back to Fort St. David, and on the day of his arrival at Trichinopoly one hundred men went into hospital. After providing for the duties of the garrison, the combined forces of Major Lawrence and Captain Dalton could furnish for the field only five hundred Europeans and two thousand Sepoys; and these were soon further diminished by detaching seven hundred of the latter in search of provisions.
Dupleix, fully aware of the importance of counteracting the object of Major Lawrence's march to Trichinopoly, had despatched thither successive reinforcements, and he had then arrayed there against the British and their ally four hundred Europeans, fifteen hundred French Sepoys, three thousand five hundred Mahrattas, eight thousand Mysore horse, twelve hundred Mysore Sepoys, and about fifteen thousand irregular infantry; making together nearly thirty thousand men. This disproportion of force was sufficiently dispiriting; and the earlier operations of Major Lawrence were not successful enough to dispel the feeling engendered by the comparison.
In the hope of being able sometimes to evade the vigilance of the blockading force, a post was established at a place called the Golden Rock. This was attacked by a body of the enemy's troops commanded by Monsieur Astruc; and before assistance could be afforded, the Sepoys who defended the post were overcome, and the French colours hoisted. On becoming aware of the attack, Major Lawrence put in motion all the troops at his disposal, which amounted only to four hundred Europeans, and five hundred native troops, aided by a few field-pieces. On approaching the rock, and observing that it had been carried by the French, the British commander paused, for nearly the whole of the vast force opposed to him now met his eye. The rock was covered by the enemy's Sepoys, supported by the French battalions; and the whole Mysore army was drawn up in the rear. The enemy's artillery was firing from the right and left, and the Mahratta horse were hovering on the flanks and rear of the
