Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/716

692 horses; after which the French party attempted nothing more, but returned to Thiagar. Captain Preston, on the first intelligence of their motion from Gingee, set out, as before, to follow them with the greatest part of his force from Ratlagrammon, but when arrived on the 24th near Villaporum, found the river swelled, and continued on the bank, in expectation of its fall; and on the 1st of November, the garrison of Gingee, being stronger than the force he had left at Ratlagrammon, again detached a party of 25 European horse and 20 foot with three companies of Sepoys and some black cavalry, to drive away all the cattle about this place, which by the late captures and purchases made for the camp were many herds. Captain Robert Fletcher, who commanded during the absence of Preston at Ratlagrammon, waited until the enemy began to retreat with the cattle they had gathered, when he appeared with 50 black horse, and three companies of Sepoys in their rear, and followed them six miles, but as if cautious of coming too close to their fire; which continually drew it from them; when, perceiving that they had almost expended their ammunition, he approached nearer, and engaged them regularly, which they scarcely sustained, and soon broke, and all their Sepoys flung down their arms. Fifteen of them were killed, and 30 with a Subadar or Captain made prisoners: of the Europeans, six were killed, or fell wounded, and 150 muskets were collected. The next day, Fletcher, with a stronger force, marched again from Ratlagrammon, and contriving his time, arrived at night, and entered the pettah of Gingee, which has but a slight wall, by surprize, set fire to it in every part, and met no resistance, excepting the uncertain fire of the cannon from the hills above, and on his return he drove off a greater number of their cattle than the enemy had taken the day before. The frequent, although slender attempts and enterprizes, which had been made by the body of French troops in the field, in order either to supply Pondicherry with provisions, to gain plunder, or to create diversions of the English force, had in the whole expended more than three hundred Europeans; most of the rest were now at