Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/691

Book XIII. Major Smith's brigade, having much less ground to go than Monson's, did not move until four in the morning. The enemy's entrenchment in front of the village of Oulgarry lay across the avenue, and they had an advanced post in a garden beyond, but a little to the right of the entrenchment. Smith, to avoid the immediate discovery of his brigade, as well as the direct fire of the entrenchment along the avenue of Oulgarry, marched down the Villenore, as far as Barthelme's garden, which lies on the left as you come down; the line then turned and passed through the garden, which brought them half the distance between the two avenues, when the brigade struck down through the intervals of some inclosures, which led to the left of the village of Oulgarry, from whence they might likewise take the entrenchment in reverse; but the two French companies were sent off immediately from the garden to cross the avenue of Oulgarry, and attack the enemy's advanced post on the other side of this avenue; but were not to begin their attack, before the firing commenced upon Oulgarry, which soon happened; for some black fellows belonging to the French troops, who were asleep in the streets of a ruined hamlet which stood opposite to the angle of the entrenchment, awakened at the wheels of the field-pieces which moved in front of the brigade, and fled with the alarm to the troops in Oulgarry, who immediately began to fire from the entrenchment, with six field-pieces in barbette, and with some aim, as the day had begun to dawn. The English field-pieces, which were of the same number and calibre, drew out of the village to answer them, and were supported by a part of the line; whilst the rest passed on to gain the flank of the village of Oulgarry: when opposite to it, divisions were detached to attack the enclosures, which the enemy had lined with troops. In the meantime, the two French companies, led by captain Myers, stormed the advanced post on the other side of the road, and seized four pieces of cannon which were there, on which the party stationed with them retreated in much hurry to the main body at Oulgarry, who, dispirited by their rout, slackened insensibly the defence of the enclosures, and