The King’s ships being all withdrawn, an armament, consisting of four Company’s ships and two coasting vessels, was fitted out under command of Commodore Mitchell, who was knighted for his conduct in this expedition, succeeded in capturing two privateers, equal in size to small frigates, and in engaging and beating off two large frigates and another stout ship.
At this time a circumstance occurred which caused the relative precedence of the different arms of the service in the King’s and Company’s service to be set at rest by general orders.
Lieutenant Wittit, being for picket duty with a party of artillerymen, was proceeding to take the right of the party from H. M.’s 74th regiment, when the adjutant on duty directed him to parade on the left; to this he objected, but on being told it was Colonel Kelly’s positive order, he reluctantly obeyed, and reported the circumstance to his commanding officer, Captain Smith, and Captain Speediman, commanding the artillery at the station. In forwarding the statement, Captain Smith mentioned a case having occurred in Bengal, between Captain Montague and Colonel MacLeod, of H.M.’s 73rd regiment, and requested that it might be referred to Earl Cornwallis, the commander-in-chief, which was done, and his lordship decided that “H.M.’s cavalry takes post of the Company’s cavalry, H.M.’s artillery of the Company’s artillery, and H.M.’s infantry of the Company’s infantry; but the artillery takes post of the infantry, without considering the service to which they belong.”
The relative precedence of the troops of the three presidencies was also decided at the same time: the Bengal troops are always to be on the right; the Madras and Bombay to take the right of each other in their own presidency, but to draw lots for the post when they meet on neutral ground.
The main body of the army was now assembled, to the number of 15,000 fighting men, at Trichinopoly; to each European battalion were attached two 12–pounders, and to each native battalion two 6–pounder guns, while a park of four iron and four brass 18–pounders, and four howitzers, for field service, accompanied, together with a large train of battering guns.
General Meadows arrived and reviewed the army on the 24th May, and on the 26th it commenced its march, the plan of the campaign being to enter Mysore by the Guzelhutty Pass, securing a communication by occupying, as a line of posts and depôts, Tanjore, Trichinopoly, Carrore, Erroad, and Sattimungulum.
On the 15th June, the army reached Carrore, which they found evacuated, and, to lighten their march, deposited the iron and two of the brass 18–pounders, two of the howitzers, and about 1,200 sick in the fort.
Daropooram was taken; Coimbatore evacuated by the end of July; Erroad was taken early in August, but want of carriage was even thus early felt; officers were all directed to double up in their tents, and the battering guns, stores, and convalescents were left in Coimbatore. In the attack on Erroad the Bengal Artillery was employed under Colonel Deare. Dindigul and Palacatcherry were taken, and Sattimungulum surrendered to a detachment under Colonel Lloyd, with which was Captain Sampson’s company of artillery; in the two former, the artillery of the coast were employed, and at Dindigul Colonel Moorhouse, an officer much respected, met his death.
It has been said that a detachment of the 2nd company 2nd battalion marched with Colonel Cockerell’s division from Bengal; they joined the division at Balasore on the 24th March, and a complete company, in addition, from the 1st battalion, was sent by sea, and overtook them on the 20th June at Masulipatam; the officers were as follows:—
| Lascar Companies. | Company. | Battalion. | Captains. | Lieutenants. | Lieutenant-Fireworkers. | No. of Privates. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 12 | 2 | 2 | Montagu | Douglas | Briscoe | 37 |
| 23, 29, 30 | 5 | 1 | Barton | Hinde Toppin | Tulloh Hill | 74 |