On the 24th of May Major-General (afterwards Sir William) Medows assumed the command, and reviewed the army, which was directed to proceed towards the Coimbatore country.
Advancing from Trichinopoly on the 26th of May, and penetrating the enemy’s country, the army arrived, after a march of about fifty miles, on the 15th of June, at the fort of Caroor, where the troops encamped eighteen days, while provisions were being collected and a magazine formed. Leaving this place on the 3d of July, the army marched to Daraporam, which was abandoned by the enemy; a garrison was left at this place, and the army marched through a beautiful country to the city of Coimbatore, where the British arrived on the 22nd July; here the army halted, and detachments were sent off to reduce Dindigul, Errode, and Palghautcherry. About the end of July, Colonel, afterwards General Sir John Floyd, of the Nineteenth light dragoons (since disbanded), with the Cavalry of the army and a brigade of Native infantry, was ordered to take possession of the small and weak fort of Sattimungulum, in which, after its capture, he placed a battalion of sepoys. At this period the army was separated in three divisions, one at Coimbatore, one at Sattimungulum, sixty miles in advance, and one besieging Palghautcherry. Tippoo resolved to attack, and if possible destroy, the division in advance before the main body could arrive to its support. The troops from Coimbatore were accordingly ordered to march, to reinforce Colonel Floyd.
In the beginning of September a detachment of troops under Colonel Oldham, of which the Thirty-sixth formed part, marched from Errode to join Colonel Floyd at Sattimungulum, which place was reached in three days. Colonel Floyd’s entire force now consisted of His Majesty’s Nineteenth light dragoons and sixteen troops of Native cavalry, His Majesty’s Thirty-sixth regiment and five battalions of Native infantry, eleven guns, and a due proportion of artillerymen and officers. Detachments of cavalry were sent almost every day to scour the country towards the Gudzelhetty Pass, and they generally brought in a few of the enemy’s horse, belonging to Syde Saib’s party, stationed at the foot of the Ghauts, who were much distressed for provisions and forage, his people having been constantly obliged to cross the Boovany, in order to procure grain in the different villages, in which places they were generally taken prisoners; their horses were very small and bad. A deposit of grain and provisions was in the meantime formed in this frontier station for the use of the army under Major-General Medows, which was destined to ascend to Mysore by the Gudzelhetty Pass early in October. On the 11th and 12th of September it was reported in camp that Tippoo, in person, had descended the Gudzelhetty Pass with a large army of cavalry and infantry, with several pieces of artillery. On the morning of the 12th of September Tippoo’s army, estimated at about thirty thousand cavalry, infantry, and artillery, descended the Gudzelhetty Pass, and crossed the Boovany river at daybreak of the following morning. A reconnoitring party of British cavalry, under Major Child, encountered the enemy’s advance guard of cavalry on the 13th, and compelled it to recross the river. On the 12th at night orders had been given to Major Darley to march with his regiment of Native cavalry towards the Pass early in the morning, to support Major Child, and he had not proceeded three miles, when he perceived a large body of cavalry advancing, and was immediately charged by them; being so much pressed on all sides, he was obliged to take post and keep off the enemy while his ammunition lasted, which was nearly expended, when Colonel Floyd, with the remainder of the cavalry, came to his support, to whom he had sent information on first perceiving the enemy; this reinforcement fortunately arrived just in time, as Major Darley’s regiment was in a very dangerous situation.
Colonel Floyd, unperceived by Tippoo’s forces, charged them in flank with three troops of the Nineteenth light dragoons, supported by the remainder of the regiment, entirely routed them, and pursued them to the river; it was supposed that the enemy had nearly five hundred killed on the ground, and a great number drowned in endeavouring to recross the river, which was fordable in very few places, while those were deep and dangerous.
The infantry moved about two miles from the camp in order to give support if necessary. The encampment being confined, and change of situation requisite, orders had been already issued for a change of ground, which was situated about a mile from the position then occupied, near to Damicotta; the tents were accordingly struck early on the 13th of September.
Colonel Floyd, having dispersed the body of cavalry, the troops were ordered to return to camp, which they had not reached a quarter of an hour, when some guns were opened from the opposite side of the river, whose shot came direct into the lines: the lines immediately turned out, and the tents, which were scarcely pitched, were ordered to be struck. The enemy was perceived in great force on both sides of the river; and three columns, two of infantry and one of cavalry, on the same side of the river with the British detachment, could be distinguished marching with rapidity round the left flank, which the foe seemed endeavouring to penetrate; the opening of the guns on the opposite side, and showing force there, being intended to withdraw attention from his intended attack, Colonel Floyd moved out the infantry to a commanding ground, with the British right towards the river, and the left extended so as to cover Sattimungulum, and prevent the enemy getting on his flank.
The first line consisted of the First Native battalion on the right; the Thirty-sixth King’s regiment, the Fifth and Twenty-fifth Native battalions on the left; the cannon consisted of one eighteen-brass-pounder, two twelve-pounders, and eight sixes.
The ground between the British and that occupied by the forces of Tippoo Saib was low and intersected with thick hedges; the British left was covered by stony rugged ground, difficult of approach; the enemy formed his line nearly parallel to the British, having his left extended to the river at about twelve hundred yards distance. Before the troops had well taken up their position, the enemy opened some guns; the ground was exceedingly stony, as was most of the county adjacent, which in a great manner prevented Tippoo making use of his cavalry during the day. The British cavalry formed a second line, about half a mile in the rear; the baggage was moved under the cover of some hills about the same distance in the rear and on the right flank of the cavalry; the enemy kept firing from three or four guns from the opposite side of the river during the whole of the day, the British right being within shot of them, to which one battalion was fronted to hinder him from crossing the river, as it was fordable in that part. One native battalion (the sixteenth) remained in the fort, where it had been stationed some time.
When the cannonade first commenced it was about eleven o’clock, A.M. Soon after the British had taken up their ground the enemy opened about sixteen guns, and in a short time had the range of the line very exactly. Colonel Deare, of the Bengal Artillery, who was on the right giving some necessary directions, was shot through the body shortly after the commencement of the action. At about one o’clock the axletrees of the two twelve-pounders broke, and rendered those two guns useless; these were the best the British had for the purpose.
Finding that the men were beginning to suffer very much, as nearly every ball struck the line, Colonel Floyd, not wishing to give up his advantageous position, ordered the men to lie down, which preserved the lives of several. The troops obeyed these directions, and sustained with the greatest coolness and fortitude the galling fire of the enemy. The cannonade continued without the least intermission until it was quite dark, about eight at night. Tippoo’s forces, supposing from the inactivity of the British during the day that a night attack was meditated, withdrew about six miles back on the road by which they had advanced that morning.