The loss of so many horses at this early stage of the campaign was a serious one, as they could not be replaced. The cavalry had been constantly employed for the last three days, and the horses had not been regularly fed. Those that did not succumb on this occasion were of little use for the remainder of the campaign.
On the following day, the pettah was taken by assault, and some much-needed supplies were obtained: but there was great scarcity of forage, and horses and transport animals suffered greatly. “The draught cattle were daily dying at their pickets; grain and every other necessary, including ammunition, were at the lowest ebb.” In these straits, Lord Cornwallis resolved to try and take the Fort by a coup-de-main. On the night of the 21st, the assault was delivered by moonlight, and in an hour the Fort was captured under the eyes of the Sultan, who made no serious attempt to cause a diversion.
The capture of Bangalore was the first great blow that had been struck against the power of Mysore, by any foe, since its establishment by Hyder Ali.
Leaving a garrison in the place, Cornwallis moved northward, on the 28th, with the twofold object of forming a junction with a corps of the Nizam’s cavalry, and of meeting a convoy that was expected from Amboor. After some delay, caused by false intelligence purposely spread by Tippoo, the British force was joined at Cotapilli, on 13th April, by 10,000 irregular horse of the Nizam’s, and, a week later, the much-needed convoy, escorted by four thousand men, was met at Venkitagheri. The combined force then returned to Bangalore, which was reached on the 28th. Arrangements were at once made for the siege of Seringapatam, against which the Sultan sought to guard himself, by wasting the intervening country; a measure that was not without effect on subsequent events.
On the 13th May, the British force reached Arikera, about nine miles from Seringapatam. The army moved with extreme difficulty, and there was great distress, owing to the inadequate transport and the wasted state of the country. The Nizam’s cavalry refused to forage beyond the outposts, and added to the scarcity: great quantities of ammunition were dependent for carriage on the private resources of officers and other individuals with the army. Before laying siege to Seringapatam, it was Cornwallis’ object to cross the Cauvery at Caniembadi, and form a junction with the Bombay force, under Abercromby, which was shortly expected. The Sultan, who had hitherto confined himself to harassing the line of march, found it necessary to offer battle, to prevent if possible the threatened junction. With this purpose he took up an extremely strong position about three miles from Seringapatam, with his right resting on the Cauvery, and his left on a rugged hill. His front was covered by a deep, swampy ravine the passages of which were defended by batteries along the whole front. Cornwallis determined to turn Tippoo’s left wing, and, by a night march, to place himself between Seringapatam and a great portion of the Mysore army. Halting at Arikera on the 14th, the force marched at night, leaving the camp standing, with the heavy guns and stores. Unfortunately, there was a storm of extraordinary violence that lasted several hours, which added to the confusion and difficulties of a night march, and, when day broke, the force had only accomplished three or four miles. All hope of surprise was at an end, but Cornwallis continued his advance. To meet the movement, Tippoo threw back his left, and in order to cover his change of front, detached a large corps of cavalry and infantry, with eight guns, to occupy a strong rocky ridge on his left, at right angles to the line of march of the British column. Owing to the depth of the ravine to be crossed, and the weakness of the gun bullocks, it took two hours before the British force could form up in line for attack; during which it was exposed to a galling artillery fire, and to some charges of cavalry, which were repulsed. The British force was disposed, with nine battalions under Major General Medows, in the first line, opposite to the enemy’s main body; four battalions in the second line, under Lt. Col. Harris; while five battalions, under Lt. Col. Maxwell, were destined to attack the enemy’s corps on the ridge to the right. The cavalry under Floyd, consisting of the 19th Light Dragoons and five Regiments of Native Cavalry, and the Nizam’s horse, were left on the opposite side of the ravine, out of reach of artillery fire.
