War with Tippoo—19th take the field—Advance on Coimbatore—Division under Floyd detached towards Guzzulhutti Pass—Frequent skirmishes—Satyamunglum—Dispersion of the Army—Advance of Tippoo—19th hotly engaged—Tippoo’s Body-Guard destroyed—Retreat from Satyamunglum—Casualties—March in pursuit of Tippoo—Private Parkes—The Tapoor Pass—Tippoo eludes pursuit, and ravages the Carnatic—Army returns to Madras.
In 1790, the Government of India again became involved in war with Tippoo. He had been constrained to sign the peace of Mangalore by the withdrawal of the French alliance, and the coalition of the British and Mahrattas against him. But the war had been a triumph for Mysore arms. South of the Kistna river, Mysore was the most powerful state in India, and no single power could hold its own against the son of Hyder Ali. But Tippoo failed to realize the increase of power of the English Company, due to five years of peace. In 1785, a quarrel broke out between him and the Mahrattas, who allied themselves with the Nizam, and invaded Mysore territory. The campaign that ensued was in Tippoo’s favour, and peace was concluded between the contending parties in April 1787. Tippoo’s warlike restlessness continued to be a menace to the other powers in India. In the end of 1787, overtures for an alliance against him, were made to Calcutta by the Mahrattas. To this, Lord Cornwallis, who had assumed the direction of affairs as Governor General and Commander in Chief in September 1786, gave a refusal. But nothing could keep Tippoo quiet. In 1788 he sent an embassy to France, to propose an alliance against the English, and, in December 1789, he attacked the Rajah of Travancore whom we were bound by treaty to protect. Preparations were at once made to punish the aggression, and orders were transmitted to Madras for the commencement of operations against Mysore.
The time had come for the 19th Light Dragoons to show their worth. One morning, early in January, came the news that war was imminent, and that the Regiment was to join the army ordered to assemble at Trichinopoly. “My men were on horseback, going to water, when the news arrived, and they received it with three most cordial cheers. Nothing but good humour and high hope prevail in the Army. My regiment is ready in all that depends on us, and willing beyond description.”[24] But great delay ensued, and some weeks elapsed before a move was made. The Madras Government disobeyed the stringent orders of Cornwallis, to warn Tippoo that an attack on Travancore would entail war, and to take all necessary steps for prosecuting war if the attack was made. There was a complete want of military preparation. Fortunately, on 19th February, Major General Medows arrived from England with full powers as Governor and Commander in Chief in Madras, and preparations for the campaign were made in earnest. A force was assembled near Wallajabad, and marched for Trichinopoly on 29th March. The 19th Light Dragoons at this time mustered 355 sabres. Meanwhile Tippoo took advantage of the delay to prosecute his conquest over Travancore, which he would have completed, had not a small force from Bombay, under Colonel Hartley, landed in Travancore, in the end of April, and taken up a strong defensive position. On 24th May, General Medows took command of the army at Trichinopoly, amounting to about 15,000 men. On the same day, Tippoo turned his back on Travancore, and made his way northwards to confront his foes.
Mysore, the heart of Tippoo’s Kingdom, is a high plateau from 2000 to 3000 feet above the sea, open towards the north, but fenced in to the East, South and West by precipitous, cliff-like ranges that overlook the low country outside, and are only passable for an army at certain places. Tippoo had also extensive possessions in the low country, from which he drew large revenues and plentiful military supplies. According to the plan of operations adopted, Medows was to advance on Mysore from the southward, and, if possible, enter it by the Guzulhutti Pass, after making himself master of the rich low country about Coimbatore, where abundant supplies could be obtained. As this movement would uncover Madras, a small force was held at Conjeveram, under Colonel Kelly, which was augmented later by a force of six battalions of sepoys and some artillery, that were dispatched overland from Bengal. On the west, a force from Bombay under Major General Abercromby[25] was destined to act against Tippoo’s possessions in Malabar, and, if events rendered it desirable, to effect a junction with Medows. On the occurrence of Tippoo’s attack on Travancore in December, the Peishwa had renewed his offers of alliance to Lord Cornwallis. This time they were accepted, and a triple convention between the Peishwa, the Nizam and the British, was concluded. By it, the two former engaged to attack Tippoo’s Northern possessions at once with 25,000 horse, and after the rains, to act with their utmost means. So dilatory were their movements, that it was not till the following year that their operations had any share of importance in the campaign.
