64 WAR WITH MYSORE. 



posed part of the road, upwards of fifty pieces of cannon 

 began to play upon them with the most terrible effect. The 

 several narratives vary somewhat as to the further issues 

 of this dreadful day. According to official and other state- 

 ments, the English repulsed repeated charges with prodigies 

 of valour. Their bravery indeed is nowhere denied ; but 

 private accounts assert that Colonel Baillie, unaccustomed 

 to separate command, and flying in an agitated manner from 

 post to post, took no fixed position, and did not avail him- 

 self of his real advantages. The grenadiers called out to 

 be led on, and not exposed without the means of resistance 

 to the destructive fire of the enemy. Suddenly two tum- 

 brils exploded, spreading dismay, and threatening a failure 

 of ammunition. The Mysorean cavalry, headed by a des- 

 perado named Sindia, made a furious charge, by which the 

 whole sepoy force was broken, and mingled with the enemy 

 in inextricable confusion. The handful of British troops 

 still kept their ground ; but as no hope could be enter- 

 tained of their being able to withstand the whole army of 

 Hyder, Colonel Baillie walked in front, waved his handker- 

 chief, and concluded that he had obtained the promise of 

 quarter. But when the enemy rushed in, either disregarding 

 their pledge, or indignant at a straggling fire which was 

 still kept up by the sepoys, they treated the troops with the 

 utmost cruelty, stabbing those already wounded, and even 

 women and children. The only humanity which was ex- 

 ercised was obtained through the exertions of the French 

 officers Lally and Pimorin. The greater part of the corps 

 perished on the field ; all the rest, including 200 Europeans, 

 were taken prisoners. 



Such was this miserable catastrophe, on which Colonel 

 "Wilks hesitates not to pronounce, that if either of the com- 

 manders had followed the dictates of ordinary experience, 

 both corps would have been saved ; and if the two chiefs 

 had acted well, the discomfiture would have been on the 

 side of the enemy. Sir Hector advanced within two miles 

 of the fatal spot ; but observing the firing cease, and no 

 return made to his signals, he withdrew; and, on learning 

 the fate of the detachment, tell back to Chingleput, where 

 he was joined by a smaller party under Colonel Cosby, 

 who had conducted his retreat with ability and success. 

 Tin' prisoners were conveyed to Seringapatam, where they 



