Charlie and his companion were saved by
the fact that they were a few paces ahead of the column.
"Run back, Tim," Charlie said. "Find Colonel Clive, and tell him that
we are being mowed down by our own artillery. If you can't find him,
hurry back to the guns, and tell the officer what he is doing."
Charlie then leaped down into the ditch, and endeavoured to rally the
Sepoys. A few minutes later Clive himself arrived, and the Sepoys were
induced to leave the ditch, and to form again by the side of the
causeway, along which the British troops were now marching.
Suddenly, however, from the fog burst out the discharge of two heavy
guns, which the enemy had mounted on a bastion flanking the ditch. The
shouts of the officers, and the firing of the men, indicated precisely
the position of the column. The grapeshot tore through it, and
twenty-two of the English troops fell dead and wounded. Immediately
afterwards another discharge followed, and the column, broken and
confused, bewildered by the dense fog, and dismayed by the fire of
these unseen guns, fell back.
Clive now determined to push on to the main road, which he knew
crossed the fields half a mile in front of him.
Pages:
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391