Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/625

BOOK XII of Lieutenant Horne, against Totcum and Cortalum: at the same time, all the other troops retained from Samiaveram to Tritchinopoly; and, besides what had been gathered in the road, brought in two excellent 18-pounders, which the enemy had left in the pagoda of Seringham. The Nabob, solicitous to make his new appearance in the Carnatic with as much figure as possible, requested Joseph Smith to go and ask 500 horse of the king of Tanjore. The king was ill, and with difficulty admitted the visit, but promised every thing, and referred the adjustment to his Dubbeer, or minister, which, amongst the Indians, is equivalent to the Duan of the Mahomedan princes. The Dubbeer, notwithstanding the late successes of the English arms, insisted, that the Nabob should furnish the pay and expences, which he knew would not be complied with; and Captain Smith returned, as he had expected, without obtaining a single horseman. In the mean time, Hassan Ally had abandoned Totcum, on the appearance of Lieutenant Horne's detachment, but went away with the garrison, which were 400 Sepoys, to reinforce Cortalum. Lieutenant Horne followed him; and here the enemy made a stand for three days, until a battery was raised, when they all went off in the night, leaving a gun and some ammunition in the fort. Some Sepoys were posted in both, and the rest of the detachment returned to the city; where the Nabob was making, with accustomed tediousness, the preperations for his departure. The ravages which had been committed by the English cavalry, in the districts around Pondicherry, brought forth a part of the French troops from Valdoor; but not before the cavalry were gone off with their plunder. The French detachment seeing nothing to oppose them, advanced within 20 miles of Carangoly; which, on intelligence of their approach, the Presidency reinforced with 40 Europeans. Captain Preston had already been sent to command there; and on the 6th of February Colonel Coote had detached 500 black horse, and 20 hussars, from the siege of Arcot, with orders, if Preston should think proper, to lead them against the enemy's detachment, who, gaining intelligence of their march before they had, reached Carangoly, retreated fast; and on the 8th, 27 hussars with their horses deserted and came to Vandivash, where