Page:History of the French in India.djvu/566

540 THE LAST STRUGGLE FOR EMPIRE. c |^ p . immense value of the opportunity, that he started for- — y— ^ ward himself with fifty volunteers and gained the bridge. 1758. Such a force was not, however, sufficiently strong to prevent the passage of the enemy, which soon became an accomplished fact, though with a loss at the bridge itself of several killed and thirty-three prisoners. Thus was the opportunity suffered to escape, and the remains of the English party succeeded in regaining the fort. Their loss, however, was heavy It amounted, by their own statement, to more than 200 men and six officers, 103 of whom were taken prisoners. The loss of the French was, however, even more severe. It is true that in actual killed and wounded they did not lose more than 200 men ; but two of their best officers were placed hors de combat. One of these, as we have seen, was the gallant d'Estaiug, the other the no less daring Saubinet, who was mortally wounded. He was an officer in the service of the Company of the Indies, of great and improving talents, ever foremost in danger. Lally, the retreat of the English The statement of Bussy seems, would have been cut off; 2nd, that however, inconsistent with the facts the regiment of Lnlly could easily that he had rank in the army next have occupied the bridge ; 3rd, that to de Soupire, that rank having been Bussy was with that regiment or conferred upon him before leaving near it at the time. We have adopted Pondichery ; that having thar, rank, in the text the account given by it became his duty to exercise its Lally himself. To this account Bussy, functions; that the statement of in his lifetime, demurred, stating, Lally was confirmed, on his trial, by 1st, that he had no command, being the Chevalier de Crillon, the witness a simple volunteer ; 2ndly, that he who was best qualified to spsak. Tn was thanked for his conduct by the the state of teeling between Lally Pondichery Government ; 3rdly, that and the Pondichery Council the on the field of battle Lally conferred thanks of the latter are of little on him the command of the Lorraine weight ; whereas the conferring the brigade vacant, by the capture of command of the regiment on the field d'Estaing. He also added that of battle may be accounted for on he remembered on passing by the other grounds. Certainly the balance Lally brigade after the capture of of evidence is against Bussy. d'Estaing, he recommended them to Mr. Orme states that Bussy g ive bring no two pieces of field artillery, other reasons for his conduct. Bussy as the enemy had none, that he then does not, however, state them in his passed on to the brigade commanded Memoirs. Mr. Orme gives them. hy the Chevalier de Poete, to whom They are, however, so little satisfac- he said that having neither rank nor tory, that were they really Bussy's command, he had come to fight with they would but confirm our opinion him ; further that he had never of his conduct on this occasion, heard of the story until after he had left India.