Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/674

650 had determined to send no bullion to any of their settlements in India, and the Presidency of Bengal had consumed all their incomes, and were borrowing money. It was therefore proposed to the Nabob, who was at Madrass, to march with what troops had accompanied him thither, supported by a detachment of Europeans from the garrison, in order to protect the countries between Gingee and Trinomaly, and all behind them to Arcot. Captain Richard Smith, at Tritchinopoly, as soon as he had acquired intelligence of the strength and intentions of the Mysoreans which were come into the Carnatic, proposed the expediency of a diversion, by marching with a force from his garrison, and attacking the districts of Mysore, which confine on the westward to those of Tritchinopoly, whilst the troops ordered by Mahomed Issoof from Madura, should keep the Mysoreans of Dindigul at bay. The idea was approved as the most probable resource; he was ordered to carry it into execution, and Tanjore and Tondiman were requested to give him what assistance he might require.

The Nabob marched from Madrass on the 3d of July, and on the 7th he arrived at Vandivash; after loitering there some days, he suddenly changed his mind from keeping the field against the Mysoreans, and went away to make his entrance into his captial of Arcot; but left 700 of his horse, and 500 of his Sepoys, with his brother Maphuze Khan, who on the 22d came with them to the army at Perimbé. The day after Colonel Coote, with all the cavalry of the army, a great part of the Sepoys, several field-pieces, an eighteen-pounder on a field-carriage, but without any European infantry, advanced towards the bound-hedge. This defiance as it were of meeting the Mysoreans with equal arms could not provoke them to come out and try their strength; but the French infantry advanced and cannonaded from seven pieces of cannon, which only wounded two European gunners. The next morning, the 24th, on intelligence that a large body of the Mysoreans intended to march that night to the westward to escort provisions, Major Monson was detached, with all the black cavalry, six companies of Sepoys, and two field-pieces, to take post