Providence and a Thorn Walking Stick

During the Seven Years' War, much fighting took place in India.  In 1758, the Irishman General Lally was sent to take command of the French forces there.  But India was full of danger:

"The party to assassinate Lally was composed of 50 Black horsemen.  At dawn, riding from the city, at a leisurely pace, to the French camp, and being challenged by the outguard, they stated, that they came to offer their services to the French General; and, accordingly, required to be conducted to him.  Nothing wrong being suspected, they were conducted towards his quarters, about half a mile in the rear of his camp.  Lally, informed of their approach, got out of bed, and merely in his drawers, and luckily with a thorn-stick in his hand, went, accompanied by but 1 attendant, to meet them.  At about 100 yards from him, the troop halted, their Captain, coming forward on horseback; and being now near enough, to make sure, as it were, of their intended victim, and in order, apparently, to signify to their main force about the town, that the assassination-business was in hand, 1 of the Black troopers galloped to an ammunition-tumbrel, fired his pistol into it, and blew himself up with a suitable explosion, at the same time that the Captain of the troop rode in upon Lally, making a cimetar-cut at his head.  Lally, not losing his presence of mind, parried the blow with his wooden life-preserver; his stout and faithful attendant instantly despatching the baffled murderer.  The General, nevertheless, was trampled down and stunned by the onset of the rest of the Black troop, till his guard rushing up, he came to himself, and, sabre in hand, at the head, gave the villains, who charged twice, their deserts; 28 of them being shot dead, and the remainder forced to ride into a pond, where they were drowned; his guard losing but 2 men in the encounter."--page 514, History of the Irish Brigades in the Service of France by John Cornelius O'Callaghan