on Lally's battery, which bore on the north-east bastion; but continued with the seven bearing on the demi bastion, and the three on the north ravelin, although more sparingly than usual, but those in the burying-ground battery with more vivacity: a platform on the demi bastion, and a mortar on the north ravelin were ruined by shells: five Europeans were killed; and seven, with three Sepoys, wounded. During the night, they threw few shot or shells, and made but little advance in their approaches, but enlarged their second crochet, and worked hard in erecting a battery, which projected from it along their last or third zig-zag leading to the crochet which terminated this zig-zag on the glacis. Two small sallies were made upon the trenches during the night, in both of which only one European was killed.

On the 21st the enemy's batteries remained almost silent, but the musketry in their trenches fired briskly on all they saw moving. At five in the evening, a serjeant and ten men went out by a sallyport in the east curtain, and an officer with 20 by the barrier in the north-east angle of the covered-way, who were followed by 40 pioneers with their captain: the soldiers advanced to the second crochet, which was only 30 yards from the foot of the glacis; out of which their first fire drove all the troops, who were mostly Sepoys: after which they maintained the crochet for 10 minutes before the guard of the trenches arrived; and during this time the pioneers worked hard in destroying the gabions, and what other materials were collected for the construction of the intended battery: the sally was preceded and followed by a fire of mortars, cannon, and small arms from the fort, upon all whom the alarm brought within sight and reach; and it was supposed with much effect; two Serjeants were killed, and five of the pioneers wounded; in the fort one European and one Sepoy were killed, and a ten inch mortar disabled. In the night the enemy worked hard in thickening the crochet out of which they had been driven, completed their third zig-zag, which extended 100 yards beyond it, mostly on the glacis, but inclining to the left of the salient angle; and not only began, but finished their