Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/611

Book XII. the army, who had not fired a shot; he clasped his hands in surprize and admiration, and said not a word.

During the conflict on this side, the two centers, which were composed of the troops of the two East India Company's, had kept up a hot, but distant fire; neither chusing to risque closer decision until they saw the event between Draper's and Lally's; but as soon as Lally's broke, the enemy's center went off likewise, but in better order, although in haste, to regain their camp. Many of Coote's, in the first fury of victory, had pursued their antagonists of Lorrain up to the retrenchment, by which the fugitives entered the camp: they might have suffered by this rashness, if the guard there, as well as the nearest Sepoys along the ridge, had not taken fright, and abandoned their posts on seeing the rout of Lorrain. It took some time to bring the pursuers back to their colours, when the officers, sending off the wounded, formed the rest into their ranks, and afterwards only made the appearance of advancing, whilst the rest of the battle remained in doubt, lest Lorrain with the Sepoys should rally; to prevent which the four field-pieces on the left kept up an incessant fire plunging into the camp.

As soon as the other wing and the center of the enemy's army gave way, their opponents, the Company's battalion and Draper's regiment got into order, and with Coote's, who were ready, advanced to the pursuit, leaving their artillery behind. They entered the enemy's camp without meeting the least opposition. India and Lally's had passed through it hastily to the other side, although not in rout as Lorrain's before. Mr. Lally, after the rout of Lorrain, rode away to join his own regiment on the left, but on the way saw the explosion of the tumbril at the retrenched tank, the dispersion of the marines in this post, and the flight of the Sepoys out of the tank behind. He was in this instant near, and intended to speak to Mr.Bussy, but turned suddenly, and ordered the Sepoys stationed along the ridge in front of the camp to advance. None obeyed; and most of them being those of Zulphacarjung who had served with Mr. Bussy in the Decan, he rashly suspected treachery, and, unable to controul the impulse of distraction, rode into the camp to stop the fugitives of Lorrain.