Walker & Boutall sc.
On the 26th May, the army marched from Trichinopoly, but, owing to badness of transport, it was not till 15th June that Karoor was occupied. Avaracoorchi and Darapooram were occupied, on the 5th and 10th July respectively. Tippoo was at this time at Coimbatore, where it was hoped he would make a stand. The siege guns and stores were therefore deposited in Darapooram, and the army advanced. Information was soon received of his having gone northward, and ascended the defiles on to the Mysore plateau, leaving a force of Cavalry numbering from 3000 to 5000, under Said Sahib, as a corps of observation. After recovering the heavy guns, the advance was continued, watched by Said Sahib who fell back on Coimbatore, with the intention of burning the town on the near approach of the British force. To prevent this, Floyd with the cavalry was dispatched to occupy the town, which was accomplished on 21st July, the main body arriving the following day, while Said Sahib fell back to Demiacotta on the Bhowani river. Floyd, with the 19th Light Dragoons, three regiments of Native Cavalry, two companies of sepoys and four 6 pr. guns, was dispatched in pursuit. About ten o’clock at night on the 22nd, after a thirty-mile march, he surprised near Demiacotta a small body of horse, about thirty of whom were made prisoners. The exaggerated accounts they gave him, led him to believe that the force with Said Sahib was larger than had been supposed. The Fort of Demiacotta having taken the alarm, opened fire, and, there being no forage obtainable, Floyd considered it prudent to fall back a few miles. On the 28th, he moved forward again, and, on reaching the banks of the river, discovered that Said Sahib had carried his force across the river, and was encamped on the other side. The Bhowani river, at this time, was only fordable at certain places. A few long shots from the six pounders made Said Sahib decamp, and direct his march towards the Guzulhutti Pass. Floyd then fell back to Velladi, and remained in observation of the two roads leading from Coimbatore to the Bhowani river, moving occasionally to Shawoor and Occarro. On the 16th of August, Colonel Floyd with a Corporal and six Dragoons, set out from Shawoor to visit Occarro, where there was a troop of Native Cavalry on detachment duty. On arrival at Occarro, it was reported to him that there was a body of the enemy’s horse in the neighbourhood. Taking twelve men of the troop with his original escort, he went in search of them, and discovered them close to the village. He immediately charged them, and put the whole body to flight. Four days later, Major Affleck[26] of the 19th Light Dragoons, with two troops of the 19th and an equal number of the 5th Native Cavalry, while patrolling, fell in with a large body of the enemy’s horsemen whom they instantly attacked, killing upwards of forty, and capturing twenty horses. Not many days after this, an equally successful skirmish occurred under the command of Lieut. Bayly of the 19th Light Dragoons, who, with a troop of the 19th and two troops of Native Cavalry, put a large body of the enemy’s horse to rout, and drove them into the river. In a private letter written four months later, Floyd says: “Among a great number of cavalry skirmishes I was always successful, and fully established for the first time in India, the infinite superiority of European over Native horse.”
While Floyd was thus engaged to the north of Coimbatore, a force under Colonel Oldham was sent against Erode, which surrendered, on the 6th August, after a feeble resistance. Another force, under Colonel Stuart, was sent against Dindigal, which surrendered, after one unsuccessful assault, on the 23rd August. Several other small forts in the neighbourhood were also captured. Further reinforcements were sent to Stuart, who was directed to proceed against Palghat. A breach was effected, and the place surrendered on 22nd September; but, before this, events had occurred that completely altered the aspect of affairs.
On the 26th of August, having been reinforced by three battalions of sepoys and five guns, Floyd crossed the Bhowani, and made himself master of the Fort of Satyamunglum, which was taken by surprise without any loss. A native battalion was placed in the Fort, and all Said Sahib’s detached horsemen were driven into the Guzulhutti Pass. The force was then withdrawn to the south bank of the river, the fords of which were constantly visited by strong patrols. Further reinforcements reached Floyd, whose force now consisted of the 19th Light Dragoons and three regiments of Native Cavalry, H.M. 36th, and four battalions of sepoys, with eleven guns of different calibres. Exclusive of the artillerymen, the force numbered about two thousand eight hundred fighting men.