Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/680

656 in the height of the stormy weather, in expectation that the English squadron would have left the coast to avoid it, as they had done during every monsoon for the last five years. Thus it became necessary to get possession of the bound hedge and its redoubts without delay; and then that the squadron should continue in sight of Pondicherry through the monsoon, in order to intercept whatsoever ships might be coming either with troops or provisions: but, previous to the attack of the hedge, Colonel Coote thought it necessary to reduce the fort of Ariancopang, which standing on the south side of the river, almost opposite, although at some distance from the termination of the hedge on the other bank, commanded all the ground between, as well as in front down to the strand of the sea so that from the garrison of the town on the one hand, and the fort on the other, this quarter of the circumvallation, supposing the hedge to be taken, could not be completed without more force than the army could spare from other parts; and even then the posts established on this side would be continually exposed to dangerous attacks; in the mean time, this extent of ground would remain open for the introduction of convoys; which, detachments from the fort of Ariancopang, if taken, might easily intercept. The force of the English army before the town, exclusive of garrisons and detachments, was 2000 Europeans, and 6000 natives, either horse or Sepoys. If Ariancopang were attacked by a detachment, the number requisite, of 800 Europeans, would leave the main body scarcely a match for the whole of the enemy's force, if collected to attack them, who doubtless would make the effort. If Ariancopang were invested by the whole army, they must move from the advantageous ground between Villenore and Perimbé, which would leave all to the north of Pondicherry open, and admit the French army then to detach a force, which, joined with the party already at Gingee, would be able to drive Preston from Rattlagrammon, and bring in, if not the whole, at least a considerable part of the convoy collected there. These grounds and circumstances Mr. Pigot represented in a memorial to Admiral Stevens, and, in consequence of them, requested that he would land all the marines of