Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/614

590 Calcutta on the victory at Plassey. Their congratulations to Colonel Coote and the army were abundant as their joy.

The day after the battle scarcely sufficed for the variety of orders necessary to restore the army to its strength, and to make the dispositions, by which Colonel Coote, with his usual activity, resolved to prosecute his success. Captain Wood was ordered to advance with his garrison from Covrepauk, and invest the fort of Arcot; Lieutenant Chisholm to send to Covrepauk the sick and invalids left by the army at Conjeveram: Madrass was requested to send to Conjeveram the recovered men of the King's regiments left in their hospital, together with stores, battering cannon, and ammunition: this line was meant to sustain the siege of Arcot. Whatsoever other troops could be spared from Madrass were to be sent to Vandivash, with medicines and conveniences for the wounded there. The baggage at Outramalore was ordered to rejoin the army; a letter was written to Innis Khan, advising him to quit the province, with all his Morattoes, without delay, or that no quarter would be given to any of them wheresoever met. Orders were issued for 1000 of the black horse to march to the south; 200 set off immediately to plunder and lay waste the country between Allamparvah and Pondicherry: the next day, which was the 25th, 800 with 20 of the hussars, under the command of Vasserot, marched with the same intent against the districts between Pondicherry and Gingee, and were to act in correspondence with the other detachment.

The French army reached Chittapett the next day, where they only remained the day after; and then Mr. Lally, without reinforcing the garrison, fell back with all the European force, to Gingee, sending the Sepoys of Zulphacarjung, of whom he had still suspicious, although Mr. Bussy was taken, to act under the commandant at Arcot, and advised the Morattoes to renew their incursions to the north of the Paliar. Colonel Coote, on intelligence of Mr. Lally's retreat, and the little care he had taken of Chittapett, resolved to attack this place before he marched against Arcot. The baggage from Outramalore, waiting for some stores from Chinglapett, did not arrive until the 26th. In the same evening, a