In spite
of all the orders of Dupleix, Law could not bring himself to attack
the town; and the French governor of Pondicherry saw, with dismay,
that the two months and a half, which his efforts and energy had
gained for the besiegers, had been entirely wasted; and that it was
probable the whole fruits of his labours would be thrown away.
He now directed Law to leave only a small force in front of
Trichinopoli, and to march with the whole of his army, and that of
Chunda Sahib, and crush the force advancing under Lawrence to the
relief of Trichinopoli. Law, however, disobeyed orders; and, indeed,
acted in direct contradiction to them. He maintained six hundred
French troops and many thousands of native before Trichinopoli, and
sent but two hundred and fifty French, and about three hundred and
fifty natives--a force altogether inferior in numbers to that which it
was sent to oppose--to arrest the progress of Lawrence's advancing
column.
The position which this French force was directed to occupy was the
fort of Koiladi, an admirable position. As the two branches of the
Kavari were, here, but half a mile apart, had Law concentrated all his
force here he could, no doubt, have successfully opposed the English.
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