AUTHENTIC

MOI

It

OP

TIFFOO SUIiTAUN,
INCLUDING

HIS

CRUEL TREATMENT OP

ENGLISH PRISONERS;
ACCOUNT OF HIS CAMPAIGNS WITH

THE MAHRATTAS, RAJAHS, WARDEN HASTINGS, ESQ.

LORD CORNWALLIS, AND LOUD MORMNGTONj
PLUNDERS, CAPTURES,, INTRIGUES,
AND

SECRET CORRESPONDENCE WITH FRANCE, AS LAID

BEFORE THE IIOCSE OF COMMONS.
ALSO,

DESCRIPTIONS OF EASTERN COUNTRIES

IIITJIERTO

UNKNOWN,

PALACES, GARDENS, ZENANNA,

he. &c.

WITH

P.

RE L 1 M I X A RY

KE

C.

JF

THE LIFE AKD CHARACTER OF

HYDE1
By an

AJLIL^

CAWN.

Officer in the East India Seri

Calcutta:
&E-FRINTF.D AT THE MIRROR TRE5S,

BY

P.

::t-

iltox.

1819.

PREFACE.
im*p*-

_L

he considerable advantages

arising;

from the

East India Establishment, and the vast acquisitions derived from our conquest of the Mysore

Country, must render the Memoirs of Tippoo

Sultaun an

interesting-

Narrative a lesson

worthy the contemplation of every person

sets forth, in lively colours, the fall of

i.nd the just

reward of Pride.

too,

as

it

Ambition

This History,

though concise, contains many curious entertaining-

Anecdotes, and faithful descrin^

veral remarkable countries of

M)

of the se/e,

hitherto

unnoticed by other Writers.

No

Account of

this

Extraordinary Character

having been offered to the Public, except a volu-

PREFACE.

iV

minous History of the

ed that

this

Volume,

War

in

1792,

it is

uniting- all the

pesum-

chief

Oc-

currences of his Life, must be highly acceptable

to the Lovers of Biography.
trust,

The Work, we

bears sufficient testimony of

ticity; but, as

own authen-

a fuller assurance, the reader

respectfully informed, that

which was the

its

first

to

it

is

comes from the Pen,

announce

to

Great Britain

our glorious Victory at Seringapatam.

MEMOIRS
OF

T1FFOO SUI/TAUN,

CHAP.
Education of Tippoo

I.

His respect for

learned

men Admired hy the women Review of the

Mahometan power in Mi/sore, and the English establishment at Bengal
Enmity between Hyder and the Mahrattas Views of

the

Bengal Directors Heroism of Tippoo

when eighteen years of Age Mahrattas at

war with the English and Hyder Ally Governor Hastings's political measures.

According to

the manners of the East, the reat

and despotic usurper Hyder Ally

his

firsj

Tippoo

care to engrave on the

Cawn made

mind of

it

his son

Saib, the general qualifications of Indian

MEMOIRS OF

Chiefs ambition and

like instruments

is

The

ferocity.

use of war-

there esteemed the

first

part

cruelty -too often mistaken for he-

of education;

Tip-

roism, and impetuosity for magnanimity.

these Indian virtues,

poo gave early proofs of

all

and was always admitted

into his father's councils.

He w as still partial to the company

aud had among

of learned men,

his privy counsellers a

whose

considerable genius,

Bramin of
were

productions

hoarded up in the royal archives.

He was also

as

much

attached to

father, for every leisure

women

as his

hour was c spent with a

mistress; and at these intervals JTippoo discovered

much

gaiety and gallantry, which are there es-

teemed sure indications of future greatness the

character of an amorist being supposed to ap-

proach that of the hero, as

it is

that love and valour are united.

ro, as

he

the greatest despot,

is

bravest he-

always the most beloved

the ladies, and as

among

The

what we should term

there called, but

is

always believed

Tippoo had some

la-

among the women, those partial emHe had

created much envy and jealousy.

vouches
braces

He was

several illegitimate children.

ful

that

punishment should be duly exercised,

which indeed was absolutely necessary

regularity
historians,
quiet,

though

it

that the inhabitants of

to preserve

has been asserted by some

harmless race, but

contrary,

ever care-

Mysore

are a

have witnessed the

have found them

in

general Stmbiti-

1IF?00 SULTAtfS.

ons,

dishonest and

Cruel,

some few excepted,

whose sympathetic hearts seemed

cruel

And

to revolt at the

vindictive measures of their chiefs.

The Mahometan power in Mysore was wholly

founded by Hyder. The events which led to his
establishment as an independent potentate were
nearly

coeval

which ended

in the acquisition of the

by the company, and

nion of a rich,

Bengal,

with the revolutions in

in effect

fertile,

Dewannes

gave us the domi-

and populous

territory.

Our aggrandizement sprung out of the weakness

of the Mogul Empire, which in consequence of
successive invasions from the side of Persia, had

been broken

in pieces,

all

the viceroys and go-

vernors assuming independence in their several

provinces and

districts,

and

exhausting their

strength in mutual contentions.

circumstances which

Bat the same

now invaded

us had lona*

before assisted the great Hindoo power, the con-

federacy of the Mahrattas,

to

extend their con-

quests internally from the Northern Circars of the

Nizam, on the
fines of

coast of Coromandel, to the con-

Agra and Delhi, and across from sea

sea from the gulphs

Bengal.

From

of.Cambay

to the

bay of

their geographical situation,

the centre of the peninsula,

relics of the

in

they pressed with a

compact and consolidated force against the

ed

to

divid-

Mahometan Empire, with which

they were surrounded.

To

the government of

Bengal they were peculiarly an object of jealqu-

&

ilMOIRS

OP

sy and alarm: since, under an old grant from

the Court of Delhi, they asserted a claim to the
receipt of chout, or a tribute of one fourth part

from the revenues of that province.

This had

been enforced by them with an immense army

of cavalry, that pillaged

all

the frontier districts

of Bengal for ten successive years,

The

of Aliverdy Khan.

of their

time

internal embarrassments

own government

at length obliged

ground of

to desist, but the

in the

their

them

demand they

bad never abandoned.

These circumstances seemed

o vious policy.
all

an

the conterminous soubahdars and nabobs in

such a

state as to

mon enemy,

form a barrier against the com-

To

the Mahrattas.

that security for the peace of our

we

to point out

It was our interest to preserve

should have employed

Hyder

Ally,

have been

more

at the

ail

especially,

have obtained

own

possessions,

our good

was

offices,

qualified

head of such a system.

to

He had

raised himself on the ruin of an ancient dynasty

of Hindoo kings.

While he possessed but a small

part of Mysore, in the character of Regent,

the

progress of his fortunes was opposed by

the

Mahrattas.

They

besieged him in the fortress

of Bangalore, but he repulsed them, and after he

became master of

upon them

the whole kingdom, retaliated

the injuries which they had done him.

lie was daily enlarging his bounds at theif ex-

pence,

TIPPOO SU1TAUN.

The Court

If

of Directors clearly saw. and in

their dispatches marked out the track which, their

servants should

adhere

to,

as appears

from the

following extract, the policy of which Lord Cornwallis so faithfully pursued.

General Letter
Par. 3.

ce

Bengal, June 30, 1769.

to

In several of our letters since

have been engaged as principals

India,

and particularly during the

we have

three years,

we

in the politics
last

of

two or

given our opinion that the

most prudent system we could pursue, and the

most

likely to

rity

to

be attended with a permanent secu-

our possessions, would be to incline to

those few chiefs of Hindostan

who

yet preserve

an independence of the Mahratta power, and are

in a condition to struggle with

as they are able to keep

quisitions of the

up

Company

them;

for, so

long

that struggle, the acwill

run no risk of

dis-

turbances."
Par. 4.

The

Rohillas, the Gauts, the

bob of the Decan, and the Mysore

Na-

Chief, have

each in their turn kept the Mali rattrs in action,

and

Ave wish

them

still

to

do

it

it is

therefore

with great concern we see the war continuing

with Hyder, and a probability of a rupture with

Sujah Dowla and Nizam

we have

Ally.

In such wars

every thing to lose and nothing to gain,

for supposing our operations to be attended with

the utmost success, and our enemies. reduced to

our njercy, we can only wish to see them restored

10

MEMOIRS OF

to the condition
to such a

from which they set

out,,

that

degree of force and independence as

enable them

still

to

is

may

keep up the contest with the

Mahrattas and with each other."

However, the influence of the Nabob of Arcot

over the presidency of Madras was well knnwn,

and

was the inveteraie enemy of Hyder

he.

At onee

to

gratify his ambition

splendid acquisitions on

late

Ally.

and emulate the

the

Banks of the

Ganges, the President and Council,

about the

year 1787, entered on a plan of obtain ing the

Soubahdary of the Decan

cot,

for the

T
I)s

abob of

Ar-

and of reinstating the royal family of Mysore

under the protection of the same Nabob and the

English.
partition

ensued.

This was met by a counter treaty of

A war

between Hyder and the Nizam.

Beaten on the

address to baffle

all

field,

Hyder

still

had the

our operations, by avoiding

a general engagement, and intercepting our conwhile his son

voys,

Tippoo, then a youth

eighteen, at the nead of a considerable

ment

of horse, surprised the town,

carried

the fort of Madras.

it

was made an express

detach-

and almost

After one

paign a treaty was concluded with the

and

of

cam-

Nizam

stipulation that

he

should join in punishing his late ally as a rebel

and usurper

while, for a district formerly wrest-

ed by Hyder from the Nizam, and now ceded to

the English by the

latter,

the English agreed to

pay chout to the Mahrattas.

But we weie^av-

11

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

ed the payment of

this chout, for

we never were

able to get possession of the lands, and the next

year the rebel and usurper dictated a peace to

the English at the gates of Madras.

The

disgrace which

to have

we had thus suffered, seems

made a deeper impression on our minds

than the moderation with which Hyder used his

Nor

advantage.

employ
sity.

all

The

did the

Nabob

of Arcot cease to

treaty

fixed the rate at

but the

which

was

the letter of treaty, no aid

ever

During ten years of peace he was

more

assis-

Hyder oftenwhen he was attacked by the Mahrattas,

Company not being positively bound by

tance was to be mutually afforded

applied,

our animo-

his influence to inflame

given.

more and

alienated from the English.

In the

1779

year

The

commenced.

an

extraordinary

Mahrattas

were

scene
at

war

both with the English and the Chief of Mysore.

They were

inclined to

an accommodation with

the former, in hopes of gaining their assistance

for the ruin of

Hyder

Ally.

On

his part

he pro-

posed a treaty of closer amity with the English.

We

declined both, and such was the infatuated

conduct of the Presidency of Madras, though

dis-

approved by the supreme government of Bengal,

that the

Nizam

at the

same time was so exaspe-

rated by them, as to project and form the great

league between three powers the most rootedlv

hostile,

himself,

Hyder

Ally,

and the

different

12

?iEMOIRS OF

members of

whom may
jah

o*

the Mahratta confederacy

be reckoned on

We

Bezar.

among

this occasion, the

Ra-

now once more smarted un-

He

der the vengeance of Hvder.

a^-ain

invaded

the Carnatic, desolating- the country before him,

and carrying
or"

fire,

sword, and famine to the gates

Upon him

Madras.

midable antagonist,
ed

and pressed

all

therefore as our most for-

our indignation was turn-

Mr. Hastings was

as

by the complicated

difficulties

in 1780,

of the war (so

pr ssed, as to purchase the neutrality of Bezar

with a large sum of money, whicb^ on whatever

may have been paid, was received unname of chout from Bengal) he yet urged

pretence
der the
it

as a

it

necessary

Mahrattas,

condition of peace with the

they

that

should join their troops

with ours, for the extirpation of their confederate

But they rejected the

and partner of the war.

with

proposition

'Would

not

language of disdain

strong

(they said)

this

fi*

the stamp of

infamy upon us forever? would any price, for

generations to come, ever after assist or unite

with the Peshwah ?"