The action commenced by an advance of Maxwell’s force against the ridge, which was taken, while the cavalry crossed the ravine, and fell on the rear of the Mysore infantry, inflicting considerable loss. But the exhausted horses could not raise a gallop, and they were obliged to fall back from a strong body of infantry, that had rallied and made a stand in some broken rocky ground. At this juncture, the Nizam’s horse, which had followed the British cavalry across the ravine, threw itself in an unwieldy mass in front of the left wing, preventing its advance, and detaining it under the fire of the enemy’s batteries in Seringapatam. This unfortunate circumstance, which by many was ascribed to treachery on the part of the Nizam’s commander, saved the enemy from destruction. The British line was for some time unable to advance, and the enemy’s guns and infantry, in great confusion, were able to withdraw under protection of their batteries across the river. Four guns were taken. The British loss was 81 killed, 339 wounded, and 6 missing. Of this, the 19th Light Dragoons lost
| Killed— | ||
| 1 Officer. | Cornet James Patterson. | |
| 2 Troopers. | ||
| Wounded— | ||
| 2 Officers. | Cornet Roderick Mackenzie. | |
| Cornet John Fortnam. | ||
| 2 Troopers. | ||
| Horses— | ||
| 13 Killed. | ||
| 11 Wounded. |
The army was now in such a state, owing to want of proper supplies, want of carriage, and an epidemic of smallpox, that it was necessary to join hands with the Bombay force under Abercromby, before undertaking the siege. Abercromby had encountered great difficulties in ascending the Passes into Mysore, and so excellent was the work done by Tippoo’s cavalry, that Cornwallis was without any precise information as to his advance. Nor was anything known of the Mahratta contingent, beyond the fact that they had captured Dharwar. Cornwallis therefore resolved on continuing his march on Caniembadi, to meet Abercromby. “For two marches, all the battering train and almost every public cart in the army were dragged by the troops,” and Cornwallis came to the conclusion, that the state of his force rendered a retirement on Bangalore imperative. The siege train and heavy stores could be carried no farther, and it was resolved to destroy them. On the 21st May, orders were despatched to Abercromby, who was then at Periapatam, about 25 miles to the westward, to destroy his heavy stores, and retire below the Passes, and Cornwallis’ army was retained five days in position, to cover Abercromby’s movement. On the 22nd, the whole of the battering train and heavy stores were destroyed, and on the 26th, the first march of six miles was made in retreat. The distress was very great: the troops were on half rations, and the only way of carrying what grain was available was to distribute it among the fighting men. “Great part of the horses of the cavalry were so reduced by want and fatigue, that they could no longer carry their riders; and many, unable to march, were shot at their pickets. The ground at Caniembadi, where the army had encamped but six days, was covered, in a circuit of several miles, with the carcasses of cattle and horses.”[28] “All that occurred of mortality among the cattle, during the siege of Bangalore, fell far short of the horrible scene and pestilential air of this disgusting ground.”[29]
In the middle of the first day’s painful march, a body of two thousand cavalry appeared on the left flank. Preparations were made to meet them, and shots were fired, when it was suddenly discovered that they were the advanced guard of the Mahratta force. It was not known that they were within a hundred and fifty miles of Seringapatam, and not one of the numerous messengers they had sent to convey notice of their approach, had succeeded in escaping Tippoo’s scouts. There were, in fact, two forces; one, under Hari Punt, consisting of twelve thousand horse, and the other, under Pareshram Bhow, of twenty thousand horse and foot, with two battalions of Bombay sepoys, under Captain Little. They brought with them abundant supplies, and plenty once more reigned in the British camp. Their cavalry foraged boldly in every direction, bringing in supplies from great distances, in striking contrast to the behaviour of the Nizam’s force. But they came too late to permit of an attack on Seringapatam. Had Cornwallis known of their approach five days sooner, all would have been well, and another campaign would have been spared him. But his siege train no longer existed, the Bombay force had descended the Ghauts, and there was nothing for it but to adhere to his resolve of falling back. The allied forces remained in the vicinity of Seringapatam till the 6th June, when they leisurely moved northwards to Nagmunglum, and thence eastward to Bangalore, taking the small hill fort of Hooliadroog on the way. “So reduced were the horses of our cavalry from want and fatigue, that the only service they could now render was to walk on slowly with the sick and wounded soldiers on their backs, for whom we were in great want of conveyance; and it was highly pleasing to see the cheerfulness with which the troopers walked by the side of their horses, while their distressed comrades of the infantry rode upon the march.”[30] The Mahratta cavalry effectually prevented the march being harassed by the enemy, from whom they took some convoys and elephants.
Pending the completion of arrangements for another advance on Seringapatam, the Mahratta force withdrew northwards to Sara; the Nizam’s force also withdrew to Gunjicotta, which, with several other small places, had been captured by a force of the Nizam’s.