Page:History of the French in India.djvu/341

 law's position still strong. 317 Thus, by incredible exertions, he succeeded in raising a chap. force of 120 Europeans, 500 sipahis, and with four vn field-pieces. The command of it he made over to 1752. d'Auteuil, the only officer at his disposal, with instruc- tions that, on effecting a junction with Law, he was to assume command of the combined army. The party left Pondichery the second week in April. Meanwhile, however, startling events had occurred in the neighbourhood of Trichinapalli. Law, although repulsed on April 8 in his attempt to prevent the march of the English into that fortress, still occupied an extremely strong position. His right resting on the Kavari, maintained his communications with Srirangam and with the country on the northern bank of the Kolrun ; his centre was protected by the French Rock, whilst his left extended to the extremely strong post of Elmiseram, on the top of which cannon had been mounted. Chanda Sahib with his troops occupied the line of the Kavari, forming an obtuse angle with the French position. Had the resolution of Law then con- sisted in anything but words, he might have safely awaited here the attack of the combined English force ; for, although he would then be fighting with a river in his rear, — a most unpleasant position, — yet the ground he occupied was so strong that had it been resolutely defended an attack upon it must have resulted in the defeat of the assailants. It would appear that the English commander, Major Lawrence, thoroughly re- cognised this fact ; for he states in his memoirs that, having sounded his native allies, and having ascertained that on one pretext or another they were evidently unwilling to aid him in an assault on the French posi- tion, he was extremely concerned as to the steps ho ought to adopt to force Law to retreat. Law, however, played his game most effectually. The English, not thinking themselves strong enough to attack the French position unsupported by their native allies,