Lieutenant Eyre had received a sabre blow from a cavalry soldier, which cut through his cap, wounded his forehead, and knocked him down, but recovering his feet immediately, he joined his company in pursuit of the enemy. Shortly afterwards the enemy made a great effort to retake the pettah, but being immediately charged with the bayonet from street to street, were driven back with considerable loss, and the British were left in undisturbed possession of the town. In this attack, Captain Jeremiah Delany, of the Thirty-sixth, was killed.
The efforts of the troops were now directed to the reduction of the fort,—and every preparation for the approaching siege was carried on with diligence and activity. On the 15th of March, the batteries being completed, opened a fire upon Bangalore, and on the 17th the lines were cannonaded by the enemy, while at night the camp was much disturbed by his rockets.
Forage became very scarce, and none could be procured beyond the advanced piquets. The siege, however, proceeded, and the enemy continued to harass the British until the 21st of March, when the breach being considered practicable, an attack was ordered.
The storming party consisted of the grenadiers of the Thirty-sixth, Fifty-second, Seventy-first, Seventy-second, Seventy-fourth, and Seventy-sixth regiments, followed by their respective light companies, and led by Lieutenant James Duncan of the Seventy-first, and Lieutenant John Evans of the Fifty-second, with a forlorn hope of thirty chosen men; the whole supported by the battalion companies of the Thirty-sixth, Seventy-second, and Seventy-sixth, with some battalions of Bengal sepoys. The corps of attack were commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Maxwell of the Seventy-fourth, the flankers immediately by Major Skelly; Major-General Medows was present on the occasion.
The troops proceeded on this enterprise at eleven o’clock on a fine moonlight night on the 21st of March, and after a sharp conflict, by one o’clock in the morning they became masters of the important fortress of Bangalore.
In the Orders issued on the following day, it was stated:—
“Lord Cornwallis feels the most sensible gratification in congratulating the officers and soldiers of the army on the honourable issue of the fatigues and dangers they have undergone during the late arduous siege. Their alacrity and firmness[11] in the execution of their various duties, has, perhaps, never been exceeded, and he shall not only think it incumbent on him to represent their meritorious conduct in the strongest colours; but he shall ever remember it with the sincerest esteem and admiration.
“The conduct of all the regiments which happened, in their tour, to be on duty that evening, did credit in every respect to their spirit and discipline; but his Lordship desires to offer the tribute of his particular and warmest praise to the European grenadiers and light infantry of the army, and to the Thirty-sixth, Seventy-second, and Seventy-sixth regiments, who led the attack and carried the fortress, and who, by their behavior on that occasion, furnished a conspicuous proof, that discipline and valour in soldiers, when directed by zeal and capacity in officers, are irresistible.”
On the 28th of March the army quitted Bangalore to join the forces of the Nizam, amounting to about fifteen thousand cavalry, sent to co-operate with the English in this war, and the junction was effected on the 13th of April. The army afterwards returned to Bangalore, where preparations were made for the siege of Seringapatam; the troops advanced upon the capital of the Mysore on the 4th of May, and on the 13th of that month arrived at Arakerry, on the Cavery, about eight miles below Seringapatam, which derived its name from the god Serung, to whom one of the pagodas was dedicated. The enemy was discernible in front, with his right resting on the river, and his left on a high hill named the Carighaut.
During the night of the 14th of May, the troops marched with a view to surprise the enemy; but owing to the badness of the weather and roads, together with the jaded state of the gun-bullocks, little or no progress was made during the night; but on the following day, after having undergone great fatigue, they were brought into action, when the enemy was driven from his strong position, and forced across the river into the island upon which the capital, Seringapatam, is situated, where he was protected by his batteries. In this affair Lieutenant John Turner was severely wounded, which caused his death.