1785. quage Hiftory of Sir George 0-. the Chevalier already loved her to diftraction; and Maria herself, when the expreffed her fears of being loved, fpoke not the lanof her heart. Poffelfed of fuch fentments of friendship, a fhort period was fufficient for them to form privately a mutal attachment. Their firft anxiety was to understand the language of one another: it therefore became the chief fubject of their converfation. The Chevalier was every moment upon the point of betraying himfelf by the too great progrels he made in the language of Maria; but he faw the error he was guilty of, and coufined himself to the knowledge of few words. Maria became every day more uneafy and more cautious to conceal from her father her private converfations with her brother and his friend. Let it not be thought, however, that they were unaithful, either the one,to her duty, or the other to hofpitality. The hearts of both were guided by horour, and Charles was ever witness to their mutual at tachment. The Chevalier was too full of his love to be able to reftrain himfelf. He was, however, more on his guard with Sir George; but knew no referve in pouring out the fe grets of his foul to his uncle. And this affectionate uncle, at the very time he pretended to find fault with the love of this young man, formed, without telling him, the project of an overture of marriage to Sir George; but it was neceffary beforehand to root out the prejudices he entertained against the French; an enterprife equally ha zardous and difficult. The news that the Captain often received from Newport, and which he communicated to his landlord, had eftablished betwixt them a kind of political tercourfe, which grew more frequent than it had been at its commencement. Every event of the war furnished Sir George a new fubject for declaiming against what he called the ambition of France. At every arrival of the forces of that nation, he alwars infifted that the French had fecret defins on fome part of the American continent. But the Captain firmly maintained, that the moment the provinces were in fecurity, the French would depart. Every converfation ended with additional obflinaon the part of Sir George, and gave rife to new and ftill warmer debates; which preFented thefe two politicians from being fo warmly attached to one another as the three fiends. 131 Sir George, always blinded by prejudice, faw nothing in this fcheme but a defign he had always accufed France of, to conquer a great part of the continent of America. And feeing, towards the evening, an exprefs coming from Newport, he did not doubt but it was an order to recai the Captain and his nephew. The exprefs addreffed Sir George, who ran to feek the Chevalier at his uncle's, whe was then in bed; but his nephew was not with him. He fought him in vain every where; at laft he came to Charles's chamher, the door of which he haftily opened.But what was his furprife and his rage at finding there his fon, his daughter, and the Chevalier, in clofe converfation with one another! His daughter he treated with the utmost feverity, he thruft Charles out of the room, and loaded the Chevalier with the deepest reproaches; who, flying for refuge to his uncle's apartment, was foon rejoined by Sir George. Here a torrent of the most violent imprecations was poured out againit France and Frenchmen. The Captain oppofed nothing to this fury but phlegmatic tranquillity. At it when his landlord, exhaufted with fagus and anger, could fpeak no longer, he feverely reprimanded his nephew, and difmiffed him from his prefeace. Being now alone with Sir George, he agreed that the Chevalier had been highly criminal in having tranfgreffed his orders; but, added he, you shall fee him no longer, as he is going to join his regiment. I am already acquainted with his love for your daughter; I know alfo the honour both of one and the other; and that Charles has never left them alone.- -See how generous thefe Frenchmen are, faid Sir George muttering. Yes, they are fo, replied the Captain; and I lay a wager, that after the fuccefs of the grand expedition now in agitation, they will abandon the provinces, and leave them happy and triumphant under the empire of liberty. -Would you lay much, cried Sir George.dear in the world; my nephew.---What do He loves your charming and refpectable daughter; promile me to give her in marriage to him if there does not remain a fingle Frenchman in your country, after the combined armies hall have procured its liberty.