Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/540

516 who stood them, but, overpowered by numbers, were routed, and eight, with an officer, taken prisoners: in the afternoon, the garrison of Trivatore, which consisted only of a captain and 22 men of the Lorrain regiment, surrendered on the first summons. The main body of the enemy had advanced from Vandiwash in the morning, and were halting at the village of parsee, six miles on the road, of which Colonel Brereton receiving information, marched on without stopping at Trivalore, and encamped near them; and at midnight, the enemy moved off, and returned to Vandiwash; where, as before they took up their quarters in the pettahs, and under the walls of the fort, into which the governor Tuckeasaheb, notwithstanding the strictness of his alliance, was very averse to admit any of the French troops, excepting some of their gunners; and they to prevent worse consequences, would not compel him. The English army continuing their march the next day, encamped in the evening under the ledge of rocks, which extend about three miles to the N. w. of the fort. The day after, which was the 29th, parties were employed in reconnoitring; but neither their observations, nor the enquiries of spies, discovered the real state of the enemy's force. On the march of Major Monson to Arcot in the beginning of August, the French drew the greatest part of their Europeans from the garrisons of Chittapet, Carangoly, and Outramalore, to their main body at Vandiwash, from whence the whole had advanced as far as Trivatore, when Monson, finding the attack of Arcot impracticable, returned to Conjeveram: on his retreat, they detached 100 Europeans to reinforce Arcot, and sent back the troops which they had drawn from the three other garrisons; which reduced the European infantry that returned to Vandiwash to 600; but the whole of the European cavalry, who where 300, went with them. The same alarm for Arcot had led Mr. Lally to recall the detachment to the southward with Viscount Fumel, who were then before Volcondah; but Fumel, not having levied the contribution he expected, delayed to obey the orders, and, on Monson's retreat, was permitted to persist, and had time to finish.