Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/524

500 break of day on the 14th, the whole body of the French troops, now commanded by the Viscount Fumel, who had made a forced march in the night from Elavanasore, appeared before the pettah at the bottom of the rock, and investing it on every side on the plain, brought two guns against the two opposite gates on the north and south, and disposed two parties to escalade in other places. The fight was every where sharp; both the escalades and the attack on the north gate were repulsed; but after two hours, the enemy forced the other, and brought their guns into the town, and Hunterman, still unwilling to give up, had nearly been cut off in his retreat to the gateway of the passage leading up to the fort above, which he however gained, having lost one-third of his Sepoys; but the enemy more, having 200 of theirs, and 30 Europeans killed and wounded. They had scarcely disposed their guards, when their scouts brought word, that the troops with Ralliard and Kistnarow were approaching, and were within a few miles; on which Fumel, with the impetuosity of his nation on success, marched out with most of the troops, but without the field-pieces; and met the English, who were advancing fast on the plain within two miles from the fort. Ralliard, thinking the advantage of his two field-pieces greater than it really was, halted his line to cannonade, which the enemy stood; and, instead of coming on as Ralliard expected, waited till their own, which were five, came up, when they fired amongst the Nabob's cavalry, and knocked down several on which the whole of this dastardly body went off, and left the infantry unflanked. Ralliard and Kistnarow were in this instant riding towards the cavalry, to lead them up to the enemy's; and, hurried by vexation, followed in hopes of rallying them, and left the infantry without command; against whom the enemy, seeing the horse going off, advanced to the push of bayonet. There was, not far in the rear of the English line, a village, in which the oxen with the ammunition and the stores were waiting; and the gunners, thinking it a safe station to secure the field-pieces, turned, and began to draw them off as fast as they could, thinking they should be covered by the rest of the infantry; who, confused by these various appearances of terror in others, took