Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/600

576 and more wounded of both. They immediately entrenched the openings of the streets facing the fort, and began to raise a battery in the N. E. angle of the pettah, against the same tower which Colonel Coote had breached, and nearly on the same ground. A thousand of the Morattoes had been ordered to observe the motions of the English army; but they followed nothing but plunder, and continued spreading themselves to the north of the Paliar; and as Mr. Lally never rewarded sufficiently to encourage daring spies, the first news he received of the approach of the English army, was on the 17th at sun-rise, by a letter from Mr. Bussy at Trivatore, by which time they were arrived at Outramalore. His aversion to the authority, made him unwilling to accept the information as authentic; and at first he only ordered part of the army to advance from Trivatore: but, on farther intelligence, left Mr. Bussy to act according to his discretion; who at five in the afternoon marched with the whole, and arrived at Vandivash before midnight.

The English army arrived at Outramalore without provisions, and too much fatigued to march on, and reach Vandivash, before Mr. Bussy's division had joined Mr. Lally's there, which, otherwise, on their appearance, must either have retreated, or would have stood their ground with great inferiority and disadvantage. The horse, as soon as the foot were encamped, went abroad to rummage the villages for provisions, and the next day the troop of hussars fell in with 50 Morattoes, of whom they killed one, and took twelve with their horses. Still the want of grain continued in the camp, and it was found that the renter, although he depended on Madrass, had sold his store to some agents, probably employed by the French, at Sadrass; on which he was seized, and confined without eating, until the army was supplied; and his people in a few hours brought enough for the immediate want, and promised more. The scarcity had, however, been no obstacle to the operations of the army; for Colonel Coote had resolved not to advance upon the enemy, until they were ready to assault Vandivash, when he should have his choice of attacking either the troops employed against the fort, or the army which covered them in the plain. This Mr. Bussy foresaw, and again advised