Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/134

110 disgraceful to a nation boasting of any degree of civilisation.

The loss of Seringham was, however, counterbalanced by success in another quarter. The British force in the Carnatic had been considerably strengthened, partly by exchanges of prisoners, and partly by the arrival from England of two hundred recruits, together with a King's regiment, one thousand strong, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Coote, who took the field at the head of the British troops about the time the French obtained possession of Seringham, and soon reduced Wandewash, Carangaly, and other places of minor importance.

The main body of the French army, under Lally, being reinforced from several quarters, soon after advanced from Chingleput to Arcot, and the new year (1760) found the two armies in sight of each other. After various preliminary movements, Lally made an attempt on Wandewash; and Colonel Coote advancing to relieve it, a general action was the necessary consequence.

Before the two armies were within cannon-shot of each other, Lally put himself at the head of his European cavalry, three hundred in number, and, taking a large sweep on the plain, came down upon the cavalry of the English. The greater part of this body were native horse; who, being thrown into confusion, went off, and left the charge of the French to be sustained by the Europeans, of whom there were only eighty. But these were ably supported by two guns, under the management of Captain Barker, whose judicious and well-timed fire threw the French cavalry into confusion, and they galloped back to camp, Lally being the last man to retire.

Meanwhile a heavy cannonade was taking place between the main bodies of both armies, till Lally, returning from his unsuccessful charge, ordered the French line to advance, and the battle now became general. After a few volleys of musketry, the regiment of Lorraine formed in a column twelve in front, and charged the regiment of Colonel Coote, whose fire, delivered at fifty yards' distance