Page:History of the French in India.djvu/422

396 THE FALL OF DUPLB1X. c hap. an d rear. Their destruction seemed to him to be, _ ' , beyond question, inevitable. But just as his arrange- 1753. ments were about to take effect, the fire of the English grenadiers from the rock on his right flank startled and discomposed his line, and before they could recover from their surprise, a volley from the English followed by a bayonet charge completed their confusion. The French officers, and conspicuously amongst them Astruc himself, exerted themselves to restore the battle, but it was in vain. Completely panic-stricken by the sudden- ness of the surprise at the moment when victory seemed certain, the French soldiers hurried from the field, leaving it to Murari Rao and his Marathas to cover theirj retreat. This service was performed by these famous horsemen with their usual gallantry. They even, indeed, attempted to dispute the field with the English, when, three hours later, Major Lawrence moved off to his old position with the two French guns — the trophies of the day — which he had captured. But the little body of Englishmen, formed in a moving square, repulsed every attack, and, finally halting, poured in so continuous a fire upon the masses, that they broke and fled in all directions. It is impossible to over-estimate the service which Major Lawrence rendered his country on this eventful day. But for his unsurpassed coolness and presence of mind TrichinapalH would have fallen, and with it all the hard-earned conquests of the previous year. For- tunate indeed would he have been if in the presence of the swarming Maratha cavalry, and the French troops, flushed with victory, he had escaped the fate of Law. His merit on this occasion was the greater, because the French leader, Astruc, committed no glaring mistake. His plan was well conceived and well executed. He could not imagine that his soldiers would give up the place they had won almost without a blow. He acted throughout with courage and judgment; and though