a

soon after joined them, under Hurri Punt on foot for the next campaign; for which and Purseram Bhow. They had repeatedly the co-operation of the Mahrattas was sesent messengers to announce their approach, cured by a subsidy of £150,000. These who had been cut off by Tippoo's light auxiliaries were dispatched to operate in the troops; and the reason that they did not south-west; while the Nizam's troops were join before Lord Cornwallis left Bangalore, detached to the south-east. The English and arose from their having aided Captain sepoys, under Lord Cornwallis, also first took Little, with a detachment from Bombay, in a south-east direction, advancing to Oosoor, the siege of Darwar, a fortress on Tippoo's which was evacuated by the garrison, and northern frontier. The garrison made a blown up.-Several other small forts having stout defence; but hearing of the fall been captured, and a communication with of Bangalore, they capitulated, as did all the company's territories established, the Tippoo's possessions north of the Tum- army retraced its steps, and, in September, budra. The junction of the Mahrattas the important fortress of Nundydroog, thirty afforded the greatest relief to the distressed miles north of Bangalore, was invested. This Europeans and sepoys which composed fort stands on a huge granite rock, one of Lord Cornwallis's army. They brought three, which rise close to each other to a ample supplies of provisions and draught height exceeding 1,500 feet. It was accescattle; and a bazaar (usual with the Mah-sible only on one point, where there was a rattas) accompanied them, which comprised double line of ramparts; and "three weeks almost every imaginable article, "from were expended by the besieging force, in web of English broadcloth to a Birmingham regularly working up the steep acclivity, and penknife; from the shawls of Cashmere to in breaching."+ Two breaches having been the second-hand garment of a Hindoo; from made, Lord Cornwallis gave orders for an diamonds of the first water, to the silver ear-attack in the night of the 19th of October. rings of a poor plundered village maiden; from oxen, sheep, and poultry, to the dried salt-fish of the Concan." In addition, there were the tables of the moneychangers, overspread with the coins of every country of the East; "and amongst the various trades carried on with remarkable activity, was that of a tanner; so that the English officers were able to obtain, by means of ambulatory tan-pits, what their own Indian capitals could not then produce, except as European imports-excellent sword-belts."* -Accompanying the Mahrattas, were a tribe of travelling merchants, called Brijarries. They were corn-dealers, who traversed the country with their wives and children, supplying all the military powers of Hindostan with that necessary article. They formed a distinct class, and appear to have enjoyed, everywhere, complete immunity for life and property, based on the great services which they rendered to all parties; having done so from a very remote period. As Lord Cornwallis did not now want for funds, he procured ample supplies for his army through the means of these men; but as the season was so far advanced, he continued his march to Bangalore, where, after capturing Hooliordroog, and several other forts on its route, the army arrived on the 11th of June.

Active preparations were immediately set • Wilks' Sketches of the South of India.

The breaches were stormed by two parties, who were received by the enemy with a discharge of musketry and rockets; whilst heavy stones were rolled upon them when they were under the walls. The Europeans, however, forced through the breaches, and opening the gates, were soon followed by a number of the sepoys: and the garrison fled; a part letting themselves down from the walls by ropes, and thus getting into the jungle, made their escape; the rest took shelter in the principal pagoda, and were made prisoners. In the siege of Nundydroog the English lost 120 men, killed and wounded; of whom thirty fell in the assault, being chiefly killed by the stones precipitated from the walls.

The Mahrattas, who were dispatched to the south-west, evinced a disposition for freebooting rather than military operations, and they failed to support and co-operate with General Abercrombie, as it was intended they should do; and thus the movements of that officer were impeded, and an opportunity was afforded for a body of the enemy to invest Coimbatoor. The command of that fort and Palghat had been entrusted to Major Cuppage, who, doubting the possibility of successfully defending the former, removed the heavy guns and ammunition to Palghat, leaving Lieutenant Chalmers, with a garrison of + Thornton.