- In promifing you this, I believe 1 promife but little. -Fromife me then this little.be it fo, upon the word of an Englishman - ---------- And they fhook hands. During thefe converfations, intelligence was received, that the French army under the command of Count de Rochambeau had, by a long circuit, joined the Continental ar my near York-Town, and that the naval armament from the Antilles was going to take poft in the entrance of the Chefapeake. you mean!. -All I have moit The three friends feparated; and in great confternation anxiously waited the terrible effects of Sir George's refentment. Maria, a prey to the moit bitter anguifh, was fitting lamenting her unfortunate, fituation, when the beheld her father enter. At this R 2 mome moment the expected nothing but death. Sir George, in a deep and difmal tone, ordered her immediately to write to her brothers, and inform them of all that had paffed in their abfence. He accompanied this order with no other words, but that it was neceflary this letter fhould be ready against to-morrow morning; and then went out. The Chevalier having returned to his uncle, found him ferene and even gay: he was at a lofs to imagine what could be the caufe of this fudden change. But the Cap. tain addreffing him, You go to-morrow, faid he, for the army: I will fend with you a letter; but you must give me your word of honour, that you will not open it till you fhall know that our forces both by fea and land have left this country. The Chevalier promifed he would not; and went to prepare himfelf for his departure. Maria paffed the whole night in writing; beginning again, tearing to pieces, and writing anew the letters for her brothers.-What embarrafiment to her! Yet the muft obey her father. She must tell every thing, and yet the doubted not but Sir George muft needs fee this fo cult letter: and the was even ignorant who was to be the bear of it. Charles, mean while, aflifted his friend in getting ready; and during this occupation the day began to dawn. His father came early in the morning, and ordered him to go and call Maria, and conduct her to the Captain's apartment, where he intended giving breakfast to the Chevalier before his departure. The appointed hour arrives; the trembling Maria appears for the first time before her father, the Captain, the Cheva lier, and her brother. The breakfast was but a melancholy one. Sir George at last demands of his daughter the letter for her brothers. She drew it out from her pocket, and with a trembling hand gave it to her father without being fealed. Why is it not fealed? fid he; do it immediately. Maria obeys, and prefents it to him again. It is not to me, it is to the Chevalier you muft give it; he is juft going to join the army.She ftretched out her arm to the Chevalier, her ftrength failed her, the dropped the letter, and fainted away. The Chevalier threw himself in tears at her feet. The affecting fene even moved at laft the ftern Sir George; and looking attentively at the uncle, I wish, faid he, I may lofe my wager. Maria was now recovered from her fwoon; and the Captain had the cruelty to demand, that the should herself give the letter he had made up for his nephew. Scarcely had he it in his hands, when he fnatthed himself by flight from a terrible fituation which he could no longer fupport, and parted. It is impoffible to defcribe the diftreffing fituation they were all in at this feparation. Let us follow the Chevalier. The affair of York-Town was foon ended: One of the brothers of Maria was wounded, and the Chevalier took a truly brotherly care of him. As foon as the capitulation was figned, the French army embarked, and fet fail for the Antilles. The Chevalier then opened his uncle's letter.- It contained only thefe words: "If all the French army quits the Continent, come inftantly with the fons of Sir George to rejoin your friend and all you have most dear in the world." The Chevalier, full of hope and love, obtained a paffport, and brought along with him the two brothers to Sir George's houfe. He had beforehand inftructed his uncle; fo that at their arrival, the uncle, Sir George, Charles, and Maria, were convened to meet the three warriors. And Sir George, addreffing himfelf to the Chevalier, prefented him his daughter, faying, I have loft my wager; there is your bride. The felicity of this happy family was greatly increafed by this marriage and the re-eftablishment of the Captain's health. And after a few months the new-married couple returned to Franc with their brother Charles. Sir George OF vier recovered of his error, loaded them wit prefents, and requested that his daughter firft child fhould be called George-Lou This honeft planter was anxious make amends for his former injuftice.The French, faid he inceffantly to his ch dren, are generous as their king; love th as I have done fince I have become acqua ed with them. We have much to d order to acquit purfelves towards them their fovereign. The Hificry of the Empire of Indefian, War. (Continued from page 82.) juncture did not fail to raife the HEIR appearance at fo critical as my's ipirits, who teftified their joy by f 1786. Hiftory of the Empire of Indoftan. received came daily in fmall quantities, about rco bullock loads at a time, which indeed had lately joined the camp without much difficulty. But it was evident that the enemy's detachments would now fcour the plain again as ufual; the major therefore, to diminish the risk of his convoys coming from the eastward, quitted the neighbourhood of Weycondah as foon as their reinforcement appeared, and encamped on the fame ground which he had formerly occupied a little to the north of the Facqu re's Tope. The enemy three days after quitted Mootachellinoor, and encamped at the five rocks, where their army covered a great extent of ground, for they had likewife been reinforced from Myfore. From the great