At the same time they

regrett d

the former opportunity,

the

loss

of

" which would not have

and they hinted

left

further,

"

a trace of Hyder ;"

that as for the sake

cf appearances a pretence was necessary, they

would consult and

gainst

him

the

first

find

out some accusation a-

opportunity."

And

subject

to this mental reservation, this secret understand-

TIPPOO PULTAUN.

ing inimical

to

in

The Governor

short set of instructions to

-Anderson, one of
less

13

Hyder, was the treaty with the

Mahrattas ultimately concluded.

General,

'

Mr.

recurred no

negociators,

his

than three times on the topic of Hider Ally.

This was the burthen of all

of the Mahrattas, b

Hyder "

their

Cf

We want nothing
assistance against

In decency, he admitted they could,

not make a positive engagement to

this

" But

invade his

prevail

upon them (added he)

dominions; pretexts

they
"ques

will

not be wanting

shall perceive the facility of

s

to

eflfe

t,

when

making con-

upon him.

Hitherto the Mysore Chief, while he complain-

ed

of the treatment which he

received from the

Presidency of Madras, had professed much res-

pect for our other presidencies and the English

nation in general; but on the publication of our
violent declarations

against him

tings himself published them in

(for

the

Mr. HasEast, with

his narrative of the insurrection of the Benares)

he could not be blind

tion

to

our plots for

his destruc-

and therefore became an avowed enemy.

li

MEMOIRS OP

CHAP
Vicizs of

Hyder Ally for

vernor Hastings

France

III

Fraud and

his son

Hyder

War with Go'

by

disappointed

success of his supposed brother-

Saddos Cawn

in-law,

II.

Hyder

sources of wealth

conquests

Success

of
Tippoo on the Banks of Coleroon through
Lally Lally' s humanity
Description of

Seringapatam

Proceedings

of Hyder and

Treaty of peace between the English and Mahrattas Defeat and Retreat of
his allies

Tinpoo

Vexation

and

Illness

of Hyder-'

Tombs of

and family Palaces, and the

His death and character

him-

city

self

of

Bednore.

"^Vhen Hyder

Ally

volved the English

was a

chief actor,

and the Mahrattas

Presidencies in

in-

war, Tippoo

being of a most active na-

ture and ever ambitious

of adventure

encouraged no doubt by his

father,

he was

who

spur-

red him on with large promises in case of success,

the

having

Nabob

session

it

in

view

to take

Madras, depose

of Arcot, and place lis son in pos-

of the Carnatic.

Great as the wealth

and revenue of Bengal were, they proved insuf-

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

ftcient to

supply the expences of this war.

New

sources were accordingly sought,, and as usual

the

weak and wealthy were doomed

ter to the

to adminis-

wants of the strong and warlike.

The

prosecution of the means of supplies introduce

ed much calamity into Benares.and involved Mr.

new

Hastings, then Governor General, in a

at

war,

about 600 miles distance from the seat of his

government.

France had

for

some

time, at an

immense ex-

pence, been collecting- a great force in her Afri-

can

islands,

and

all

India was in expectation of

was

the mighty blow* which she

which

it

was supposed would have proved

to the British

interests in

was

in this idea

globe,

It

and

give,

to

fatal

quarter of the

that

Hyder

Ally

tured to invade the Carnatic, and

it

first

Ven-

was upon

the same principle that notwithstanding his re-

peated defeats, he
that could he
tion.

rejected every

still

made tending

Probably

all

the

France (excepting some

was a

sufficient naval

English, for he was

an accommoda-

to

aid

overture

he desired from

artillery

and engineers)

force to crush that of the

little

disposed to place any

great confidence in the services of the French,

or indeed of any European army in India

be valued was
as officers

their military

and engineers,

for

knowledge and

all

skill,

he did not wish that

France or any other foreign nation should retain

any kind of inland footing

in the

country.

MEMOIRS OP

16-

Hyder's patience was greatly exhausted with

the long
ui

France to

deiav of

fulfil

her engage-

while he was aione exposed to

ents,

gors of a dangerous war.

when

it

the ri-

Bjt more greatly was

he disappointed while indeed

tonished,

all

ail

India was as-

was known that the French

notwithstanding a consi lerable superiority

fleet,

of force, would not venture to attack the Englishr

in the

open road of Madras, baton the conrary

pursue the enemy where they were far superior

to them, an

in

a hard fought battle encountering

besides

disadvantages,

other

force, leive the claim to victory

Hvder

Ally,

who had

of

Superiority

undetermined.

hitherto constantly in-

vested Tellicherry oa the Maiabar coast, through

despon lencv and depression on account of these recent d;sappoi tmen

to

abandon

was now almost inclined

This place was

settlement.

by Sir Edward Hughes, by a block-

preserved
ade,

that

s,

and Majar Abingdon having arrived from

Bombay
troops,

with a considerable

a vigorous attempt was made to

Saddos

enemv.

lodge the

manded

reinforcement of

for

Hyder

Cawn, who com-

Ally, retired with

and the best part of

his

army

a singular construction,

scooped

the

side

of a

formed of a living rock.

his family

into a strong forti-

fied house, of

into

dis-

hill,

being

it

and the

wall?

Here thev made

obstinate defence, but after great slaughter

place

was

at length forced,

and an inner

'rec

17

TIPPOO SULTAUN,

which though wonderfully

as to be

Sadtjos

bomb

proof,

this

Hyder
being

and so contrived
sufficient to save

severely

wounded) and

from being taken prisoners.

The European
ed

was not

Cawn (who was

his family

strong-

gazettes erroneously represent-

man (Saddos Cawn)

as brother-in-law to

Cawn, on account of a

Ally

in the prince's seraglio;

of connection not at

of his

this is a

kind

considered as constitut-

all

ing any such degree of

but

sister

affinity.

Hyder was much grieved

at this defeat, as

the

communications of the country were not only

opened, but the nemy banished for several miles

on each

He was

side of Tellicherry.

also alarm-

ed at the formidable appearance of the English

in that quarter,

from

vicinity to the rich king-

its

doms of Canara and Mysore, which were the

great sources of his wealth and power.

Hyder's

possessions on the Malabar Coast had been partly

acquired by conquest and

therefore the Nairs

and

nobility,

who were

partly

by fraud,

the native princes

and who had suffered the most in

the ineffectual struggle for the preservation of

their ancient rights and liberties, which till then

had been unviolated, were exceedingly

disaffected

to his government.

Hyder's

on the Malabar Coast was soon

retrieved by Tippoo's success on the banks of
the
Coleroon.

loss

Having with

vigilant attention disco-

vered' the situation of Col.

Braithwaite,

who

lay

18

MEMOIRS OF

there with a de!achment,

Tippoo (who Lad been

wonderfully successful

former attacks, especi-

one upon Colonel

ally

in

Baillie)

was now stimulated

he

to pursue other enterprises: in this expedition

accompanied by Mons. Lally and 400 French,

own army, the greater part of whom were cavalry. With these he
iir rounded Braithwaite's forces,
who
were unprepared for the unexpected attack. Duhaving

20.000

in

his

hours of three days, an unremit-

-six

ting fire of cannon and small arms were support-

ed on both

The

sides.

his officers (the

British

former of

corilmaiuler

whom* though

wounded, could not be prevailed upon

severely
to

the place of action) were not the least undaunted

or discomposed, through the suddenness of the

attack.

Tippoo's design,

in

which he doubted

not of success, was, by a violent cannonade, to

scatter

the British forces, and then rushing'

im-

petuously on the cavalry, destroy the whole: but

tl

British sepoys,

retaining their order and

still

.ness. defeated his purpose, and Tippoo after

repeated attacks, was disappointed of

guine hopes.
y

M.

all his

san-

Lally then advanced with a

of Europeans, against the poor wearied se-

poys,

who were

then incapable of supporting a-

nother vigorous attack

sued, and the fresh

To

the praise

army

a dreadful carnage en-

naturally prevailed.

and honour of M. Lally be

it

membered, that he issued immediate orders

re-

to

19

TIP POO JULTAUN.

stop the catnage

readily obeyed,

infantry

tile

but the cavalry being obstinate, he hastened per-

and with apparent danger

sonally

and

their fury j

by

fell

own

his

Tippoo

noble exertion,

in this

He

hand.

and behaved

to

restrain

five

of them

prevailed upon

also

commit the prisoners

to

to

to his

own

charge,

them with the utmost care and

Some of the gallant British officers,

notwithstanding, who were all wounded except

tenderness.

one, were
el

doomed

to suffer the miseries of a cru-

and tedious imprisonment

Seringapatam (the

in

coast,

capital of

Mysore Kingdom)

the

in Seringa patam.

lies

Tippoo's family

on the Malabar

between Kaybye and Goa, surrounded with

rocks and water, and therefore deemed a secure

Hyder was

residence.

and Tippoo

island,

The
coast

best and
that

is

first

who

enriched this

considerably improved

shortest

it.

road from the Malabar

which leads through the Coorga

There

country.

the

is

sflfer

conveyance by water

from our several sea ports.

This
four

place

miles

seated

is

on an

long and a mile and a half broad,

formed by a division of the

flows around
fort

is

island,

ration.

about

island

built

it

in

two

The

distinct channels.

on the western extremity of the

where the Cavery commences

On

which

river Cavery,

its

sepa-

the eastern extremity, where the

Cavery reunites

its

divided

waters,

stands the

Laul Baugj or the royal garden, of which

I shall

Efe

MEMOIRS OF

speak hereafter.

Formerly, a large and bandthe whole space between the

some town occupied

fort

and the Laul Bang-, except a small garden

situated on the northern

which

called the

is

Dowler Baug.

or rajah's

greatest part of this town

The

warden.

branch of the Cavery

was

destroyed before the approach of the Confederate

in order to

Armies

defend the

make room

for batteries

one portion of

island,,

it

to

only being

suffered to remain, of about half a mile square,

for the

accommodation of the merchants and the

This

convenience of the troops.

pettah of Shahir

Gangam

it

called the

is

surrounded by a

strong mud-wall, not very distant from the great

It is

-arden.

on both

sides of the

out of the
is

necessary likewise to observe, that

island., a

two branches of the Cavery,

considerable extent of ground

occupied by a bound-hedge, intended to

mark

the limits of the capital, and to afford a kind of

asylum

to the people of the

neighbouring country

in case of anv hostile incursion.

The

enclosure

beyond the southern branch of the Cavery was

filled with inhabitants, but that beyond the northern entirely occupied by the Mysorean chief's

armv.

Within

this latter enclosure,

some space covered

in part

which

is .in

by a wide canal and

by the winding of the Lackany river, six large

redoubts had been constructed on high ground
for the security of the island.
*T.:e buildings consist of brick

and stone and

21

TlPPOO SULTAUN.

are very elegant

men

the

and robust; the women more

They

and well made.

general healthy

in

delicate,

but strong

are fond of ornaments,

commonly wear white

round

loose garments tied

the midfile.

The

superstitious

motives thrown into the

and

of twins are from

first-born

and

sea,

agreeable to the Hindoo custom there are several

wives

faithful

their lives

voluntarily

is

&c.

