In the meantime, the French Sepoys on their left had been gradually
driving back the English right; but Forde, disregarding this, pressed
forward in hot pursuit of the French with his English, behind whom the
greater portion of the beaten Sepoys had already rallied. Keeping his
men well together, he advanced at the fullest speed, following so
closely upon the enemy that the latter had only time to fire one or
two rounds, with their thirteen guns, before the English were upon
them. The French, who had already lost heart by the serious check
which had befallen them, were unable to stand the shock, and at once
retreated, leaving their guns behind them.
As Forde had anticipated, the French Sepoys, seeing their centre and
right defeated, desisted from their attack on the English right, and
fell back upon their camp. The English Sepoys at once marched forward,
and joined Forde's force. The rajah's troops, however, the whole of
whom had fled, remained cowering in the shelter of a large dry tank.
Forde did not wait for them; but, leaving his guns behind him, pressed
forward, an hour after the defeat of the French, against their camp.
To reach this, he had to pass along a narrow valley, commanded by the
French heavy guns.
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