120 topasses, and about 200 Travancoreans, The English chased them to the Bawany at Coimbatoor. That officer, knowing the importance of the place, resolved to put it into a state of defence. Finding three heavy guns, that had been cast aside as unserviceable, capable of being used, at any rate for a time, he mounted them, by forming carriages out of various old wheels and fragments lying about the fort. But he had only damaged powder, and about 500 shot, which he had obtained from Major Cuppage.

Very soon after the latter had retired to Palghat, Coimbatoor was invested by a body of 2,000 infantry, a considerable number of cavalry, and irregular troops, with eight pieces of cannon. They encamped on the north-west side of the pettah, which they summoned to surrender, threatening death to every person within the walls and enclosures, except the women and children, were resistance attempted. No signs of surrender were made; and the summons was repeated, after an interval of two days, with no better effect. Then a battery was thrown up, and surrender being refused after a third summons, a fierce bombardment was commenced. A second and a third battery were erected; and the little garrison could make only a very feeble return to the discharges of shot, shell, and rockets which were thrown into the place. That garrison was considerably reduced, for many of the Travancoreans had deserted as soon as they found that the enemy was investing the fort. The others were insubordinate; but the topasses behaved gallantly; and the efforts of Lieutenant Chalmers were ably seconded by M. de la Combe, a young French officer in the service of the rajah of Tanjore.-An assault, made after the place had been invested several weeks, was repulsed, chiefly from a barrel filled with combustibles being thrown in the midst of a large body of the enemy, and caused such confusion amongst the assaulting party, that it broke, gave way, and finally retired, many being killed and wounded by stones and pieces of rock thrown from the ramparts. When they had reached their camp, and the besieged had time to look about them, it was found that the number of the dead and dying the enemy had left behind them, exceeded that of the garrison.

Shortly after this assault, the besieging force was attacked by a party from Palghat, aided by a body of revenue troops under Mr. Macleod, and driven from the pettah.

river, a distance of twenty miles; when they
returned to Coimbatoor, the garrison of
which was reinforced to the number of about
700 sepoys and topasses; the additional
troops being under the command of Lieu-
tenant Nash. Supplies of food and ammu-
nition were also afforded. Thus reinforced,
Lieutenant Chalmers employed his men in
repairing the breaches, and putting all the
defences into as complete a state as cir-
cumstances would admit. He had scarcely
completed these preparations, when the
pettah and fort were reinvested by 8,000
regular infantry, accompanied, as before, by
a large body of cavalry and irregulars. The
besieging train consisted of fourteen guns
and four mortars. The pettah was again
occupied ; and several batteries were speedily
brought to bear upon the fort.-Major Cup-
page, aware of this fresh attack, advanced
from Palghat at the head of three battalions
of sepoys, two battalions of Travancoreans,
and six pieces of cannon, with the intention
of compelling the Mysoreans-who were
commanded by an excellent officer, Kum-
mer-oo-Deen-to raise the siege. At the
same time, a large convoy of oxen, intended
for General Abercrombie's army, was as-
sembled at Palghat. Kummer-oo-Deen, as
soon as he heard of the advance of Major
Cuppage, made a movement for the purpose
of getting in his rear. This movement was
defeated after a sharp fight, in which the
Mysoreans suffered considerably. But it
exposed the danger of the convoy, as well as
the impediments which might be thrown
in the way of Major Cuppage's return to
Palghat; and determined him to leave
Coimbatoor to its fate. Surrender now be-
came inevitable; and a practicable breach
being effected (whilst Lieutenant Chalmers
and Lieutenant Nash were both wounded),
negotiations were opened, and honourable
terms were granted to the brave garrison,
who, instead of becoming prisoners of war,
were to be permitted to march to Palghat.
The Mysoreans entered the fort on the 3rd
of November; but the terms, either through
the treachery of Kummer-oo-Deen or his
master, were not carried out. The sepoys
and topasses were detained, under various
pretences, thirteen days at Coimbatoor; and
were then marched to Seringapatam instead
of Palghat, where they were submitted to
every indignity.