fuperiority of their numbers, the major expected that they would attack him in his camp, and ordered his men to fleep on their arms; but they contented themselves with following the former plan of intercepting the convoys. And the very next day, the 28th, near 3000 horfe, Marattahs and Myforeans, attacked an escort of 100 Europeans with great vigour: but the men, accustomed to fuch encounters, preserved themselves and the convoy by not parting with their fire, although the enemy rode up feveral times to the very bayonets. The prefidency of Madrafs hearing of the reinforcement which Mr. Dupleix had fent to Seringham, determined to ftrengthen their own army with all the men that could be fpared for the field, and fent them in one of the company's fhips to Devi Cotah; and the major, in order to facilitate the junction of thefe troops, as well as to protect his convoys, determined to encamp farther to the ealtward; and fending off his baggage in the night, marched at day-break the firft of September, over the plain in full view of the enemy, and pitched his camp at a little diftance to the fouth-eaft of the French rock. This ground was well chofen, for the right fank was protected by fome pieces of artillery mounted on the rock, which were flanked by the cannon of the city. The front of the camp was for the most part fecured by a morafs, and the rear by fwamps and rice fields. The Tanjorines were exceedingly delighted with the security in which they here found themfelves, for they had before began to droop with apprehenfions of having their quarters beat up by the Marattahs; and Monack-jee exerting all his influence amongst his countrymen, prevailed on the merchants who dealt in rice, to bring frequent fupplies of grain, although in fmall quantities. The enemy's fcouts gave them fuch good intelligence of the approach of the convoys, that few efcaped unattacked, but being conftantly fupported by detachments of Europeans, they made their way 133 good to the camp; not indeed without fome lofs, fince it was impoffible in the tumult to prevent the bullocks and cooleys from flinging down their loads and taking flight.However, what arrived was fufficient for the daily wants, but fo little more, that if two or three convoys had been cut off, the army would have been obliged to have had recourse to the small ftock which was laid up in the city. The enemy, as if determined to reduce them to this diftrefs moved from the five rocks, and encamped at the fugar-loaf, extending from hence to the golden rock. Here the regent and Morari-row having intelligence of the reinforcement of which the English were in expectation, preffingly intreated the French to attack their camp before thofe troops arrived; but Mr. Aftruc declined the attempt, and contented himfelf with waiting for lefs hazardous opportunities of diminishing their force; at length the Englith reinforcement arrived on the 19th of September, at Kelli Cotah, a fort 15 miles eaft of the city: and never perhaps had two armies remained 18 days in fo extraordinary a fituation, both encamped in the open plain without a bush on it, at about two miles diftance from each other, fo that with their glaffes they could fee one another fitting at dinner in their tents; and a cannon-fhot from the advanced pofts might eafily reach the oppofite camp: but as the fwamps in the rear of both the camps did not permit either to move farther back, both refrained from commencing a cannonade; the English defired nothing more than to keep their battalion unimpaired until the arrival of their reinforcement; but for this very reafon the French ought to have taken all opportunities of diminishing their number.-Major Lawrence now apprehending nothing fo much, as that the enemy might fend a large detachment to intercept his reinforcement, determined, if poffible, to divert their attention by cannonading their camp; and the day in which the troops were ordered to march from Kelli Cotah, an eighteen-pounder, fent from the city, was mounted about half a mile fouth-weft of the French rock, on the bank of the water course that interfects the plain, and early in the morning the 16th of September, it began to fire fmartly; every fhot was feen to ftrike among the tents of the French battalion, who after having bore the infult patiently for two hours, detached their three companies of grenadiers with a large body of their allies, horfe and foot, to attack the party pofted with the eighteenpounder; upon which motion the major immediately threw a reinforcement into the watercourfe of 250 Europeans, 800 Sepoys, and three field-pieces under the command of captain Charles Campbell, who defended it fo well, that the enemy were obliged to defift from from their attempt, and retreat to their camp, not without a confiderable lofs; for they had borne for fome time a smart cannonade from five pieces of cannon upon the fouth-weft cavalier of the city, as well as from the artillery at the watercourse. This repulfe, feconded by a continuance of the fire from the eighteen-pounder, either deterred or diverted them during the reft of the day from giving attention to the reinforcement, who having continued their march without mo