On the 18th of November the army moved by Coveriporum to the Tappoor Pass, when the advance fell in with the rear of Tippoo’s force, but could make no impression.
It was now ascertained that the enemy, whose movements were always sudden, varied, and perplexing, was directing his course to the Carnatic by Namacul and Trichinopoly. The British in consequence pursued by Malusundrum, arriving on the 23d at Vavoor; the 27th at Jaloor; on the 6th of December at Munsarapett; and at Terany on the 31st of December.
1791.
On the 1st of January 1791 the army arrived at Terrimungulum, and on the 12th at Arnee.
During this long and fatiguing march, the Anglo-Indian troops frequently encamped upon the ground from which the enemy had removed in the morning, but the efforts made to overtake him were not successful. The sick and heavy guns having been placed in the fort of Arnee, on the 14th of January the advance and right wing marched for Velhout, where they arrived on the 27th, followed by the left wing.
On the 29th of January the army was reviewed by General Charles the Earl Cornwallis, K.G., who had arrived from Bengal to assume the command, and who expressed great satisfaction at the appearance of the troops. His lordship was at this period Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies, and had quitted Bengal on the 6th of December of the previous year, and landed at Fort St. George, Madras, on the 30th of the same month.
In the course of the foregoing campaign the Seventy-first Regiment lost few men in action, but many fell victims to climate and fatigue.
The army, being refreshed and equipped, commenced moving in a westerly direction on the 5th of February, by Perambaukum and Sholingur, arriving on the 11th in the vicinity of Vellore. The troops were ordered into the fort, and on the 14th they marched to Chittipet, turning suddenly to the right by Chittoor towards the Muglee Pass, where they arrived on the 17th of February. On the 18th the advance, followed by the park and stores, ascended the ghauts, the whole army encamping on the day following at Palamnaire, in the Mysore country, without having seen anything of the enemy.
During the time the British army remained at Velhout, Tippoo pushed to the southward, and summoned Cuddalore, but upon learning in what direction Earl Cornwallis had moved, the Sultan hastened to the Shangana Pass, where he arrived too late to oppose the troops at the Muglee Pass. On the 24th, the British marched for Colar, which was abandoned on their approach; from thence the army moved to Ouscotta, which place was immediately carried by a battalion of sepoys.
The enemy displayed a part of his force on the 4th of March, and on the following day opened a cannonade upon the troops moving towards Bangalore, whilst his horse attempted to attack the stores and baggage, but without success. About sunset on the 5th of March, the army encamped within shot of the fort of Bangalore, and shifted its ground on the day following. The pettah (the suburbs of the town) was then attacked by the thirty-sixth and seventy-sixth regiments, with some battalions of sepoys, and carried, after a very resolute resistance on the part of the defenders.