Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/332

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308
OUR ANGLO-INDIAN ARMY.

moreover, a devotee, and exhibited that combination of undisguised robbery and avowed sanctity which is common enough in the East. At Jullyhall General Campbell heard that this saintly robber had pitched his camp between Doodyhall and Moodianoor, with the intention of intercepting the British convoys, and carrying his depredations beyond the Toombuddra. The British commander thereupon marched on the enemy on the evening of the 29th of December, and at four o'clock on the morning of the 30th learned that he was within six miles of those whom he sought, and that they were entirely ignorant of his approach.

At dawn of day General Campbell came upon the enemy, and pushed his cavalry into the centre of their camp with little opposition. An hour sufficed to destroy part of the band which the sham Dhoondia Waugh had collected around him, and to disperse the rest. Two thousand of the enemy were killed, and upwards of one thousand wounded or made prisoners; the remainder threw down their arms and fled. Among the prisoners was the venerable facquir who, under borrowed plumes, had led to the work of plunder and devastation. His banner, on the day of his defeat, was followed by four Frenchmen, amongst others; and one of these, whose dress and appointments seemed to indicate him to be a person above the common rank, was killed; the remaining three escaped by the help of good horses and their own discretion, which prompted them to depart at an early period of the engagement. The whole of the freebooters baggage and bazaars, and upwards of twenty thousand bullocks, were taken. Only two men in the English force were killed and fifteen wounded. The flank companies of his Majesty's 83rd, after marching thirty miles, came up with the cavalry, and had their full share in the attack upon this horde of plunderers.