The

poorer class

live chiefly

several elephants and

a great deal of wealth obtained

der from

the

on rice and

Hyder

and

bullocks,

chiefly

by plun-

Mysorean dominions.

the hands of

into

The

fruits, roots, rice,

meat being" lean and unwholesome.

their

They have

fell

sacrifice

on the demise of their husbands.

productive of various

place

fish,

who

here

Ally

Mysore

Cawn about

the year 1763, Bednore between 1763-5, Soon-

da

1764,

in

Malabar

in 1765-6,

in 1764-5, the petty states of

of Purseram

B how in

Barah Mhal

Hindoo Rajahs and

1774-7, Carnatic Betas-out

Bejupoory in 1776, Carnatic Belagout Hydraba-

dy
tli

1776-9.

Tippoo on

rone, added Adoni,

goondy.
called

his

accession

to

the

Sanore, Koorke, and Ana-

This ambitious prince, who was justly

the

Tyrant of the East,

inherited

sove-

reign sway ever a tract of country comprehend-

ing a space of not

graphical

less

than 80,000 square *eo-

miles, yielding a

clear annual revenue

of about three million sterling, after deducting

cursory

all

expeuces ; and peopled by upwards of

22

MEMOIRS OP

six millions of inhabitants,

including for the

fence of the whole about one hundred

irty

thousand well-disciplined troops,

five

;a standing

together

very near one hundred

militia,

and eighty thousand men,

denoi

..rious

nati<

The

natives of Seringapatam ore partici

lena

and

their religion,

i'

those ol

ns

will not

mix with

tbese contrary opini-

ons have been atte ded with much effusion. of

No

d.

nding

wealth, those

persons
delight,

who

are high in

office*"

are the only

Monopoly was Hyder's

affluence.

in

place abounds in

this

and Tippoo imbibed

this churlish princi-

ple from his father.

on the

success

Tippoo's
disconcerted

Sir

Eyre Coote's plan

duct of the campaign

vinces

body
forces

were now open

of

all

the
the

to

totally

for the con-

southern

enemy,

and a

Hyder's troops joined some French

who landed

command

Coleroon

at

Pondicherry.

The combined

M. Duchemin.

of

under the

enemv besieged and took both Cuddalore and

Permacoil.

They

then

attacking Vandiwash.
to

its

laid

protection,

his

The

in

Eyre Coote hastened

and holding a council of war,

before them his

he had formed

Sir

meditated on jointly

own

and the plan

order to draw the

present strong post to

plan

ideas,

being approved

enemy from

immediate
of,

lie

action.

directed

his

33

TIFPOO SULTAT

course

which
ed,

Arnee,

to

in

of

Hyder's great magazines were deposit-

all

iyhie.li

rnaiiceuvre succeeded

had abandoned

left

it

and

Red

the

to

till

a se-

to

now immedi-

Hills,

marched

was routed and pursued

Hvder who

retired

In this battle, June

Arnee.

for

camp and

his

cure position in the

ately

the strong fortress

2,

of

relief

1782, Hvder

night, but the

want

of cavalry on one side, and the abundance of

on the other, prevented the grand

effects of vic-

Hyder, though defeated and obliged to

tory.
fly,

it

remained unconquered, and was ever

still

formidable and dangerous.

found means
into an

In less than a

body of

after the battle, a

draw the

his

week

chosen cavalry

British grand

guard

ambuscade, and cut them entirely

off be-

to

fore they could be supported by the army.

At

time both these great commanders. Sir

this

Eyre Coote and Hyder

Though
field,

were taken

Ally

ill.

they equally escaped the dangers of the

their lives

were no doubt

sacrificed to this

Hyder was a much younger man,

and possessed an uncommonly vigorous and ro-

contention.

bust constitution, yet a series of unexpected difficulties

and

firm mind,
test.

di-

appointments preyed upon his

and put

his strong constitution to the

His prospects

were every day becoming

more unfavourable, and

affairs

rapidly tending to a crisis.

to bring desolation

now seemed

He had

to

be

been able

and ruin on the Carnatic, but

g4

MEMOIRS OF

with

power and

his

all

He

greater purposes.

bsh as the only

exertions,

long considered the Eng-

effective obstacles to the vast de-

His ambi-

signs which he had formed in India.

soared to

only

not

tion

Mogul Empire and

mily

ing
it

the

restoration of the

establishment in his fa-

its

but he confided in his

in his

failed

own

ability, for lay-

out upon a more extensive scale, and fixing

it

upon stronger and more permanent foundations

than those upon which

The

raised.

of

present

Mahometan

had been originally

it

weak and degenerate race

who had sprung up upon

Princes,,

the ruins of the fallen empire; he held

contempt, as

men unworthy

such

in

of the situations in

which fortune had placed them, and incapable

of

the purposes, whether of

all

ment

that so

alt interfering

ry,

far

war or of govern-

from considering them as at

with his views, he, on the contra-

held their wealth and their power as sure re-

sources,

to

be applied

as the occasion

might re-

The Mahrattas were

quire to their completion.

the only native power which he apprehended, but

having been so long

in the practice of

and managing those

playing upon

intestine divisions to

which

the nature of their government so peculiarly ex-

posed them, that he did not despair of being able,

either by

money

to render

commotion incapable,
their grasp or reach

till

but

were disappointed, and

them

alert,

or by

civil

he had grown beyond

ali

these ambitious hopes

this

grand scheme was en-

f5

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The

tirely disconcerted.

lingering war in the

Carnatic afforded neither advantage nor hope,

And
ly

iS it

was ruinous to

hrs enemies,

He knew

so to himself.

was equal-

it

that

of

treaty

peace, and perhaps of alliance, was far advanced,

if

not already concluded between the English

He had

and the Mahrattas.

every reason to sup-

pose, that the intended partition of his dominions

would be the band of union between these

who were both

enemies,

late

exceedingly jealous of

his power,

and had both suffered extremely by

his arms^

He saw

now
Bom-

that the English would

direct their whole force

against him, that

bay and Bengal would urge their utmost

efforts

against him on the Malabar side, where he was

tnost vulnerable,

in the French,

The

and he had no farther confidence

who had

already deceived htm.

treaty of peace which Hyder so

dreaded, was at length concluded with the

rattas,

much
Mah-

through the mediation of Medajee Scindia,

and the negotiation was conducted with considerable ability by Mr. Anderson.

Peshwah engages
linquish

all

that

Hyder

Ally

In

art.

Cawn

9,

shall re-

the territories which he had

taken

possession of from the English, that he shall

release the prisoners he had taken,

from further

the

alsc*

and abstain

hostilities.

Bombay having

dispatched a body of forces

tinder General Matthews, to the coast of

labar, in order to relieve Colonel

Ma-

Humberstone,

26

MEMOIRS OF

who had been

obliged to retire with loss frof&

Palacautcherry, Tippoo proceeded "with the ut-

most rapidity from the Carnatic,

cutting him

and

Lally
tish

considerable

in

conjunction with

great force,

was

but

lines,

and

off,

loss,

hopes of

in

attacked

gallantly

the

Bri-

with

repulsed

by Colonel Macleod.

M.

Tippoo-

suddenly broke up his camp, and returned by rapid marches to Palacautcherrv,

back

cou-rse

His defeat and re-

to the Carnatic.

treat having reached

General Matthews

directed his views to an attack

he

continuing his

at

Goa,

upon Hyder

in

the richest and most valuable parts: accordingly

lie

besieged the city of Onore, which he took by

storm, and a dreadful slaughter of the inhabitants

of all ages and sexes.

The
buted

cause of Tippoo's sudden retreat

to the

for his death

time, but

is

that

so

had been kept concealed

He was

for

some

certainly one of the great-

Princes, as well as

India ever
vast

death of his father;

illness or

supposed to be about the close of the

year 1782.
est

then

is attri-

the greatest warriors

produced.

and comprehensive,

reach to and embrace

government.

It

all

His
as

mind was
at

once to

the parts of uar and

seemed as

if all

the

qualities

necessary to the foundation and permanency of

a great empire were

that

sprung up

in his

among

the earliest

seeds

mind; and that he looked

forward from the smallest beginning, to that

ulr

21

Tippoo sultaun;

timate point which never departed from his view.'

The

formation of such a native military force as

India never beheld, and was thought incapable

of producing-; the conquest of great countries/

and

the acquisition of others

without the sword;

the raising" of these to a degree of power and

real value

which they never before possessed,

af-

forded but a moderate display of Hyder's talents

and

Besides the

abilities.

establishment of a

mighty empire, and the reducing of the Europeans to their original state of merchants and factors, living- as

such entirely under the protection

and government* of the

state,

his vast designs

reached not only to the becoming" the greatest

commercial power in Asia, but

to

what the East

had never before beheld, the creation of an evincible navy, which should for ever secure the
coasts

of India from the invasions or insults of

foreigners.

If

he was not a

legislator,

he had,

however, the merit of establishing so mild and equitablc a system of government in his dominions, that the

new

subjects of so

were not only attached

to his

many

countries,

person in a most

extraordinary degree, but the neighbouring nati-

ons showed on every occasion their wishes to

come under

his protection

excepting only from

the foregoing part of this conclusion, that most

singular of

Malabar
though

all

people, the conquered Nairs on the

coast,

whose habits

their bodies

were

easily

were

invincible,

subdued.

28

MEMOIRS OP

Hyder was no less redoubtable

than as a warrior; and

if his

chain and

his

motives

of

as a statesman,

actions

roughly known and

had not

conduct

been too remote from observation

and the

to

be tho-

comprehended, he might

possibly have been considered as one of the

of his day, whether in Europe or in

politicians

He was

Asia.

so far from being; naturally cruel,

that he differed in that respect from

tern conquerors of

ledge

was a

first

whom we

all

the Eas-

have any know-

but as he detested private treachery, and

strict

observer himself of the laws of war

and of the public

faith,

and

punishments in

his

the one instance, and his retaliations in the other,

were so extremly

severe, as to carry

upon some

occasions the appearance of cruelty and tyranny,

who were

with those

especially

not informed of

the cause, or

who were

the motives.

Hyder despised and dispensed

so far as

it

not disposed to consider

could with propriety be done, the vain

pageantry and haughty

pomp

living in habits of great

of the Indian courts,

intimacy and familiarity

with his friends, courtiers, and

in his

with,

own person

officers,

displaying

the frank manners of a camp.,

instead of the proud distance and austere reserve

of an Eastern despot.

He had

through their own

fault,

interference with

his designs,

nearlv a fatal

Company

enemy

but

it

been greatly

and partly through their

to the

a bitter and very

English East India

would be disgraceful and mean

29

TIPPOO SULTAUN,

on that account

for his biographer

virtues, or

To

endeavour

jenrich himself,

and

to plunder
atrocity.

to suppress his

to conceal his great qualities.

however, he did not scruple

with acts of

stain his character

These

acts stamped

him a

tyrant,

and

he was always accounted more formidable abroad

than he was at home.

Hyder

Ally

was the son of Nadim

born at Deonelly,
elegant

forf,

in

This

728.

is

workmen

defend each angle: there

bastions
is

and

a strong and

the walls thickened round with

stone by European
liers

Sakir,

also

hewn

and cava-

a magazine

constructed with* judgment and finished in a superior style.

At a short distance

to the

westward

of Coler, a small but neat mausoleum covers his

and

his wife's remains.

Here

also

eldest brother, Ishmael Sahib.

neat square building with a

center.

It is

dome

is

interred his

The tomb

their superstitious tenets.

trinkets,

according to

Adjoining

this

# most beautiful garden, called Laul Baug:

principle nursery for the produce of

tomb
it is

is

the

Mysore; ap-

oranges, grapes, guavas, plantains, cocoa-

nuts, sugar-cane, with cotton, indigo plants,

It is

decorated with baskets of flowers

and feathers and various

ples,

is

rising from its

&c

surrounded by a high stone wall, and from

the several plants and vines of different descriptions,

rows of cypress, various trees and shrubberies, the

religious veneration in

which the shrineof Tippoo's

ancestors had been held, was plainly marked.

