Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/634

610 either for them or the musketry sufficient to have stood the assault, nor had the garrison two days provision left. The total loss and casualties of the English, through the attack, were four Europeans killed and 15 wounded, of the Sepoys 40 and 70; these troops had never behaved so well; of their killed, one was the Subadhar, equivalent to the Captain of a company, and two were Jemidars, the next rank of officers. The gallantry of Bulwansing, who was the senior of the whole body in camp, was rewarded with a gold medal. The Kellidar, for his services, was continued in the fort, in which were left a company of Sepoys, with 12 Europeans and a lieutenant. A large detachment of the French army had advanced as far as Manour, within seven miles of Permacoil, and were in motion to throw in a considerable reinforcement of men and stores, at the very hour they heard of the arrival of the English army at Tondivanum, on which they retreated towards Pondicherry. On the 7th, Colonel Coote went from the camp at Tondivanum, with the cavalry, black as well as Europeans, and six companies of Sepoys, to discover near the bounds of Pondicherry. The distance to the bound-hedge was 20 miles; and the Sepoys, after marching 10, wanted rest, and were left in the village of Trichimungalum.

The French troops which had been detached to the relief of Permacoil, had, on their retreat, encamped four miles to the west of the town, and three from the bound-hedge. A large collection of sand-hills, of which the whole together is called the red-hills, rises about half a mile from the sea-shore, and a mile and half to the north of the town: they extend four miles to the west ward, and the last hill, where they cease on this side, is called Perimbé: across from north to south they extend two miles, and have passable dales between; directly opposite to the side of Perimbé, stands the Fort of Villenore, a strong out-post, situated near the north bank of the river of Araincopang, which falls into the sea about 500 yards from the wall of Pondicherry, and in its course from Villenore forms a curve to the south. The Red-hill, on the other side the plain, recedes to the N. E. from Perimbé to its end towards the sea. So that the interval between Villenore and Perimbé is the narrowest part of the plain btween