Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/566

542 of the enemy's troops, left a fair opportunity to reduce the fort of Vandiwash, which it was determined to try. The troops which had landed with Colonel Coote, joined the camp at Conjeveram on the 23d; from whence Captain Preston was sent off the same day with his own company of infantry and of the pioneers, to remain at Chinglapet, in readiness to advance with them when called for to Vandiwash, bringing likewise two eighteen-pounders and a howitz. The next evening Major Brereton proceeded with a strong detachment to attack Trivatore; and on the 25th Colonel Coote with the main body advanced toward Arcot, where all the enemy's troops in the field were encamped. These dispositions were meant to perplex their guess of what blow was intended; they had most reason to expect against Arcot, but nevertheless concluded Vandiwash. A party sent forward by Major Brereton invested Trivatore at nine at night, but kept their guards so negligently, that the garrison, which were only a company of Sepoys, escaped through them before morning. Major Brereton, leaving two companies of Sepoys in Trivatore, marched on with his division, and arrived the next day, which was the 26th, at Vandiwash. Early the next morning they assaulted the pettah and carried it, after a slight resistance from some Sepoys, but without any loss.

Colonel Coote arrived the same morning with his division at Arcot, where he saw nothing of the enemy's troops on the ground of their encampment near the town. They had sent a detachment on the night of the 24th, preceding the morning that Colonel Coote began his march, which attacked the English post at Checkrimalore, where the three companies of Sepoys had just been reinforced, without the enemy's knowledge, with 50 Europeans from Conjeveram. Their detachment attacked before day-break of the 25th, and were repulsed with the loss of 20 Europeans, and their commanding officer, and retreated immediately to Chittapet; to which, as appointed the general rendezvous, the rest of the troops in the field at Arcot were on their march in the evening of the 26th, whilst Colonel Coote's division was approaching the ground they were quitting. In the evening of the 27th, some hours after his arrival at Arcot, Colonel Coote received