30

MEMOIRS OF

Hyder began a

palace in Bangalore, which

place famous for public buildings.

It

is

composed of wood with ornaments.

death

it

was finished by

most magnificent fabric

royal favourite palace

the.

But Hyder's

in the east.

was

After his

and deemed

his son,

is

chiefly

the capital of the

in

Canara kingdom, Bednore, where the greater part

$f his wealth,, and the treasures on which he had

most

were deposited.

set his heart

residence through

This

city.,

many unknown ages

the

of the

most ancient and sequestered kings of Canara,

had of

changed

late

its

name

to

cr the Royal City of Hyder, a

Hyder Nagur,

name which

the

English did not then admit, and were in hopes

This

of annihilating.

among' the largest and

extent being
streets

capital

was

finest

cities

so considerable,

run nearly in a right

length, while

deration of

its

its

that

line

to

be ranked

in India, its

some of

its

two leagues

in

greatness was forgotten in consi-

beauty.

not proportioned

to its

But

its

population was

extent, for being the fa-

vorite residence of the nobility, their spacious pa-

laces

and extensive gardens, inclosing

vast basons

or reservoirs of water (one of the most pleasing

and favourite luxuries of the East) took up much

and probably the greater part of the ground.

The

Christian religion had been early propagat-

undoubtedly by the Portuguese,

and

still

flourished so exceedingly in this city, that a

ma-

ed,

jority

of

its

inhabitants,

estimated at 50.000,

31

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

were of

The government and

that profession.

command

of this place were lodged in the hands

of Ryat Saib,

who seems

to have

most worthily

discharged the trust reposed in him

and

have

to

acted with a very extraordinary degree of judg-

ment and

policy in those measures which he pur-

sued for the preservation of both the city and country from that

impending ruin which probably no

other Governor could have averted.

CHAP.

III.

Tippoo's proceedings on the death of his father

His character

Bednore country

Intended ifivasion of the

Misconduct

of the English

Massacre at Annampore Hyat Saib

taken prisoner and released The Sundah
country and Mangalore taken Tippoo recovers his possessions
revenge and barbarithe English prisoners Magnanimity of
the sepoys Peace concluded betiaeen Tippoo

general

Ijis

ties to

and

the English.

now Tippoo Sultaun, (being

who assumed that title), on the death of

J. ippoo
first

Saib,

lather, held a consultation with his brother

the
his

Kerim

3%

MEMOIRS OF

Saib, and gave different appointments to his

sons, Abdal Khalic

and Tuffey Hyder,

Hyder

also

Saib, one of his illegitimate sons.

t\\(s

Amonr> the

most eminent of his chiefs were Syed Saheb, Sy

ed Gofar, Meer Saduc, Cummer-ud Deen Cawn,

Mootaub Khan, and Meer Allum Beheuder.

Having expatiated much on the character of
Hyder,

necessary to introduce the

is

it

pinion of that of Tippoo.

From

common

the example of

his father he unfted all the qualities of a warrior

and a statesman, but he inherited more of

bulence and

less

Young and

of his policy.

he was superior

terprizing*,

his tur-

en-

to hi! father in milita-

ry talents, as he was inferior to him in the dissi-

mulation of Indian politics; and nursed

flicts

with the English, from

thered his

first laurels, it is

whom

more addicted

discovered stronger

His

to

no wonder

that he felt

his tomb, for

He was

grandeur and pleasure, and

traits

father's virtues

con-

he had ga-

a deeper resentment of their behaviour.

also

in

of despotism and cruelty.

were not however buried in

many of them

still

survived in his

president and council of

Bombay, now

son.

The

considered the invasion of the.Bednore country

no

difficult task,

from the supposed disaffection

of Hyder's subjects,
his death

and the disorders which

would occasion in every part of

dominions.

Revolutions

were

expected,

indeed reported to have happened, and

it

his

and

being:

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

snpposed that Canara was

in

S3

a distracted

ty to^

reject the

government of Tippoo Sultaun.

cordingly General
orders

make

to

Matthews

On ore,

coast,

this

Ac-

received positive

the attempt without

the confirmation of Hydef's death.

the

state,,

imagined no extraordinary force necessinduce the inhabitants to throw off or to

they

delav

After taking

commander proceeded down the

and took the town of Cundapore with

tle loss

on

or difficulty;

ticability, or at least

he communicated

lit-

but struck with the impracdifficulty

apprehensions to the Go-

his

vernment of Bombay

of taking Bednore,

accordingly, but with re-

luctance,

they relaxed their former orders, and

gave him a discretionary power to proceed or defer the expedition as

commander had

he found necessary.

This

already taken his measures with-

out waiting for any instructions, nor kept up any-

We

are sorry to

cruelty, rapine

and avarice

correspondence with Bombay.

say, that as slaughter,

had disgraced

ment
and

at

this

expedition in

commence-

its

Onore, so the same detestable

vices continued to

uutil they

were

ly requited,

stain its

whole progress

at its fatal conclusion

when

the innocent

minately with the guilty,

most cruel-

became

victims to

an

this

.slaughter have

officer at that

in the face of the

Accounts,

been suppressed

unhappy

instant

enemv. a regular

indiscri-

the rage of

an exasperated and merciless enemy.

of

maxims

indeed

tore to pieces
detail

which

34

:oirs or.

The

Bombay

he had

written.

liate the

good-will of the natives was by no means

dopted

but

plan of

remorse or pity were

without

all

to conci-

consigned to the bayonet.

An
sacre

officer,

who

at the

fortress of

taken by

gives an

storm, under

account of the mas-

Annampore, which

some preceding circum-

stances of aggravation on the side

nor,

wounded, had

reneral slaughter,

the fortune

seems to

compunction and horror,

tacle

of the srover-

and from whence only one horseman, des-

perately

the

"was

escape

to

feel

no small

in describing the spec-

which was there exhibited; of four hundred

beautiful

women,

all

bleeding with wounds from

the bayonet, and either already dead or expiring

in

each others arms! while the

ting off

common

obedience to their

all

soldiers

officers,

were

stripping off their jewels and committing every

outrage on their bodies

rather than be torn from

for their

was occasioned

the

capital,

the

ail

couuti'y,

the treasure

to be delivered

were

enormities.

was understood

It

bitants

threw

up

to

-:itin'-e in

severely re-

This slaughter

forcing a passage through

b\

Gauts.

nore with

women,

their relations

indeed were afterwards

troops

primanded

of the

into large tanks and were drowned,

themselves

The

Many

and

at

Bombay

fortress of

Bed-

and property, were

to the English,

that the inha-

remain unmolested; and

the

that

Hyat

government under the autho-

35

TIPFOO SULTAUN.

fity

of the English, but

still

much

retain ins; a *

was however discovered that

the general, upon getting possession of Bednore,

power

as before.

violated

all

these articles, and

prisoner.

close

It

It

said

is

made Hyat Saib a

the treasures found

were immens 3 and that the breach between the

general and Hyat Saib was soon after made up,
,

and

astouishment of

to the great

sures being claimed by

Hyat

the trea-

all,

own

as his

private

property, were on that plea restored to him.

o-eneral

now found

leisure to forward

to Bombay, wherein he charged

and
It

soldiers, witfi acts of the

was however resolved

command
in his

to

his

The

dispatches

army,

officers

highest criminality.

remove him from the

of the army, and appoint Col. Mac-leod

stead,

who was

also to be joined

by Col.

Humberstone and Major Shaw.

The Sundah or Sounda countv, on the upper
part towards Goa,

which Hyder had recovered

from the Portuguese, .was invaded and taken by

Capt. Carpenter ; but the chief expedition now

was against the

fortress

than which, none of

dearer to Hyder. as

all

and port of Maligjalo

his acquisition

all his

had been

sanguine hopes of be-

coming a formidable naval power were there cenThis town was taken without much retered.
sistance; the Killedar, or governor, fled with his

people in lo the

fort,

but a breach being made in

36 hours, he surrendered upon conditions.

Tippoo Sullaun was now determined to relh-

35

MEMoins op

truish "every other object

and pursuit

for the rco~

The

/very of those valuable possessions.

English

general accordingly applied for a reinforcement,

a prodigious army commanded by Tippoo being

at

an

45 miles

The

di<tance.

Tippoo, but losing

inferior force attacked

hundred of

his

men

general however with

five

few minutes, he retreat-

in a

ed to the fortress, and abandoned the city alto ire ther.

Tippoo

and

instantly enclosed the fort,

detachment

to attack the

serrf,

two Gauts, which thro*

c

-bad conduct

shamefully

escaped from the

tives that

-cated

were

their

own

The

lost.

Gaut<?,

fugi-

communi-

confusion and terror so effec-

tually to the 'garrison of Cundapore, that they

were
sions,

instantly

and

seized

appeared, in which

same apprehen-

though

away,

ran

number of men and

with the

unnecessary

no

enemy-

flight

horses were drowned.

a great

part

of the garrison which had thus shamefully aban-

doned Cundapore, with

its

valuable provision for

war, took refuge at Onore. and Captain Torriano

could with the greatest

difficulty

from being infected with

a spirited but
tillery

keep

his troops

He made

their terror.

fruitless exertion to recover the ar-

which they had abandoned.

Tne

unfortu-

nate garrison oi Bednore being greatly reduced

in strength,

were obliged

after seventeen

hopeless defence, to capitulate.

-

ter

some
t

difficulty;

They

days

were, af-

allowed the honors of war, and

37

Tippot* j&vvr&xt.

to retain (only) their private property.

was however
andTevenge;

Tippoo

resolved; to gratify his indignation

for the

morning after the troops had

inarched out of the fortress (April. 38, 1783) anil

were

led about a mile

from Bednore, where they

encamped, surrounded by some battalions of the

Nabob's armed Sepoys, the general was sent

to

for

meet Tippoo Sultaun without the town; but

he and those who accompanied him, after some

unknown examination, were put

finement, and never returned.
the

field

and'staff officers, with

into close con-

In two days after

the captains, the

paymaster, and the commissary, were

The

and likewise detained.

master, was then sent io the camp,

remaining

all

sent for

buckshy, or

when

paythe

all

were shamefully stripped and

officers

searched before him, and the monev beino- found

and taken, they were afterwards plundered of

every thing, and no measures of humanity were

longer observed with them or the troops.

ill-fated

men were compelled

to

These

march sixteen

days under a burning sun, almost naked, but

loaded with irons, and driven without mercy

like

wild beasts to a fort in the interior part of the

country where they underwent the most grievous

and cruel imprisonment that ever was

the most savage

race

most violent death

that melted lead

other accounts say

The

it is

inflicted

by

general suffered a

stated by

some accounts

was poured down

that scalding oil

his

throat

was thrown

3S

MEMOIRS OF

over his body

and

others,

the best information,

which seem

to

be

he was forced to

that

drink the poisonous milk or juice of a shrub,

by which

he died in the

agonies.

greatest

Several of the principal officers were likewise

barbarously murdered.

dured
vity,

The

poor Sepoy9 en-

the calamities of a long, hopeless capti-

all

with wonderful patience, and withstood

all

the allurements and threats of the tyrannic victor;

nobly refusing to sacrifice their

faith

and

attachment, by entering into his service.

