Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/452

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428
The War of Coromandel.
Book X.

no alarm. It was supposed they were carrying on a covered sap towards the blind before the north-east bastion, which threatened the most dangerous mine they could spring; and to counteract their intention by meeting their work, the garrison opened a sap from the left of the ditch, and directed it across and under the ground immediately in front of the blind. The mining gallery towards their battery on the crest of the glacis was likewise pushed on with much diligence. The ensuing morning, the enemy at sun-rise opened four embrasures in this battery, which extended to the right from the summit of the salient angle: one of them pointed to the N. E. bastion, and all the four bore on the salient angle of the demi; but they had raised the embrasures so high, that none of their shot could strike the parapet, but all flew over the fort; so that after five or six rounds they ceased firing, and closed the embrasures in order to alter the level. Besides the guns which they opened and kept up against the Shaftsbury, their other batteries against the fort continued through the day: the hospital and burying-ground, with all their guns, but Lally's only with five, three of which were those against the north ravelin, and the other two, which were the next to them, fired mostly against the fascine battery, where they disabled two twelve pounders; a twenty-four pounder was likewise dismounted on the royal bastion: the casualties to the troops were 4 Europeans killed, and 9, with 3 Sepoys wounded. During the night, the garrison, besides the repair of the works, continued their gallery towards the salient angle, and the covered sap before the blind. The enemy continued their sap likewise still undiscovered, and worked in altering their breaching battery; but when they opened it again the next morning with five guns, the shot as before flew over, and they were again obliged to close the embrasures.

This day was the first of February: the fire of the two guns from the bar to the S. and the other to the N. at the second crochet, continued a crossing fire against the Shaftsbury with much aim, and sometimes with red-hot shot, of which several went through the hull. The Harlem likewise fired and helped to ruin her rigging. The fort fired upon the Harlem and on the enemy's southern guns