leftation, joined the camp in the evening, The whole confifted of 237 Europeans, with the captains Ridge and Calliaud, lately arrived from Europe, and 300 Sepoys. The junction of thefe troops intpired the army with as much joy as the doubtful expectation of their arrival had caufed anxiety and folicitude; and to retaliate on the enemy the fame inarks of exultation which they had lately employed on a like occafion, the tidings were announced to them by a difcharge of all the artillery in the cap and city. There being now no more reinforcements to expect, and the vicinity of the enemy having greatly augmented the difficulties of getting provifions and fuel, major Lawrence, as foon as the troops juft arrived were refreibed, determined to bring on a general battle, which if the enemy declined he refolved to attack them in their camp. The tents and baggage were fent at night to remain under cover of the artillery of the city; from whence at the fame time too Europeans, all who could be fpared from the garriton, marched out and joined the army.-Every thing being prepa ed, major Lawrence quitted the ground near the French rock, and at day-break, the 20th of September, the army appeared at the Facquire's Tope, and remained for fome hours drawn up, offering the enemy battle; but they fhewing no inclination to accept the defiance, the major fent for tents again, and encamped upon the spot on which he was drawn up, refolving to attack their camp the next day as the fuccefs of this defperate enterprize depended greatly on preventing the enemy from ente taining any fulpicion of his inten tion, he cannonaded their camp, with an eighteen-pounder, at different intervals dur-, ing the rest of the day; hoping to make tum believe that he purpofed nothing more than to harafs and incommode them.-At night the tents were ftruck, and fent back again towards the city, and the whole army was ordered, after taking their reft in the open field, to be under arms at four in the morning. The enemy's camp extended on each fide of the fugar-loaf rock, but much farther to the well than to the eaft: moft of the Marattahs were encamped to the eat, the French quarters were close to the weft of the rock, and beyond thefe the Myforeans extended almoft as far as the golden rock, occupying the ground for a confiderable way behind the two rocks. The rear of the camp was co vered with thickets and rocky ground. The French had flung up an intrenchment in front of their own quarters, and intended to have continued it along the left flank to the weft; but on this fide had only finished a final part, feparated about 300 yards from the weftern extremity of their intrenchment, in front which interval was left open without defences: the Marattahs had likewife hung up an intrenchment in their front. to the eaft of the fugar-loaf; at the goldenreck, which commanded the left flank and the front of the ground on which the Myfor eans were encamped, the French had ftationed an advanced guard of 100 Europeans, two companies of Topales, and 6co Sepoys, with two pieces of cannon, under the command of a partizan of fome reputation, Major Lawrence being apprized of thefe difpofitions, projected his attack to take the utcft advantage of them. At the hour appointed the army quitted the Facquire's Tope, and marched in profound, filence towards the golden rock: the battalion confitting of 600 men formed the van in three equal divifions; the first was compofed of the grenadier company of 100 mei commanded by captain Kilpatrick, the picket of 40, by captain Calliaud, and two platoons, each of 30 men, under the command of captain Charles Campbell: the artillery, fix field-pieces, with Ico artillery men, were divided on the flanks of each divifion; 2000 Sepoys, in two lines followed the Europeans: the Tanjorine cavalry were ordered to extend to the caftward, and to march even with the laft line of Sepoys. The moon had hitherto been very bright; but a fudden cloud now obfcured it fo much, that the first divifion of the battalion came within piftol shot of the golden rock before they were difcovered; and giving a very smart fire, mounted it in three places at once, whilft the enemy, who had barely time to fuatch up their arms, hurried down after making one irre gular difcharge, and ran away to the camp with fuch precipitation, that they left their two fieid-picces, ready loaded with grape, undifcharged. Animated by this fuccefs, the men cailed out with one voice to be led on to the grand camp, and the major availing himfelf of their alacrity, remained no longer at the rock than was neceflary to break the carriages of the enemy's guns, and to form his troops again. 