Page:History of the French in India.djvu/589

 LALLY ATTEMPTS WAN DI WASH. 563 cover Wandiwash, leaving the bulk of the army under chap. Bussy at Tripatur. XIL The fort of Wandiwash was surrounded by the town of the same name, and this was protected by a wall flanked by small towers, and bordered by a hedge, a great part of it being further protected by a ditch. It was Lally's plan to surprise and gain the town, then, under cover of the narrow streets, to plant a battery within a short distance of the fort, so that it might be breached and carried before the English, whom he had lured off to Kanchipuram could come up. It was a plan, bold, well-considered, and feasible, but it required in its execution the utmost promptitude and daring. These qualities, it will be seen, were not exhibited. On the night of the 12th he divided his troops into two columns, one under M. de Genlis to make a false attack, whilst he should make a real one. But de Genlis's party, consisting mostly of sailors, having been seized with a panic, fell back upon the other column, the soldiers of which, mistaking them for enemies, fired into them. The night attack thus failed. Its failure, however, only made Lally more furious. " Since," he said, " they had failed in the night, he would teach them to carry it by day." Re-placing de Genlis by de Verdiere, he ordered the same dispositions as on the previous evening. One party he despatched close to the wall, and made them lie on their faces, whilst Colonels de Crillon and de Poete ran in front to fathom the water in the ditch. The fire, however, was so hot, that the men of the column hesitated to follow them, until Lally, who came up at the moment, waving his sword, and telling them that now was the time to show their good will towards him, dashed forward into the ditch. His soldiers fol- lowed him and carried the town. Now was the time for despatch. To establish a bat- tery en barbette, and to open a fire as soon as it should be constructed — this was Lally's design. But his chief 00 2