After the reduction of Bednore, Tippoo

Fra

resolvcl on the recovery of Mangalore.

at this

land,

now
ice

time had concluded a peace with Eng-

and he was by no means pleased with her

conduct, as

it

was without

at least including

him

insufficiency

of the

French troops,

lie

in

his

concurrence, or

army

of his

their

without

insisted that no treaty

ver in which he was not a party,

them from

Convinced

the treaty.

should release

however he did not proceed

olent extremity, but dismissed

dissatisfaction.

whate-

engagements; audit was sup-

posed that he intended to retain and force

services

the

The

siege

their

to this vi-

them with much

of

Mangalore was

hereupon converted to a blockade; a cessation

of arms took place afterwards, but through want
of provisions the garrison were reduced to great
distress:

and though a peace was

seemed that Tippoo was

in great

in agitadon, it

hopes of starv-

39

TIPFOO SULTAUN.

ing them into a surrender, but was obliged,

on the

arrival of

who came

General Macleod,

wiih.^a strong force from Bombay., to consent

unwillingly to their receiving a supply.

Carwar,

Onoiv, and some other

Manga-

lore,

still

forts,

continued in the hands of the English,

by the peace concluded between the Com-

until

pany and Tippoo Sultaun

a general

restitution

in the following year;

of the conquests on both

took place, and the tranquillity of India

sides

Mas

as well as

for the present fully restored.

CHAP.

IV.

Tippoo's disaffection to the English notwith-

standing his

Enquiry into the cause

fresh war The Rajah of

treat?/

Motives for

Travancore purchases of the Dnich the forts

Tippoo enraof Crangenore and Jacottah

ged, attacks

mary of
iiiQus

him

England interposes Sum-

the debates in the

House of Coin-

respecting these hostilities.

X. ippoo accepted the proposals of pacification,

as

lie

but as

then found
his future

it

expedient for his

own

affairs,

conduct proved; he only waited

iO

MEMOIRS CF

a favourable opportunity to distress, and if

for

possible banish the

The

hostile

English from his

evinced by our gover-

disposition

nors, from the

territories.

establishment of his father's

first

power, could not but have fixed a suspicion and

dread of

more
had

be removed by the wiser and

us, not to

He

equitable administration of one man.

much

too

reason for the greater part of his

to consider the English as the unalterable e*

life

nemies of

and throne

his family

therefore, that

our

after

was natural,

it

last intrigues

he should draw closer

Mahrattas,

with the

his

with the ancient enemies of England.

alliance

If,

on the

other hand, our intentions were upright and sin-

we

cere,

of

could only regulate our conduct by that

All

his.

who

administer public affair are un-

der the despotic controul of existing circum-

He who

stance-.

they direct, perferms his duty.

as

ty

ference
ly

acts with conscientious integri-

may be had

to the past,

but

if

Some rewe former-

endangered the safety of another, no sense of

justice

We

directs

us

in

return to betray our own.

certainly did not seek the pretext of a quar-

rel.

It is true,

we

in the invasion of

much

refused to aid the Mahrattas

Mysore, and though we had too

reason to suspect, vet

sent the
treaty,

Sultaun's

look his designs,

did not hastily re-

evasion of the article in his

by which he

English prisoners

we

stipulated to liherate

but

it

was impossible

all

to

his

over

41

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

embassy

to the court of

lution of

France was

But the revo-

France.

at this time in

embryo, and

almost ready to explode; of course her distract-

any unfriendly

ed condition prevented
Spain

ference.
to

though

likewise,

inter-

she began

be then jealous of our new settlements and

commerce, which were now just commencing in

the South Seas, would not venture alone to pro-

voke the might of Great Britain.

Still it

behoved

the English to be vigilant, and anticipate as

as they could, and

when

far

in justice they might,

the effects of a combination, which other times

might

call

into action,

injuriously, if not fatally

to their interests in the East.

SyTjie

following

ostensible

is

a summary account of the

ground of a fresh war with Tippoo Sul-

For a hundred and

taun.

had been

in possession of

fifty

two

years the

forts,

Dutch

Cranganore

and Jacottah, which they took from the Portuguese,

who had been

masters of them for nearly

They

the same length of time.

are situated be-

tween the country of Mysore and Old Cochin,

most valuable settlement

their

from

nore,

its

vicinity

to

in India.

Cranga-

the boundary of the

Mysorean kingdom, was deemed by Tippoo's

father a place of considerable importance,

which

induced him, previous to his rupture with the

English, to seize and garrison
that

it

chin.

belonged

However

it,

under pretence

to his tributary, the

the

Rajah of Co-

Dutch contrived

to recover

42

it,

MEMOIRS OP

and of

conduct on

their

this occasion

the en-

raged Nabob made great complaint.

Tippoo Sultaun

laid

claim to the

In 1739

forts,

which

claim he was determined to support by arms.

In

June he advanced towards Cranganore with a

formidable force, and the avowed intention
of recovering

The

it.

Dutch, alarmed at these

preparations, immediately proposed to

sell

both

the Forts of Cranganore and Jacottah to the Ra-

jah of Travancore, an
ment,

who accepted

ally

of the British govern-

their proposal,

depending no

doubt on the assistance of England, ki case of an

attack from the Eastern Chief.
that this purchase
insisted

Tippoo, enraged

was made without

the forts were

his

his consent,

by right; and pre-

tending that some of his rebel subjects had found

refuge

in the

Rajah's dominions,

he collected a

powerful force, (Dec. 29) and commenced a sud-

den attack upon the

vancore.

lines or

England could not possibly be

ent to these proceedings

to

boundary of Tra-

indiffer-

though we had no right

decide on the justice of the opposite claim9

without the consent of both parties, yet even a

an acknowledged

in

was

suf-

disputed

title

ficient to

warrant us in protecting him by arms a-

ally,

gainst an armed aggression, especially from an

bitious monarch,

who at

that very time

am-

was suspec-

ted of plotting the total destruction of the British

empire

in India.

for interfering

These were England's motives

and renewing a war with Tippoo.

43

TiVPoO SULTAUN.

In the House of

Commons, Dec.

Hippesley, in consequence of an

22, 1790, Mr.

allusion in his

Majesty's Speech to this business, moved,

copies of the correspondence relative to

t(

that

the at-

tack of Tippoo Sultaun on the lines of Travan-

He

core should be laid before the House."

ed, "

our

that the

ally,

stat-

Rajah of Travancore, who was

had purchased the Forts of Cranganore

and Jacottah of the Dutch.

Tippoo Sultaun

objected to the legality of this purchase, asserting

in his

own

right a feudal

claim

to the

question, as sovereign of Mysore.

having peremptorily refused

forts,

to

forts in

The Rajah

relinquish

the

Tippoo marched towards the Travancore

lines, the

boundaries of the Rajah's territories,

and commenced
statement of the

hostilities.

Such was the simple

But before we took up the

fact.

cause of the Rajah, he contended that

to consider

we ought

whether Tippoo's claim might not be

founded upon laws agreeable

feudal system of India

to the established

and whether the Rajah

himself had acted in such a manner as to be entitled to

our support.

Cranganore was situated

north of Travancore and Cochin.

been indisputably tributary

to

Cochin had

Hyder Ally, and he

believed to Tippoo. Cranganore was probably in

the same predicament; the presumption was certainly in favor of such a supposition, as
little

at

most of the

rajahships on that part of the coast had been

some time or other

tributary to the

Mysorean

44

MEMOIRS OF

Chief.

The

circumstance of Cranganore's hav-

ing been in the possession of the Dutch, was observed to be of no consequence, as

have owed

fealty

to

Tiavancore had long wished

and

had applied

The

Tippoo.

it

still

might

Rajah of

to obtain these

forts.,

about two years before to Sir

Archibald Campbell, then Governor of Madras,

but Sir

for permission to negociate a purchase,

A. Campbell expressed

his

After that gentleman had

of the measure.

Rajah wrote

India, the

direct disapprobation

'to

successor,

his

left

Mr.

Hcllond, briefly observing that he had complet-

ed the purchase of these

with the concur-

forts

rence of the British government.

transaction there appeared on

In such a

the part of the

Rajah more deceit than honor.

" In defence of Tippoo's conduct
likewise be
for him,

fairly

it

it

might

was impossible

as Sultaun of Mysore, to behold with

the transfer of these forts to the

indifference
Rajah".

argued, that

Cranganore,

in

hands

the

of

Dutch, a mere trading company, was of

importance

the
little

but in the possession of an active

assumed a very

ally of the British

government,

different aspect.

As he questioned the

it

justice,

so he had his doubts of the policy of the war.

The

Mahrattas and the Nizam were to be our

allies,

but

little

dependance he thought could be

placed on either.
bial in India,

Mahratta

as the

faith

was

as prover-

tunica Jides had been in

UPPOO

45

SULTAJJN.

ancient Rome.

And

easily forget the

general confederacy of 1780

among

could we, he asked, so

the native powers

a conspiracy, headed

by the Nizam himself, the object of which was

to exterminate the British nation

On

'

from India

the subject of resources, he remarked,

Tippoo had an army of 150,000 men, a

large corps of Europeans, well officered, and an

that

admirable train of

venue of

He

artillery.

five millions,

possessed a re-

and could boast a treasury

To

of at least eight or nine millions.

what could we oppose,

and

b*ut

all this

an exhausted treasury

a tottering credit ?"

Mr. Francis seconded the motion, and argued

against the impolicy of extending our territories
in India,

and of forming

alliances with the native

He

princes of that country.

<e

observed,

that

there existed a mutual jealousy between Tippoo

and the Nizam, which

But

courage.

the

it

was our

interest to en-

Marhattas were the power

which we had the most reason

to dread.

It

therefore be extremely unwise to extirpate

poo,

if his

extirpation

depended upon our

would
Tip-

will, as

such a circumstance would give the Mahrattas

art

extent of territory, and a degree of influence;

which might prove highly dangerous

to the Bri-

tish interests in India."

Mr. Dundas
cottah,

stated,

<c

That Cranganore, Ja-

and Cochin, were

able strength in the

places of consider-

hands of the Dutch.

That

46

MEMOIRS OF

being alarmed at

people,

politic

preparations

the quarter

Tippoo,

of
in

which these possessions

of Cranganore and Jacottah

jah of Tra van core,

ally

towards

pointing

became desirous of making

situated,
forts

warlike

the

whom

they

were

over the

to the

knew

to

Ha-

be our

that by thus, in effect, throwing themselves

under the protection of the British government,

they might raise a barrier to Cochin, their most
possession

valuable

on the continent of India.

After the purchase was made, Tippoo Sultaun

set

sort of claim to the forts in question,

up a

way

of obtaining a pretext for his

But

ceedings.
his

this

was not the

by

hostile pro-

first

time that

ambitious views had been manifested.

In

178S he advanced with a formidable army to the

frontiers of Travancore, without the least provo-

cation on the part of the Rajah; and

difficulty

induced,

was with

notwithstanding the spirited

remonstrances of the British government; to retire to

his

He was

own dominions.

as a restless

tyrant, ever bent

represented

upon schemes of

aggrandizement, and ever viewing us with a jea-

and a

lous

hostile eye.

We

had on our part most

religiously kept the treaty of

bad continually shewn an

Mangalore, but he

inclination to violate

Mr. Dundas further remarked, " That how

it."

numerous soever our adversary's troops might

be,

and whatever might be

little

to fear

on

his revenues,

that head, as our

army

we had
in India

47

T1PP00 SULTAUN.

was perhaps

the finest that

that part of the world

had ever appeared in

and as instead of support-

ing a war against the French, the Dutch, the

Mahrattas,

we

powers,

all

the European and

the native

should contend with only one of them."

Mr. Fox,

in supporting the

grounds taken by

Mr. Hippesley and Mr. Francis,

trusted a

all

war

for conquest

said,

"

that

he

would never be un-

dertaken by England, either in India or in

Eu-

rope."

