Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/468

444 it by the other outlet, to the plain on the north of the Mount. The French cavalry followed them until they themselves came within reach of the flank fire of the field-pieces at the swamy-house, which falling amongst the troopers and dragoons on the right, obliged them to check and turn back; but the hussars on the left, not feeling so much of this annoyance, pushed on, and pursued the fugitives through the opening into the upper end of the lane, where they immediately fell under the fire of the 500 Sepoys pasted in the different stations in that part of the Mount and in the two houses, which drove them with as much precipitation as those they were pursuing, through the outlet to the north, from whence they galloped round the Mount, and rejoined the cavalry from which they had separated, in the plain to the south. Calliaud, with the troopers, retreated to the enclosure next Lawrence's garden, and his horse, which had received a ball in the breast, fell under him at the gate. As soon as the hussars returned, the whole of the French line advanced again in the same order as before, and halted at the distance of 600 yards; the division of infantry on the right, opposite to the swamy-house; the other on the left, over against the last enclosures at the foot of the Mount. From these situations the infantry of both divisions sent forward their field-pieces 200 yards nearer, which began a brisk and indiscriminate cannonade against the garden walls, and the post at the swamy-house, which was answered with effect only by the two field-pieces at this post; for the fire of the Sepoys, even here as well as in the gardens, was thrown away, and nevertheless could not be restrained. Meanwhile the body of enemy's troops to the east halted behind a ridge, which extended at the distance of 400 yards, opposite to Carvalho's garden, against which their Sepoys kept up a constant and useless fire of musketry, which nevertheless was often answered from the four field-pieces in the garden.

Colonel Lally seeing no effect from his field-pieces against the garden walls to the south, and the danger of storming them, before the advanced post at the swamy-house was carried, detached at nine o'clock 100 Europeans from the division of infantry on the right, to attack it at the push of bayonet; but the fire