Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/677

Book XII belonging to that garrison, in which Major Monson remained with the troops just arrived from England: so that the outlets to the s. w. and s. were equally well guarded, and the main body of the army lying between Villenore and the Red-hill utterly precluded the passage to or from the west. The convoy from Gingee were expected to set out on the 12th, but did not until the evening of the 13th; intelligence of which was soon after brought to Colonel Coote, who went off at 11 at night, with all the black cavalry, 200 Europeans, the hundred Topasses from Bombay, and two fieldpieces, and proceeded towards Killenore. The same night the greatest part of the Mysore horse decamped from the glacis of Pondicherry, and marching fast fell in when it was deep dark with Martin and Kircher, who, charging them unexpectedly met no resistance, killed 40, took 200 of their horse, and 900 bullocks laden with their baggage. At day-break Colonel Coote came up with his party, when all the Mysoreans were not yet out of sight; they were retreating in broken parties to the west-ward. Colonel Coote divided his force in pursuit of them, which returned the same day with many more bullocks and two European prisoners. One division of the Mysoreans escaped both the encounter and pursuit. They were at some distance in the rear, when the front was stopped, on which they immediately turned back, and passing as they had come at the back of the Red-hill, and by the sea shore, regained the bounds of Pondicherry.

Notwithstanding this rout, it was still considered as doubtful, whether the Mysoreans might not join and return with the convoy waiting at Gingee: and to prevent the continual fatigue of detachments marching from the camp on every report, to watch and intercept their approach, it was determined to post a force sufficient to cope with them separate from the main body of the army, which continued at Perimbé. The detachment which had accompanied the Nabob from Madrass, when it was supposed he intended to keep the field towards Trinomaly, advanced from Vandivash; and on the 19th encamped at Ratlagramon, a town under the hills to the east of Gingee, and ten miles north of Valdore; a station which the