Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/683

Book XII out from hence on the 29th, the day appointed; but Captain Preston having two days before taken a mud fort, called Penamalee, situated at the opening of the hills, posted a strong guard there, which the enemy mistaking for the whole of his force, retired again, and afterwards hearing of the dispositions made from the English camp, resolved to proceed as before in separate troops. On the 2d of September arrived at Cuddalore three of the King's ships, convoying several of the company's from England. Of the men of war two were the America, and Medway, each of 60 guns, which compleated the squadron before Pondicherry to 17 sail of the line. In the Company's ships were part of a Highland regiment, supplied by the government, in addition to the troops it had already sent to India. These mighty aids witnessed in this quarter, of the globe, as equal efforts, wheresoever necessary, in every other, the superior energy of that mind, who possessing equally the confidence of his sovereign and the nation, conducted the arduous and extensive war in which they were engaged against their great and only rival. The same evening Colonel Coote ordered 400 men to march and invest the fort of Ariancopang; but Colonel Monson, the next in command, did not approve the operation, although it had been pleaded to Admiral Stevens, as the principal inducement to land the marines of the squadron: and Colonel Coote, not to disgust pertinacity, when concurrence was so necessary, countermanded the detachment. Mr. Lally received information, that the detachment had been paraded, and suspected the service for which it had been intended. Such a proof of the opinion which the English army entertained of their own superiority, convinced him that it would soon be followed by some real blow of equal detriment, if they were not immediately convinced, that his own was capable of more than acting on the defensive. He resolved to attack their camp by surprize on the night of the 4th, and his dispositions were made with much skill and sagacity.

In the three ships at anchor before the town, were 150 European mariners; they were all landed, and Lascars sent on board. These