43 2 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
The troops of the Soubah consisted of thirty thousand horse, ten thousand Sepoys, 
and a vast body of irregular infantry, with sixty pieces of cannon. The army o£ 
Haider Aly was composed of twelve thousand well disciplined cavalry, eight thou¬ 
sand Mogul horse, with a troop of sixty European hussars, a very large body of 
infantry, armed with European musquets, and forty-five pieces of artillery. 
As to the English army, it consisted of no more than two European regiments, 
amounting, at most, to eight hundred men ; seven battalions of Sepoys, of about 
eight hundred men each, a body of artillery, and five hundred horse belonging to 
the Nabob; with a troop of European horse, which contained only thirty men, and 
was commanded by Lieutenant Robson. 
Haider being convinced that he should more effectually distress the English 
army by cutting off all communication between their camp and the country, em¬ 
ployed very large detachments»of cavalry for that purpose, who continually relieved 
each other. Fortunately, however, for the English, the haughty humour of the Sou¬ 
bah and his officers was soon dissatisfied with this tiresome mode of making war, 
and reproached their ally with not having fulfilled his promise of cutting the English 
army in pieces. 
At this time the English army, being in great distress from the want of rice and 
other provisions, began its march towards the defile of Singurpettah, to get out of 
the valley of Burmal, and to re-enter the Carnatic. The Indian chiefs, therefore, 
determined to attack them, and they executed their design on the 2d of September, 
near the fort of Changama. The contest was maintained with great courage on both 
sides, but the Eastern armies sustained very considerable loss, and the English re¬ 
mained masters of the field of battle. The latter, however, could not avail themselves 
of their advantage, from a deficiency of ammunition; so that the General thought it 
right to proceed the following night for Trincomally. Haider Aly soon learned that 
the English were on the march, and sent detachments to harass them,- but though 
they were impeded by these manoeuvres, they arrived at Trincomally, and were soon 
joined by the southern division under Colonel Wood. Having recovered from 
their late fatigues, the whole army encamped at a small distance from Trincomally; 
and the Eastern powers soon re-appeared, and fixed their camp in a very advan¬ 
tageous position; from whence Haider made an idle parade of his artillery, as he 
was at too great a distance to annoy his enemies. General Smith had frequently 
manoeuvred to make Haider leave his advantageous situation* but in vain. 