After the capture of Nundy droog, Lord
Cornwallis-anxious to leave no place of im-

portance in the possession of the enemy, so as to enable them to harass his rear in the advance upon Seringapatam, which he contemplated making-attacked Savandroog, another strong hill-fortress between Bangalore and Seringapatam, nineteen miles to the west of the former. It was situated, like Nundy droog, "on a vast, bare rock of granite, amidst dense forests and thickets. A small river, rushing through a deep ravine, washes the south base of the rock, which is divided, by an intervening chasm, into two great summits, each surmounted by a fortress independent of the other, and both abundantly supplied with water. The circuit of the base is about eight miles, and the sides are so precipitous, as to appear inaccessible when viewed from below."* This fort (the meaning of the Hindoo name of which is the "Rock of Death") Tippoo called "Gurdam Sheikhô," or "the Neck of Majesty;" and he was rejoiced when told that the English had sat down before it, for, if not absolutely impregnable, he fully calculated that the troops of Lord Cornwallis would suffer so severely from the malaria of the jungle, that they would either be obliged to retreat, or be so much weakened as to offer an easy prey to the garrison. As on many other occasions, so on this, the sultan of Mysore was at fault.

crevices of the rock, resists, more than any other tree, the action of the axe and of fire." This road was cut, and the guns dragged over it, in five days; and on the 17th of December two batteries were thrown up, one at 1,000, the other at 700, yards distance. A fire from these batteries was instantly opened; and on the 19th another battery was erected within 250 yards of the rock. A practicable breach was effected by the night of the 20th, and the assault was ordered for the morning of the 21st, Lord Cornwallis and General Meadows arriving to witness it; and the flank companies of the 71st and 76th Europeans having joined Colonel Stuart's detachment, dispositions were made for the storming party, under Lieutenant-colonel Nesbitt, of the 52nd, to move on various points: that party consisted of the grenadiers of the 52nd, and the flank companies of the 76th, under Captain Gage; the light company of the 52nd, under the Hon. Captain Monson; the flank companies of the 71st, under the Hon. Captain Lindsay and Captain Robertson; the 52nd and 72nd to follow the flank companies. These bodies had to attack the two hills and the path between them; while other parties, under Lieutenant-colonel Baird and Major Petrie, were sent round the rock, at once to attract the attention of the enemy aud prevent their escape.§ All the preparations being complete, at 11 A.M. the band of the 52nd regiment played "Britons strike home;" and to the inspiriting strains the grenadiers and light infantry mounted the breach.

Lord Cornwallis, having determined to attack this stronghold, gave the command of the assailing party to Colonel Stuart, who, on the 11th of December-with the 52nd and 72nd European regiments, three battalions of sepoys, and a park of artillery under The greater part of the garrison was colMajor Montague, consisting of four 18- lected to defend the point assailed; but pounders, four 12-pounders, two howitzers, Tippoo's soldiers appear to have shrunk and the field-pieces belonging to the regi- from a hand-to-hand encounter with men ments-encamped on the north side of the who had overcome obstacles they deemed rock, at the distance of about three miles. insurmountable; and, as the English apThe main body of the army was posted in proached, the Mysoreans fled in confusion; the rear, so as to afford effectual support; some falling down, others tumbling over and three strong detachments, under Lieu-them, and all eager to reach the citadel on tenant-colonel Cockerell, Captain Walsh, the western hill before the English, who and Captain Alexander Reed, occupied the pursued them as rapidly as the nature of northern, middle, and southern roads, from the ground would permit.-Captain Gage, Bangalore to Seringapatam.†A thick forest of bamboos intervened between the camp of Colonel Stuart and the rock, through which a road had to be cut; "and the labour of opening a road through such a forest, can only be known to those who are acquainted with the nature of the bamboo, which, growing in clumps, even from the

• Thornton.