The

motion passed without opposition, and

Mr: Hippesley moved That the 35th

(Feb. 28)

clause of an act

made

in the

24th year of his

present Majesty, which disavowed

all

schemes for

the extension of our territories in India, miffht

be read

and that the

1st,

2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 23d,

and 44th resolutions of the House of Commons,

on the 15th of April 1782, might be likewise
read."

He

then quoted several extracts from the

correspondence of the government of Fort

St.

George, in the year 1768, 1770, and 1771, tending to prove ' that it would always be our best
policy to regard the Mahrattas with a distrustful dread,

and

to preserve at

ship of the Sultaun of

any price the friend-

Mysore."

Mr. Hippesley now observed,

to entering upon the

<c

that previously

grounds of the war, the

bers of opposition severely animadverted

treaties

mem-

on the

of offensive and defensive alliance which

had been recently concluded with the Mahrattas

4S

MEMOIRS OP

As Tippoo's

and the Nizam.

territory of
fligin

Travanco

of the war,

e,

invasion of the

was allowed

to

be the o-

was remarked that the defence

it

of the Rajah , the reparation due to him, and his

future security, ought to have been

provided for in those

but that in

treaties,

was not once named

them.

in

word occurred which alluded

quarrel, or from which
red, that the

thought
that

of.

it

Not a

fact

he

single

to the cause of the

might have been infer-

interests of the

We

particular!

Rajah were ever

could only collect from them,

Tippoo was a common enemy,

that having

had engagements withthethree eontractingparf ies,

he had acted with

we ought

infidelity

to deprive

bing the general

towards

all,

and that

him of the means of distur-

tranquillity

in future.

The

question of our interference was stated to be simply this,

Whether by an

pressed or implied,

we were bound

to

act of guarantee,

in the treaty of

ex-

Mangalore,

defend the Rajah of Travan-

core in these dominions only, which he possessed

at the date of the engagement, or to extend our

protection to subsequent acquisitions

made by

him without our consent or knowledge ? Upon

the supposition that we were bound to defend
him

in

at the

those dominions only which he possessed

date of" the engagement,

'a

supposition

certainly the most reasonable) there could not exist

the least possible occasion for our involving

ourselves

in the business.

But arguments were

49

tippoo sultaum.

not only "brought against the necessity of our interference, but against

Rajah was

the justice of

it.

The

be the aggressor, and not Tip-

In support of this opinion,

poo.
tracts

said to

several ex-

were quoted from the correspondence of our

governor in India' one of which was to the

lowing
rf

in

"That

effect:

new

connections with the Dutch, .and by

" making conclusive purchases of

"

(viz.

sucli tributary

or pla-

Rajah of Cochin,)

friendship

or

but even at the

was threatened with

upon himself, and by the same

his resentment,

." transaction forfeit

f*

the

not only without his consent,

" time when

'c

forts

ces in the territories of one of the tributaries of

" Tippoo Sultaun,

tc

fol-

by engaging

the Rajah,

all

Company's

right to the

interference

in

his

favour."

That the Rajah acted under the consciousness of

being engaged

in

an unjust and dishonourable

transaction, appeared from the

duplicity which
he practised towards the British government,
for the Court of Directors declared that nothing

existed on the

Madras records

assertion, of having obtained

purchase

Sir

Campbell

A.

to corroborate his

our consent to the

positively

that he had ever given such consent

denied

but obser-

ved that he had absolutely signified his entire

disapprobation."

In the course of this debate,

the impolicy of the war was strongly urged:

was contended
port the

that

we would do

better to sup-

Mysorean power, than attempt

it

to anni-

50

MEMOIRS OF

hilafe

it

that

our means were unequal to the

expences of an Indian war

that the governors

of India themselves confessed that our revenues

were exhausted, and

that the importance of the

places in dispute could not compensate for the

serious consequence of hostilities

single article of bullocks,

that

in the

was supposed we

it

should'incur an annual expenceof ^TOO^OOO.

It

was contended on the other hand that an

attack had been actually

on the

lines

made by Tippo Sultaun

we

of Travancore, which

bound by the

treaty of

Mangalore

that the conduct of the Rajah

were

to resent

had not been such

as to justify our desertion of him, but whether or

not,

would be imprudent

it

That

Tippoo's vengeance.

to give
his

him up to

pretended claim

the forts was not the real origin of the war,

to

for before

he had made

this complaint,

attacked the Rajah's lines

master of these

forts,

he had

and should he ever be

there would be an end of our

That

security in the Carnatic.

instead of consi-

dering the Mahrattas as our natural enemies,

we

should esteem them as our bestandmost useful allies.

That

it

was the enterprising and unprincipled

usurper of Mysore,

We

should dread.

who was
It

was

the only Indian Chief

also

contended

a peaceful negotiation was impossible,

it

Was attempted

dispute

at the

for

that

that

commencement of the

but during the very period

=ehgers were on their

way

to

when

the

Madras with

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

letters,

51

professing amity and peace,

1

peated his attacks

the war was as

Tippoo

re-

was therefore urged, that

it

much founded

in justice

as in

policy.

March

22,

Mr. Dundas read the following

re-

solutions:

" That
tacks

it

appears to this House, that the at-

made by Tippoo Sultaun on

the lines of

Travancore on the 29th of December, 1789, the

6th of

March and 15th of

April 1790, were un-

wan-anted and unprovoked, in portions of the

treaty

entered into at

Mangalore, on the 10th

'

March. 1784."
" That the conduct of the * Governor General of

Bengal, in determining to prosecute with

vigour the war against Tippoo Sultaun, in conse-

quence of

his attack

on the

territories of the

Ra-

jah of Travancore, was highly meritorious.

" That
on the

the treaties entered into with the

1st of

June, and with the Mahrattas on

the 7th of July 1790,

add vigour

Nizam

were wisely calculated to

to the operations of war,

mote the future

tranquillity of India

and
;

to pro-

and that

the faith of the British nation was pledged for

the due performance of the engagements con-

tained in the said treaty."

These

resolutions passed without

division.

In the House of Lords, April 11, Lord Portchester's motions against the

war were negatived

* Lord Cornwallis.

MEMOIRS OF

52

by

Lord Grenville's motions

a majority of 77.

for the war were carried by a majority of 52.

CHAP.

V.

Rajah of Travancore
Has a narrow essucceeds, and then fails

Ti-poo attacks the

cape with his

governors

the

proud

his

repeats

all opposition,

flight

life

his

and puts

reply to the British

attack
the

Rajah's

English interfere

tyrant are

bears
to

doum

army

to

humble the

joined by the Mahrattas

and Nizam arrangements Tippoo's alarm

and hasty departure from Travancore

his

the answer various captures by the English the undaunt-

letter to

general

Meadows

ed conduct of the Killedar of Dindigul

poo's consummate generalship
situation of Colonel Floyd

poo's skill, policy,

X owards

the

and

close

Tip-

embarrassed

insta7ices

of Tip-

cruelly.

of the year 1789.

Tippoo

Sultaun marched a powerful armv to the lines of

Travancore, with

the

professed

intention

of

wresting from the Rajah the late purchased forts

of Cranjzanore and Jacottau.

53

TI*POO SULTAtN.

The kingdom
by nature

of Travancore

northwest frontier

its

an enemy on

as to be accessible only to

inconsiderable

quarter as

favoured

so

is

and even that but

To

space.

render

this

for

an

exposed

secure as possible, the lines were

formed about thirty years since, which consist of

a ditch sixteen feet broad and twenty deep, with

a thick bamboo hedge inserted

rapet and
flanking

in

it,

slight pa-

a good rampart and bastions almost

each other.

Their extent

coast,

where they commence,

called

Chinamungulum,

is

to

from the

a broad river

four or five miles, and

from the oppostte side of the river

to the Ele-

phant Mountains, where they terminate, about

twenty-five

miles.

They run

in

direction

nearly eastward.

Tippoo suddenly attacked the

Dec. 29.

extremity of these lines, and

tern

master of the adjacent height.

eas-

made himseJf

Thence doubling

and advancing with rapidity towards the centre,

he seemed

to

carry

all

before him. His triumph

however was of short duration.

troops being recovered from their
ons,

The
first

Rajah's

apprehensi-

and animated by the example of a small bo-

dy consisting of about 800 men, which forming

in

a narrow pass withstood the whole force of the assailants,

returned to the conflict with

and succeeded
the

at length in completely

Mysorean army.

nally

engaged

new

Tippoo,

in the battle,

who was

spirit,

routing
perso-

narrowly escaped

54

MEMOIRS OF
His horse "was shot under him

with his life.

and
and

in repassing his lines, so great

trepidation,

against the
ditch,

was

his

hurry

he leaped with violence

that

bamboo hedge, which was

and considerably bruised himself

in

the

in forcing;

his way.

An

application

our governors

in India,

of this sudden
gainst the

was now made

whom

attack.

to

Tippoo bv

the Rajah informed

They remonstrated

a-

impropriety of his proceedings, and

observed, that as the Rajah was an ally of Great

Britain, thev

should think themselves bound to

resent an invasion of that prince's dominions

but that

if

Tippoo would consent

to

an amicable

adjustment of point in dispute between himselt

and the Rajth, they would send commissioners

to

meet any

whom

he might appoint, on the

borders of their respective territories, whose joint

decision should be final to both parties.

Sultaun replied,

" that

if

Tippoo

they would send confi-

dential persons to him, with

whom

he might hold

a personal conference on the subject, he doubted

not but that he could explain himself to their
satisfaction."
sufficient,

This answer was not deemed

and no other steps were taken

for

an

accommodation.

Tippoo having procured from Mysore an additional supply of troops arfd battering guns, re-

peated his attack, and after some weeks, having

made a considerable breach

in the walls,

advan*

55

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

ced to the storm, and bore down

The

Rajah's troops,

filled

opposition."

all

and

with consternation

Mysoreart
dismay, fled in every direction from the
Complete master now of the lines, he
bayonets.
immediately turned his attention to the fort of
Cranganore, which (May 7, 1790) was besieged
with vigour and soon carried.

Tippoo

having-

now extended

his dominions to

for
an alarming magnitude, active preparations

war were making

the present
to

humble

in the British settlements,

moment was deemed most

this

pride,

prince's

and

favourable

and reduce his

empire within safe and reasonable

The

limits.

Mahrattas and Nizam cheerfully joined the Eng-

Ge-

and promised a zealous co-operation.

lish,

neral

Medows assumed

the

command

Carnatic army, consisting of near

tive

men,

and General

of the grand

5,000 effec-

Abercromby

that

of

Bombay.
following was intended to be the plan of
campaign. General Medows was first to

The
the

which

possess himself of the Coimbctore country,

would not only cut

off

one of Tippoo Sultaun's

principal resources, but afford sufficient supplies

the remainder of the campaign

for

and from

My-

that quarter, if possible, to penetrate into

sore, through the Gujelhatty pass, while
ral

Abercromby was

to

Gene-

attempt the reduction of

the Sultaun's territories, west of the Gauts

if

circumstances required or permitted

it,

to

and,

form

56

MEMOIRS OF

a junction with General

Medows.

The

safety of

the Carnatic was entrusted to a small army un-

command

der the

of Colonel Kelly, stationed in

the country between Madras and the passes leading- to

Mysore.

