was cut to pieces; Chundah Saib's cavalry rendered no assistance. The officer on the French Rock detached 100 men to support the dragoons; but they were too late, and he recalled them just in time to save that post, which Lieutenant Taishan of the battalion, with a few men, had advanced to attack. This affair dispirited the enemy so much, that they did not venture into the plain to bury their dead, and the English proceeding three days afterwards to perform that office for them, found the bodies devoured by jackals.

In proportion as the enemy were dispirited, their opponents became elated, and the Mahrattas were most anxious to attack the enemy at once, promising, if the battalion would take the Frenchmen and infantry, they would dispose of Chundah Saib's 12,000 cavalry. They were, with difficulty, reasoned against persisting in this wild project; but when the 1000, who had been employed with Clive after the affair of Arcot, and at the action near Arnee, arrived in camp, they again became most clamorous to engage; and finding that the English would risk nothing until the arrival of the rest of the Mysore army, and a reinforcement of Europeans from the presidency, they taunted them by saying they were not the same men as those they had seen defending Arcot.

In the meantime the army of Mysore, with 4000 Mahratta cavalry, had arrived within a few marches, and the French despatched a strong force of Euro

peans and natives to occupy Kistnaveram, a strong post on the high road from Mysore. They had time to strengthen its defences, and threatened either to attack the Mysoreans on their march, or enter and plunder their country. This alarmed the Rajah, a weak and ignorant man, so much, that he halted, and sent a demand for a strong party of Europeans to come to his assistance without delay, as he felt himself quite incapable of fighting against white men. Captain Cope and Lieutenant Taishan of the battalion were sent on this service, with 100 soldiers, 100 Sepoys, and two small fieldpieces; their orders being to dislodge the enemy, whom Captain Cope found more numerous than he expected, and very strongly posted. The defences consisted of a double wall, flanked with towers, one side protected by the river Cavery, and the others by a morass, only one approachable road leading to the works, and it was defended by a strong outwork. The few men of the battalion attempted to carry this by assault; but after a heavy loss of killed and wounded, they were forced to retire, having Lieutenant Felix shot through the body, and Captain Cope, a most deserving officer, and highly respected, most severely wounded. Captain Dalton was ordered from Trichinopoly to take the command, and on his arrival, found the detachment joined by the van of the Mysore army. The Regent received him with great distinction and kindness, and expressed himself with astonishment

and admiration of the Europeans, whose martial appearance particularly struck him, and forming the same opinion of the French, this small party of the battalion being the first European soldiers he had ever seen, he declared his fear of engaging the French, and proceeded at midnight towards Trichinopoly, by a circuitous route, not only insisting that Captain Dalton should keep the enemy engaged and prevent them from attacking him, but even had a number of the men to accompany him as a bodyguard. Dalton commenced skirmishing about midnight, and distracted the enemy's attention, which, as it turned out, was most necessary; the Regent's line of march being crowded with torch-bearers, resembled a procession rather than the march of an army. At daylight, the English retired towards Trichinopoly without loss, covering the Mysore army, the junction of which with Mahomed Ally, induced the king of Tanjore to take the same side: he sent 3000 horse and 2000 infantry, under his General, Monackjee. The Poligar Tondiman also sent 400 horse and 3000 colleries, or, in the native language of the country, thieves: these men were nearly savages: they were chiefly used for cutting off small parties, surprising convoys, or stealing or disabling horses or cattle, at which they were most expert their weapon was a lance eighteen feet long. Thus the forces of Mahomed Ally and his allies outnumbered those of Chundah Saib, the force of the former amounting to 26,000

horse, 6000 of which were Mahrattas, and 20,000 foot: that of the latter 15,000 horse, and 20,000 foot. The Regent was now most anxious to attack the enemy's camp, proposing that the English battalion should attack the French, which far outnumbered it, and that the other troops would fight against the natives. Captain De Gingens wisely determining not to risk the loss the battalion must suffer in the attack, which, if severe, would be irreparable, he determined to wait for the reinforcement from Arcot.

On the reduction of Conjeveram and retirement of the English into garrison, the enemy had strengthened, and again occupied that part, committing depredations, and plundering the country up to St. Thomas's Mount and the gates of Poonamallee it was therefore determined to reduce and disperse them, before advancing to Trichinopoly ; and Captain Clive, who had returned from Calcutta, was put in command of 380 Europeans, 1300 Sepoys, with six field-pieces for this purpose. Clive left Madras on the 22d of February, and the enemy intrenched themselves in their camp at Vendalore, twenty-five miles from Madras. On the approach of the English, they suddenly abandoned it, and it was discovered they had marched off in haste to Arcot, in hopes that the Sepoys who garrisoned that fort, might betray their trust: in this, however, they were disappointed, and repulsed in an attack made on the gateways. Clive rapidly

The

followed them up on the way, took Conjeveram, and arrived after sunset at Coverpank, where he suddenly found himself in presence of the enemy, and his van fired upon, at about 200 yards distance, by nine pieces of artillery. The British sustained some loss, before the baggage was sent half a mile to the rear, under a proper guard, and the infantry had taken up a position in a water-course. night was a bright moonlight one; a heavy fire was kept up for two hours, and the enemy's cavalry repeatedly charged, and were as often repulsed: their artillery, however, being only answered by three of the British, did proportionate execution, and either killed or disabled so many of the artillery-men, that it became an alternative either to take their guns or retreat. A serjeant of the regiment, named Shawlum, who spoke the language of the country, was, with two Sepoys, sent to reconnoitre. He returned, and reported that no troops were posted in rear of the enemy's guns: 200 Europeans and 400 Sepoys were at once detached under Lieutenant Keene of the battalion, with Serjeant Shawlum as their guide, to penetrate to the rear of the enemy, and take the guns in reverse. Keene's party got unperceived to within 300 yards of the rear of the enemy's artillery, when Ensign Simmons was sent forward to reconnoitre: he suddenly came upon a water-course full of Sepoys, and as he replied to them in French, he was permitted to pass, and having seen that the guns were protected