Page:History of the French in India.djvu/416

 390 THE FALL OF DUPLEIX. chap. Major Lawrence begging him to march to the relief , of the city. 1753. Major Lawrence received this intelligence on the 1st May, not quite three weeks after he had proved the inutility of attempting the French position on the Panar. His part was instantly taken. Leaving 150 Europeans and 500 sipahis under Captain Chace for the defence of Tiruvadi, he marched with the remainder of his troops, amounting to 650* Europeans and 1,500 sipahis for Trichinapalli by way of Chelambram, Kun- dur, and Tanjur. He took with him no tents, and only the quantity of baggage absolutely necessary. As he approached Trichinapalli the plain was crowded with the 5,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry that formed Virana s force. They, however, offered him no opposi- tion, retiring into Srirangam, as he, on the 17th May, entered Trichinapalli. But this movement on the part of the English did not escape the eagle eye of Dupleix. Conjecturing at once that the destination of their force could be no other than Trichinapalli, he instantly despatched 200 Euro- peans and 500 sipahis to Srirangam to reinforce the hundred men he had sent thither at the beginning of the year. The command of this force he confided to M. Astruc, a promising officer though untried in com- mand, and he directed him to proceed by the Volkondah and Utatur route, already familiar to us from the move- ments of the previous year. In the intrenched camp on the Panar, there remained 160 Europeans and 1,500 sipahis under the command of M. Maissin. Hostilities between the rival powers before Trichina- palli commenced on May 21, by a daring attempt on the part of Major Lawrence to drive the enemy out of at the beginning of the year 700 would remain 650. Of these he sent Europeans; he was joined in April 100 into hospital on arrival at Tri- by 200 more, as stated in the text ; chinapalli, and his force was further deducting from these the 150 left thinned by desertions.
 * Major Lawrence had with him behind and 100 as casualties, there