The English have won, before now, with
greater odds against them.
"My father had marched out with his cavalry, one hundred and fifty
strong, with Munro. Of course, I was with him, and it was to him that
the English general gave the despatch to carry to Colonel Baillie. We
rode hard, for at any moment Hyder's cavalry might swoop down and bar
the road; but we got through safely, and the next morning, the 24th,
Baillie started.
"The encampment was within twenty-five miles of Madras, and with one
long forced march, we could have effected a junction with Munro. The
heat was tremendous, and Baillie halted that night on the bank of the
River Cortelour. The bed was dry, and my father urged him to cross
before halting. The colonel replied that the men were too exhausted to
move farther, and that, as he would the next day be able to join
Munro, it mattered not on which side of the river he encamped.
"That night the river rose, and for ten days we were unable to cross.
On the 4th of September we got over; but by that time Tippoo, with
five thousand picked infantry, six thousand horse, six heavy guns, and
a large body of irregulars, detached by Hyder to watch us, barred the
way.
"Colonel Baillie, finding that there was no possibility of reaching
Conjeveram without fighting, took up a position at a village, and on
the 6th was attacked by Tippoo.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112