Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/682

658 strongest escort that could be risqued abroad; accordingly Mr. Lally detached 100 of the French cavalry and several more companies of Sepoys from Pondicherry, to join the troops already at Gingee; so that one third of his whole force was now employed in this service; and he had by much solicitation, and by inducements of which we are ignorant, prevailed on the Mysoreans to send back 800 of their horse to Gingee, who were likewise to accompany the convoy; and this body of horse arrived there at the same time as the last detachment from Pondicherry. Intelligence was received on the 29th, that the convoy with the whole escort intended to set out from Gingee in the ensuing night; on which, dispositions were made to oppose their passage. The whole of the Red-hill is intersected by winding dales, in which troops may march unperceived until met within them, or discovered from the rising grounds above: in the middle of the general plot of the Red-hill, stands one eminence higher than any of the others, and called from the trees it bears, the Tamarind grove: this hillock has dales on each side of it, which join with others, leading from the plain of the country on the outside of the Red-hill to the N. w. at the farthest distance from the English camp, from the left of which shouldered under the extremity of the Red-hill at Perimbé, the Tamarind grove was two miles to the N. E. and it was three to the N. W. of Pondicherry. This situation being central for the interruption of troops marching through the dales of the Red-hill, either to or from Pondicherry, Colonel Coote, who, by his continual excursions, knew all the ground in the adjacencies of his camp, ordered a redoubt to be raised there, which was finished in the day. Lest the convoy should attempt to make their way to the south of the river of Ariancopang, the whole body of marines, which were still remaining at Cuddalore, were ordered to march some miles from thence along the river Paliar, and to advance six companies of Sepoys beyond them towards Trivadi; whilst scouts from the camp patroled between the two rivers: and, to watch the convoy if coming by the direct road from the west, several companies of Sepoys from Valdore proceeded along it towards Gingee. The convoy set