Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/606

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582
The War of Coromandel.
Book XII.

in the centre, the battalion of India, 700; next to them Lally's, 400, whose left were under the retrenched tank, in which were posted the marines or troops from the squadron, with Poete's from Ganjam, in all 300, with four field-pieces. Between the retrenchment and Lally's were three, the same number between Lally's and India, India and Lorrain, Lorrain and the cavalry; in all 16 pieces. Four hundred of the Sepoys of Hyder Jung, whom Mr. Bussy had brought from Cudapah, were posted at the tank in the rear of the retrenched tank were the marines were, whom they were to support on occasion: 900 Sepoys were ranged behind a ridge which ran along the front of the camp; and at each extremity of this ridge was a retrenchment guarded by 50 Europeans, which covered, the entrances into the camp. The whole force drawn out, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was 2250 Europeans, and 1300 Sepoys: 150 Europeans and 300 Sepoys continued at the batteries against Vandivash; but none of the Morattoes, although 3000, left the ground and protection of their own camp to assist their allies in this decisive hour.

The sight of the French army issuing into the open plain gave Colonel Coote all he intended by the preceding operations of the day. He instantly halted his lines, which had advanced some way along the foot of the mountain. Facing as soon as they halted, the two first lines were in order of battle, opposite, but obliquely, to the enemy. The baggage was sent back under the escort of two companies of Sepoys, to a village in the rear, and the cavalry as before, took their place in the third line.

The English army consisted of 1900 Europeans, of whom 80 were cavalry, 2100 Sepoys, 1250 black horse, and 26 field-pieces. In the first line were Coote's regiment on the right, the Company's two battalions in the centre, Draper's on the left; but all without their grenadiers; and 1800 Sepoys were equally divided on the right and left of the Europeans in this line; in the intervals of which were 10 pieces of cannon, three on each side of the Company's battalions, and two between Coote's and Draper's and the Sepoys. In the second line were all the grenadiers of the army, 300, with a field-