1 heir difpofition was now changed, the three divifions of Europeans were ordered to march, as near as they could, in one line in front thro' the camp of the Myforcans, in order to fall at once upon the left flank of the French quarters: 1786. Hiftory of the Empire of Indoftan. quarters: the Sepoys were divided on each thank of the battalion, but at fome diftance in the rear. Had the camp, like thofe in Europe, been covered with tents, it would have been impoffible to have penetrated through it in this order; but in an Indian army none but the men of rank can afford the expence of a tent, and the reft fhelter themfelves as they can in cabbins made of mats, fo flight that they may be pufned down by the hand. The Tanjorine cavalry, intermixed with match-locks, and Peans, had halted during the attack of the golden rock, on the plain nearly oppofite to the front of the French intrenchment, and they were now inftructed to move directly up to it, in order to create what confufion they could with their fire-arms and rockets. The bat talion received the orders for continuing the march with load huzzas, and the whole proceeded with the greatest confidence, as to a victory of which they were fure; the drums of the three divifions beating the grenadiers march, the gunners with their portfires lighted on the flanks, and the Sepoys found ing with no little energy all their various inAruments of military inufic. This did not a little contribute to augment the confternaton which the fugitives from the rock had fpread amongst the Myforeans, who were already taking flight, when the English entered their camp. The Europeans marched with fixed bayonets, and recovered arms, but the Sepoys kept up a smart fire upon the fwarms that were taking flight on all fides. The French discovered by the fugitives which way the attack would fall, and drew up to oppofe it, facing the weft; the right of their battalion was behind the unfinished part of their intrenchment, and the reit extendet towards the intrenchment they had thrown up in front; which their line, how ever, did not reach by an hundred yards; but a bank running at this diftance parallel to that intrenchment, ferved to defend the let flank of their battalion. In this polition they derived no advantage from that part of their works on which they had fo much depended to the left of their battalion was a body of 2000 Sepoys, who inclined to the left, intending to gain the flank of the Englifh battalion, and the fame number were defigned to form their left wing; but thefe, by fome mistake, in this fcene of hurry and confufion, pofted themfelves on the fugarloaf rock. The Ength troops advancing were prevented by the interruptions which they met with in the Myiore camp from keeping up in a line; to that the firft divifion had outmarched the fecond, at the fecond e third; however, as foon a. they came righ the enemy, whom they decovered by the portfires of their guns. te bindes moit Tackened their pace; but hav.. boleas the 135 whole line was not completely formed before they came within twenty yards of the enemy, by which time the Sepoys to the right had advanced from the rear, in order to oppofe thofe on the enemy's left: the artillery in the hurry could not keep up with the battalion. The French artillery had for fome time fired with great vivacity, but moft of the shot flew too high, and killed several of the flying Myforeans. The action commenced juft as the day began to dawn: Mr. Aftrue, with indefatigable activity prevailed on his men to wait and receive the English fire before they gave theirs; amongst those who fuffered in this onfet was captain Kilpatrick, who commanded the divifion on the right; he fell defperately wounded; upon which captain Calliaud put himfelf at the head of the grenadiers, and took the command of the whole divifion; the French Sepoys on the left fcarcely flood the first fire of the right wing of the English Sepoys, but took flight: which captain Calliaud perceiving, he wheeled inftantly round with his divifion, and gaining the left flank of the intrenchment, benind which the left of the French battalion was pofted, poured in a close fire upon them; and the grenadiers pushing on with their bayonets, drove them crowding upon their center: the whole line was already falling into confufion, when a well-levelled difcharge from the center and left of the English battalion in front completed the rout, and they ran away in great diforder to gain the other fide of the bank on their right, where Mr. Aftruc endeavoured to rally them: but the grenadiers purfuing them clofely, renewed the attack with their bayonets, and put them again to flight: every man now provided for his own fafety, without any regard to order, running towards the golden rock, as this way was the only outlet not obstructed; but as foon as they got to fome diftance on the plain they difperied and took various routes. The left wing of the Engih Sepoys had hitherto taken no hare in the engagement, for by keeping too much to the left of the battalion, they came to the outfide of the French intrenchment, on the ground to which the Tanjorines were ordered to advance; however, as foon as they perceived the French battalion in confufion, they pufhed on to the fugar-loaf rock, and with much refolution attacked and difperfed the body of the enemy's Sepoys poited there, who from the beginning of the action had employed themtelves in firing random thot indifcriminately upon friends and foes. The victory was now decided, and the English troops drew up on the French parade. A body of Marattahs were the only part of the Indian army which made any motions to draw off the attention of the English during the engage |