Page:History of the French in India.djvu/411

 LAWRENCE FOILED BY THE FKENCH. 387 garrison of Tiruvadi to hold any communication with chap. the garrison of Fort St. David, or with the inhabitants , of the surrounding country. In vain did Lawrence 1753. attempt to bring them to action ; the allies on his appearance in force invariably drew up behind their intrenchments. To such a state of distress was he reduced at last, that he found himself compelled to use his whole force as an escort to the convoys whose arrival was necessary for the support of his troops. This service wearied and dispirited his army, besides entailing upon it many losses from the Maratha skir- mishers, who never failed to hover about and harass his line of march. For three months this state of affairs continued, the French and Marathas constantly issuing from their impregnable position to annoy and damage the enemy. On April 12th, in particular, the English force return- ing to Tiruvadi from Fort St. David with a convoy was surrounded by the whole body of the enemy, and but for the ability of Lawrence and the misconduct of the French battalion, which hastily abandoned a defile which it ought to have held, would have been in great danger. The same day, however, Lawrence having been joined by 100 English and 100 Swiss from Madras, determined to endeavour to put an end to the unsatisfactory state of affairs, by storming the French intrenchment. He accordingly made a strong recon- naissance in its direction the next day, and mounted two 24-pounders on a battery whence he might bom- bard it. The little effect, however, which the fire from these two pieces produced on the enemy's defences, as well as an examination of their strength, determined Major Lawrence to desist from the attempt as one that was beyond his power. The three months during which the main force of the English was thus kept employed on escort duty at Tiruvadi had been used meanwhile to a very different pur- cc 2