Tippoo, alarmed at the actual appearance of

the British

army near the

frontiers of his

most

valuable possessions, hastily retired from Travan-

He

core.

hurried back with a small body

of

troops to his capital, leaving the remainder of his

forces either to reascend the Gauts, or to act in

the low

To

country as circumstances

impending

avert the

direct.

he immediately

General Medows, congratulating him up-

wrote

to

on

appointment

his

storm-,

might

and proposing

to

government of Madras,

to the

send him certain confidential

persons, to explain, as he observed, several im-

portant circumstances,

" that the dust which

had obscured the general's upright mind might

"

be removed
General

Medows

immediately returned an an-

swer to the following effect

" I received yours, and understand
:

tents.

You

its

con-

are a great prince, and but for your

cruelty to your

lightened one.

prisoners, I should

The

add an en-

English, equally incapable

of offering an insult, as

of submitting to one,

have always looked upon war as declared from

the

moment

that

of Travancore.

you attacked

God

their ally,

the

King

does net always give the

57

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

battle to the strong,

nor the race to the

swift,

but generally success to those whose cause

is

!"

On what we depend
June 13. General Medows now marched

just.

from

the

of

plain.-?

annv was

fi;-st

Trichinopoly,

were

his

embodied, and entering the ene-

my's country, took possession of the

fort of

Ca-

After a halt of eighteen days, for the pur-

roor

pose of collecting grain, and forming a magazine

he proceeded

at Caroor,

tured

to

Daraporum, and cap-

without opposition.

it

solved to form mdepoi.

At

this place

Accordingly he

he re-

left here.

four companies of Europeans, with a detachment

of 500 sepoys, as a garrison, and disencumbering

himself of

all

to Coimbetore,

superfluous baggage, pushed on

which he found evacuated.

This

place had formerly been the capital of a powerful

and independent rajah,

with

its

all

arms.

Still

of what

it

appendages

rich

the Mysorean

to

however there remained some

was.

traces

Hitherto the English encounter-

ed no other opposition than

bodies of

but had submitted

looties

(irregular

that of diflerent

horse)

time to time harassed their march

gence being received on the day

that

But

from

intelli-

after the capture

of Coimbetore, that one of th% Sultaun's most

able generals, Sahid Saheb, was approaching to-

wards Demiacotta, about 40 miles from Coimbetore,

ith

ment was

near 3000 regular cavalry, a detachinstantly, dispatched to

II

surprise

them.*

MEMOIRS OF

soon

hmeift

succeeded

returned,

about

in taking-

of the

fifty

only

having-

enemy

pri-

soners.

^a

II

tfte

was deemed highly necessary, previous to

projected invasion of Mysore,

establish a

of posts from the Coromanriel Coast

chain
the

to

foot of the Gujelhr.tty

The

pass.

country which seemed best f

purpose, ex-

this

Sattimungulum.

Caroor,

It

was therefore

immediately resolved to reduce such

line as

were not already

ou

in

of

line

tended through Tanjore, Trichi:

Erroad, and

to

this

forts in

Pal-

n.

Kcautcherfy and Dindigul likewise^ although

si-

tuated in a different direction, were judged

ne-

opening towards the low

which

the former,

cessary stations, particularly

country

of Callicut,

commanded the- communication between the

east-

ern and western Gauts.

Agreeable to the
sent against

a
the

trilling

Erroad, which

opposition.

who was

about

detachment

which

Captain

Aram,

then on his way from

camp, was ordered

to join

after

Stuart,

Dindigul.

against

Oldham was

he captured

Colonel

headed a

same time,

proceeded

Colonel

plan,

Madura

to

the

Colonel Stuart, or even

to attempt aloneithe capture of Dindigul on his

advance, either by surprise,

ciation, as

was most

stratagem, or nego-

practicable.

Pursuant

to his

directions, he reconnoitered the fort, but found

#

much

stronger

than he suspected.

it

Notwith-

59

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

summoned

standing, he

the Killedar to surrender,

pledging himself that private property should be

respected; but declaring,
sisted in

an

idle defence,

if

they obstinately per-

it

was the commander

in chief's determination to put the

The

the sword.

to

whole garrison

who brought

person

this

summons, received the following verbal reply

from the undaunted Indian:
" Inform your commander that

me

ble for

not possi-

it is

my

properly to Account to

sovereign
If

for the surrender of such a fort as Dindigul.

therefore a second messenger comes with a similar

errand,

comrades from

On

my

to his

cannon's mouth."

the arrival of Colonel Stuart's detachment,

batteries

were erected, and

cannonaded
ed

blow him back again

I will

for

the second

two days.
day,

this fort

storm was project-

and attempted the same

But notwithstanding the

night.

very heavily

assailants

push-

ed on with the utmost gallantry, the garrison

Attack

repelled every effort to carry the works.

succeeded attack, but so strongly was the place

fortified

by nature and

ed, that after a long

and

British troops retired to

Mahometans
ly in

still

and

art,

so ably defend-

fruitless

their

contest, the

camp and

left

masters of the ramparts.

the morning, however,

a white

flag

the

Ear-

was

displayed in the breach, in token of a disposition

to surrender; for,

after

the preceding night, the

the

spirited defence of

Killedar

had the mor-

MEMOIRS OF

CO
tif.cation to find

bv almost

all

himself in the morning' deserted

the

garrison

very

the

men who

He

had so nobly distinguished themselves.

then

proposed and obtained an honourable capitula-

now proceeded

Colonel Stuart

tion.

Palli-

to

cautcherry, which he captured, after a short and

feehle resistance.

Colonel Floyd was

same time

the

at

against Sattimungulum, which

sent

he surprised and

This post was of con-

took without bloodshed.

siderable importance, from

its

situation near the

which a passage was to

Gujeiliatty pass, through

be effected into the heart of the enemy's king-

dom.

The

whole chain of posts being

now

complet-

ed,

and considerable magazines already formed

in

some of them, the moment seemed approach-

ing for the invasion of Mysore.

period, the Sultauns

At

this critical

army suddenly appeared

in

the neighbourhood of Colonel Floyd's encamp-

ment.

Tippoo on

this occasion

consummate generalship,

that his near approach

in the least

suspected, until he had ac-

descended the

gatits at Gujelhatty, forded

was not
tually

discovered such

the river Bovany, and was within a few miles

This secret march was the

of the British camp.

more remarkably,
fiffhting

as his

men, and

followers, provided
r
I

a yen consid-

at

army

consisted of

least twice that

with

40

number of

an immense

artill<

stock of provisions.

A-

61

TIPPOO SULTAUN,

bout 300 cavalry

>ing out

on a reconnoitering

party, to their great surprize,

7000 Mysorean

with 6 or

in

fell

horse, with which, notwithstand-

ing the disparity of numbers they maintained a

long and sharp

conflict,

them

inforcements enabled
completely to flight*
the

camp

little

enemy

put the

to

but in a few hours

after,

was cannonad d by the

itself

whole of Tippoo's

until the arrival of re-

force.

vigorous action suc-

ceeded, and continued through the remainder of

the day

but in

spite of the Sultaun's great su-

periority both in

men and

artillery,

able to break the British ranks.

the action,

when

the

night, a council of

enemy

war was

retreated

held,

and

mediately determined to abandon our

sitions

in that quarter,

he was not

At the close of

it

for the

was im-

new

and return with

acqui-

all

possi-

expedition to Coimbetore, where the grand

ble

army

still

The

remained.

next morning (Sept

14.) at four o'clock

the troops began to retreat, leaving behind a part

of artillery, whi

from die scarcity

They had

>f

were unable

to take

away

bullocks in their possession.

scarcely proceeded twelve miles, before

they again perceived the Mysorean army in their

rear.

lery

They now

another part of their

and several tumbrils,

* Lord Cornwallis

we

left

shall give in the

as if he thought

it

in order to inarch

in his letter to

the

Directors,

succeeding chapter, mentions

could have been avoided.

this

artil-

with

-which

attack

MEMOIRS OF

"--?

greater expedition

upon them.

and

but liule consequence.

.vi;h

action took place

the evening*,
ral,

cannonade commenced,

distant

which was

No serious

Tippoo gained ground

butstiii

when

lasted

the enffaem%nt

being- very

Id,

They reached

(he

\ elladi

by the enemy.
Colonel ^loyd

became

seven, at which time

till

retired

four o'clock in

till

much

g;ene-

Tippoo

nearlv beaten.

next day, unpursued

masterly retreat gained

euit. as

spirited behaviour of the troops,

likewise did the

who with

inflexi-

ble constancy of mind endured most bitter hard-

and marched

ships, having fasted

cessive days,
jle of

and

lain

on

their

for three suc-

arms during the

the intervening nights, without

murmur

or complaint./

y/

The

intelligence of this

sudden attack having

reached General Medows, he hastened

lief of the

to the re-

detachment, for the safety of which

he was extremely apprehensive; but by mistake

he passed Colonel Floyd while at Velladi, and

pushed forwards within a few miles of Demiacotta, ignorant that

the Colonel had abandoned

bis advanced post at Sattinmngulum.

Tippoo understood

that

General

As soon as

Medows was

proceeding northwards with the main army, he

Lantly fell back,

van

banks of tint

and having re-crossed the Bo-

strong and judicious position on the

river.

General Medows being informed where Colonel Floyd

now was

posiecl, did

not enterprise any

6S

TfPPOO SULTAUN.

thino- against the

Velladi,

Sultaun, but marched back to

and having- formed a junction with the

Colonel, returned to Coimbetore.

In a few days after, (Sept. 29) he proceeded

again northwards, in hopes to overtake the wary

foe and give

ments were
the British

him

Eut Tippoo's move-

battle.

in general

so

camp knew but

the superiority, as well as

and the great supply of

to elude the most

little

bending

all

He

he was able

and change

deligent search,

and

celerity, as as-

was

at this

usually

time

towards Caroor. in order to

intercept a convoy of provisions under the

mand

From

his bullocks,

his elephants,

his adversaries.

his course

of him.

number of

his positions with^such silence

tonishe

and rapid that

secret

com-

Young, but contrary to what

happened. General Medows was appriz-

of Major

ed of Tippoo's present design, and by an earnot

ly junction with Major Young, which was
accomplished without much exertion, he disappointed the enemy's views.
fortunate junction effected,
rived that the

enemy had

No

sooner was this

than intelligence arinvested

Darapor&m;

the srarrison of which being totallv unfurnished

The Gewith cannon, very shortly capitulated.

neral, now alarmed for the safety of Coimbetore,
once more hastened- back

to that

important post,

and had the pleasure on his arrival, to find that

Colonel Hartley, who had previously arrived at
Palacautcherry, had thrown into

it

a seasonable

MEMOIRS OP

64:

reinforcement, at a very critical period, and in

probability preserved

all

Tippoo now quitted

and returned

it.

his position at

Daraporam,

encamping- not far

to the north,

from the Bovany, between Sattim unguium and

At

the Cavery.

prudent

to

this

period

was thought most

it

form a junction with the central army,

which had been

left

Car-

for the defence of the

under Colonel Kelly, but was now com-

natic,

manded by Colonel Maxwell,

death.

officer's

It

is

consequence of

in

known whether

not

Tippoo had any foreknowledge of

this

intended

function at the time he took this admirable position,

pied

but certain

it is,

he could not have occu-

a better, either to intercept Colonel

well, then

advancing southwards, or

secure his

own

retreat to

if

Mysore.

Max-

necessary,

But he did

not long keep his station here, for the British ar-

my

approached (October 20) which occasioned

liim to quit

would

his

post,

and adopt a route which

in all probability enable

the Carnatic army.