Rafter's Military History of India.

with his division, made for the eastern hill,
according to his orders; and he carried it
without opposition, not encountering any of
the enemy's troops, who had entirely for-
saken that quarter. Those who endea-
voured to reach the western hill were fol-
lowed up the steep and narrow path which
led from the breach by the English under
Captain Monson, who encountered amongst
+ Dirom.
§ Captain Rafter.

the rocks a party of the garrison, which and M'Pherson, and supported by Captain had been detached for the purpose of taking Scott. The hill was surmounted by five or the assaulting party in flank. Captain six ramparts, rising to the top, amphitheatreMonson had with him, besides the light fashion. These were carried one after the company of the 52nd, a sergeant and twelve other, some of the assailants scaling the grenadiers of the 71st; and the party of the walls, others dashing through the gates, garrison, instead of attacking them, turned which were broken open by the pioneers. their backs and fled, followed by the Eng-The garrison kept up an irregular fire; but lish, who pressed hard upon their heels. The Mysoreans reached the citadel, which some of them entered hastily; and a soldier was closing the gates, when he was shot by the sergeant of the 71st. Part of the English instantly marched through the gate; others leaped the barriers with the fugitives, killing several, and amongst them the second killadar; the first killadar was taken prisoner; as were the soldiers who did not fall, or precipitate themselves, from the rocks in endeavouring to escape. More than a hundred lost their lives; but the greater part evaded their pursuers; for the number of prisoners was small. Thus this important position was taken by the English; the time occupied in the assault being scarcely an hour, and only one of the storming party losing his life-a private soldier, who was not killed by the enemy, but struck by one of the balls from an English cannon, which rebounded from the rock, as he was passing on to the breach.

After the fall of Savandroog, several other hill-forts were captured; one of them being Ostradroog, about eleven miles from Savandroog, and thirty from Bangalore. The commandant of this fort was summoned to surrender, liberal terms being sent to him. The staff-officer who accompanied the flag of truce, and was the bearer of these terms, was signalled from the ramparts to advance, but, on doing so, a fire of musketry was opened upon him. An assault was immediately ordered; and, under cover of a well-directed fire from the fieldpieces, Captain Scott, of the Bengal army, with four battalion companies of the 52nd and 72nd regiments, and his own sepoys, scaled and carried the lower fort. The killadar immediately sent to request a parley; but while it was going on, the garrison were observed to be busily employed in removing the guns, and placing them in positions from which they could bear upon the English. Negotiation was immediately broken off, and the assault was continued, Lieutenant M'Innis, of the 72ud, this time leading the storming party, followed by the pioneers, commanded by Lieutenants Dowse

as soon as they caught sight of an Englishman or a sepoy, they fled; and the summit of the rock was gained, without the loss of a single life on the part of the stormers, and with very few wounded. The killadar was made prisoner, with a part of the garrison; but, as at Savandroog, many precipitated themselves from the rock, thus meeting death in a different shape from that which they anticipated, had they fallen into the hands of the English-from whom, owing to the treachery shown to his prisoners bv Tippoo, they expected no mercy.

Under the rock of Ostradroog Lord Cornwallis concentrated his army previous to his march upon Seringapatam. He found it useless to rely upon the Mahrattas for aid, who, under Purseram Bhow, still remained plundering in the south; and left a detachment of 700 men, under Captain Little, which was attached to this contingent, to encounter a strong body of Mysoreans, who had thrown themselves into a thick forest, having the river Toom, and some deep ravines, in front and on their flanks. Captain Little, on the 27th of December, attacked this force, and dislodged it-a success which was followed by the fall of Simoga, and the throwing open to the allies a portion of Tippoo's territories which had hitherto escaped the ravages of war. Leaving his marauding allies, therefore, to pursue their own course, the commander-in-chief sent orders to General Abercrombie-who, with his army, about 8,400 strong since the retreat in May, had occupied cantonments near Tellicherry-to move on the Mysore capital; and having remained in camp long enough to collect and refresh his own troops, his lordship, on the 1st of February, 1792, commenced his march to Seringapatam, at the head of 22,000 men, with forty-four fieldpieces, and a battering-train of forty-two guns. The advance was made in three lines, the infantry and light troops occupying the flanks, the artillery and heavy baggage the centre; and on the 5th, this army once more encamped within sight of Seringapatam, under the walls of which city, on the north side of the Cauvery, the sultan was found in