Page:History of the French in India.djvu/591

BATTLE OF WANPIWASH. 565 of a reserve destined to support the first line. Between ckap. the intervals of the regiments were posted the guns, Xlr " sixteen in number. The cavalry were on the right. 176O. Lally himself commanded in the centre, and Bussy on the left. Meanwhile Coote, who by a series of able manoeuvres had obtained a position which enabled him to force an action, no sooner beheld the disposition made by the French than he drew up his men in order of battle and advanced. He himself led the first line, consisting of his own regiment and a battalion of sipahis ; the two Company's regiments came next, Colonel Draper's regi- ment on the left. As he approached the French, to whose position his own was oblique, the guns from the intrenchment near the tank opened upon him, and Lally, thinking he noticed some confusion in the Eng- lish left, in consequence of this fire, deemed the moment opportune to charge with his cavalry. He galloped up, therefore, to the "right of the line, and placing himself at the head of his horse, gave the order to charge. Not a man, however, stirred. Attributing this to the ill-feel- ing of the commanding officer, Lally displaced him on the spot, and ordered the second in command, M. d'Aumont, to follow him. But d'Aumont having likewise refused, Lally placed him under arrest, and addressing himself to the men in a body, ordered them to charge. M. d'Heguerty with the left squadron at once advanced, and Cornet Bonnessay calling out that it would be shameful thus to abandon their general, the others fol- lowed. Lally, having thus induced them to move, made a detour so as to sweep down on the left flank of the English force. He had already arrived within 100 yards of it, driving the English horse before him, when Draper, whom the delay caused by the refusal of the French cavalry to charge had warned of the danger, brought up two pieces of cannon loaded with grape, and opened them on the French horse. The fire was so well