His

him

to full in

with

adversaries followed

him more from chance than any previous knowledge of the line of his march, for as both parties

wished

to

meet Colonel Maxwell on

from the Barramaul

valley,

it is

army

difficult

at last, after a long

march

way

no wonder that

they should both take a similar route.

tish

his

The

Bri-

and occasionally

conceived that they

were on the

point of forming the wished for junction, as they

65

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

plainly

discovered before

Three

ffuns

position,

were

as a

nishment the
appeared,
ried
fact,

with

tents

fired in the line

signal

on

precipitation

army

dis-

hur-

In

towards the Gauts.

himself,

who had

Maxwell

battle before Colonel

previously
line

in

of

but who fearing

commander, so well prepared and

securely posted, was

his

this sup-

front

in

appeared for three successive days

from

flags.

but to their great asto-

and the whole

to attack that

and

were lowered, the tents

flags

was Tippoo

it

them

now returning
Both

expedition.

shortly after joined,

putty, without

unsuccessful

the British

(November

armies

17) at Paolam-

any further opposition from the

enemy.

Tippoo finding those

whom he

forces united,

dared not attack singly, wisely changed the plan

of his operations, and by alarming the English

with the apprehensions of losing their

nions,

hoped to draw

making conquests on

oft

his.

own do mi-

their attention

from

Therefore, instead of

returning to Mysore, he directed his course south-

wards constantly taking the lead of the British

general.

However,

.expedition with

in

spite

of the astonishing

which he usually marched, he

was overtaken by the van of the

British at

the

pass of Tapoor, and unexpectedly attacked with

vigour, but no considerable

advantage was ob-

tained over him, his cavalry covering the flight of

hi infantry with so

much courage and

I

skill.

66

MEMOIRS OF

The

English

now abandoned

vading- "Mysore at this time.

now

Thev

did

no more

and

watch the SultaurTs manoeuvres,

than

him from

prevent

i:ea of in-

all

ravaging

their

territories.

Tippoo-was directing his course towards Trichinonolv, but

theswoln

not etVect c his purpose, from

could

sfrite

of the river, before he learned that

General

Medows

He then

suddenly changed the line ot his march,

was advancing

to its

re

and passing through part of the Carnatic, besieged Tiagar

fore

it

but notwithstanding he lay be-

seventeen days, and expedited his opera-

tions to the utmost of his power, he

to

make any impression on the

baffled

dows

attempts

his

arrived

where he

eminence

of

utmost

iheir dwellings,

and

which

He
Me-

it.

General

proceeded

he

made

some

Bra-

prisoners exercised

seized

cruelty,

garrison,

capturing

Thence

there.

Trinomaly,

mins

of

before

days

nine

Tiagar

left

to

all

was not able

their

property,

defiled their altars.

the

burnt

He

then

turned aside towards Chitteput and Wandiwash,

and made himself master of Permacoil, a small

fort in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry, which
bad been taken,

dismantled, and blown up in

the last war.

General

Medows

followed Tippoo no further

than Trinomaly, from which place he moved for-

wards

to

with the

Amee, where he
left

left

Genera! Mnsgrave

wing of the army, the

sick,

heavy

TIT-POO SULTAUN.

gMins,

&c. and marched himself with the right

wing

to

about eighteen miles distant

Vellout,

from Madras.

CHAP.

VI.

Tippoo's
Further success of the British arms,
Account of the capture of
consternation

Bangalore. in*a
to

the

letter

Honourcil'ie

message from

from Lord Cornwallis

Court of Directors

Lordship

his

to

Tippoo

His

noble reply.

I^rom

tins

ly intended,

change

in

the

movements

original-

Lord Cornwallis was convinced that

a diversion on the Malabar coast might be attended with beneficial consequences: General Abercromby then resolved to embark, with the little
force

that

could be

Tellicherry, and see

if

spared from

Bombay,

for

an attempt could be made

with propriety to clear the country of a force

stationed by rippoo Sultaun to awe the garrison
r

of Tellicherry, and curb

the Nairs

who were

universally disposed to join the English.

On

the general's arrival,

(December

5)

he was

informed that the force to the southward of Telli-

MEMOIRS OF

68

marched towards

cherry, had assembled and had

Lieutenant Colonel Hartley, at that time ordered

the communication

keep

Paniani to

to

General Abercrombv found

open.

imprac icable

it

to

Cannar.ore

Colonel

Hartley assistance

was reduced.

The government

of that district

made a

treaty with the

o-ive

had, during' the rain-,

chief of Teliicherry

with the articles

bv Tippoo
had

till

had evaded a compliance

had invited a force stationed

the Cherical country, and which

in

retired at the opening- of the

return to their defence

avowed

On

and had

campaign, to

at length opeaily

their hostile intentions.

the 10th

the

general

encamped on the

heights of EgaVj and was joined on the

2th and

J3th by the neighbouring rajahs and about 2000

The

irregular Nairs.

next day they moved to-

wards the enemy, who were strongly posted on

heights to the southward, and eastward of Can-

nan ore, defended by a chain of stone redoubts

with camion

ing their position,

Averv redoubt
early the next
ces,

The

them.

in

General, on view-

resolved to gain possession of

in the

centre of their posts, and

morning demolished

and obliged them

to

evacuate the place.

then attacked the height of Carley,

rendered at day-break

was now

oil

the

in possession of the

to the southward,

their defen-

lo'th.

He

which sur-

The general

heights and works

and could completely prevent

the enemy's retreat.

Convinced of their danger,

69

SlPPOO SLLTAUN*

The Cannanore

and hostages received.

on.

troops.,

were agreed

Articles

Ihev offered to capitulate.

amounting- to 800 men, retired within the

town, and Tippoo's forces paraded in front of

their

encampment, and agreeable

to

the terms

arms

that had been granted, surrendered their

and

all

Circar property, and engaged not to serve

They were upwards of 5000.

The fort of Cannanore was summoned immediately
during the war.

afterwards, and surrendered without conditions.

The

fort of Biliapatam

also

su trended

in

the

and the garrison received the same

evening;

terms with the test of Tippoo's troops.

mean

In the

with his

little

time, Lieutenant Colonel Hartley,

detachment, had completely defeat-

ed and dispersed the corps opposed

were

of Paniani;
tah,

He

tbem, and

of Turuckabad, the capital

possession

in

to

then marched to Ventzitty Cot-

where the enemy's force that was posted,

amounted
retreated,

my were

to

10,000 men.

and the

On

his

approach they

fort surrendered.

The

found posted in a wood in the front of

the village of Tervanangurry.

Being attacked,

they retreated, having disputed the ground,

was

full

formed

ene-

in front,

and

in the flanks

which

They then

of hedges and mud-banks.

of the

fort of

Trincalore, but the English obliged the fort to

surrender, and totally dispersed them,

of SCO were taken in the

who commanded them,

fort.

Upwards

Moolaub Khan,

retreated to Turuckabad,

to
and

MEMOIRS OP

left it

the next day with about

2000 men and

a considerable sura in specie, and

that place, and the

down

to

fl?d

the

Lieutenant Colonel Hartley advanced to

Gauts.

remains of their army

their arms,

military

and other

considerable

laid

quantity of

were captured, and

stores

in

guns taken from the Tiavanccre

particular the
lines.

The

forts of

Berragurry and Cootahpore in the

Cartanad country,

in the

possession of Tippoo's troops.

now

sent against them,

with 400 prisoners,,

out any

loss.

The

who

whom

fort

opposition, on nearly the

remained

still

in

the

A detachment was

returned in ten days

they 'had taken with-

surrendered with

same terms

as

little

Canna-

nore.

Such was the success of the

which gave

tion?

Tippoo Suhaun

but the

British

arms,

small consterna-

i>o

~hief thin" which

chagrined

this

eabtcrn tyrant, was the capture of

B a u ga-

lore,

and the attending- consequences

an ac-

count of which

Lord Cornwallis gives

following letter addressed

the

to

in

the

Honourable

Court of Directors:

"

shall not trouble

your honourable court

with an explanation of the nature of the incessant exertions, both

of body

and mind, which

are required by the various duties of

situation, nor should I

but that I

now have

am under tW

my

present

alluded to them,

indispensible necessity

^1

TIPPOO SULTACN.

of

myself

a detail of particulars, to limit

and general account of our

cise

ob-

of entering into

this occasion, instead

on

liged,

my being

them, as the cause of

stating-

late

to

a con-

operations,

and of our future intentions,

" Our preparations for the campaign having

been completed

at

Madras, the army marched

from Velhout on the 5th of February, and hav*

ing reached Vellore on the

two days

for the

my

a supply to
tion

that

train

1th,

we

halted there

purpose of drawing from thence

stock of provisions, and an addi-

had been prepared

and of receiving some

the battering

to

stores,

and recover-

men from Arnee.

inc.-

"

I had,,

pr vious to

ployed" every

means

in

my arrival at
my power, to

Vellore,

em-

obtain accu-

rate descriptions of the different passes that lead

into the
ficient

Mysore country

grounds

to

and having seen suf-

be confident that the Moogly

pass could easily be rendered practicable, I turn-

ed

off to the right at Vellore.

and not only as-

cended the pass without much

difficulty,

but,

by having taken a route that Tippoo docs not

seem

to

have expected,

was

also lucky

enough

to advance a considerable distance into his country,

before

it.

was possible

for

him

to give us

the

least obstruction.
c-

The

forts of

Colar and Ouscottah lay

route to Bangalore, and

out resistance

in

our

surrendered to us with-

but, as neither of

them were

in

72

MEMOIRS OF

a tenable condition, nor

at that time

of any va*

lue to us, I left them unoccupied, after disarming

and dismissing

"

their small garrisons.

arrived before Bangalore on the afternoon

of the 5th of March, and on the 6th, the engineers were employed in reconnoitring the place,

both in the morning and in the evening.

On

their latter excursion, Lieutenant Colonel Floyd,

who

escorted them with the whole cavalry, disco-

vered the rear of Tippoo's line of march, apparently in great confusion

fered himself to be

and unfortunately

suf-

tempted by the flattering

prospect of striking an important blow, to deviate from the orders he had received from me,

and

to attack the enemy.

was

His success at

and ardour of the pursuit

great, but the length

threw

his

this state*

first

squadrons into great confusion.

Ir|

they were charged by Tippoo's cavalry,

and being out of the reach of

were obliged

all

support, they

with great precipitation,

to retire

200 men and near 300

and with

the loss of about

horses.

Lieutenant Colonel Floyd received a

very severe
ever

wound

in the face,

from which how-

have the pleasure to add, that he

is

now

perfectly recovered.
Ci

The

ill

success of our examination, the fear

of losing time, and

many

other circumstances,

of which the hopes of obtaining a supply of for-

age was not the

least,

induced

me

to

determine

immediately to attack the fort from the Pettah

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The

side.

Pettah was accordingly assaulted and

carried on the

of the

fort,

morning of the

7th,,

und the siege

which was rendered singularly ardu-

ous, not only

strength of

73

by the

its

scarcity of forage

works and garrison, but

and the

also by the

presence of Tippoo and his whole army, was happily terminated

21st, in

by an assault on the night of the

which the Killedar and a great number

of his garrison were put to the sword, and our

loss in proportion to the nature of the

was extremely inconsiderable.

enterprise

cannot however

help expressing, pn this occasion, rny sincere regret for the death of the brave and valuable of-

Lieutenant Colonel Moorhouse,

ficer

kiiled at the assault

who was

of the Pettah on the 7th of

Marcll.

"

have not yet been able to obtaimcorrect

lists

of the ordnance, or of the different articles

that

were found

and

in the

magazines of the place;

can therefore only say,

in general,

that

there were upwards of 100 serviceable pieces of

ordnance, near 50 of which were brass, a

quantity of grain, and an

larsre

immense depot of mi-

litary stores.

" Although Tippoo approached our

position,

and even cannonaded the camp, both on the 7th

and 17th, yet on these occasions, and on all others
during the sieges, he took his measures with so

much

caution, as put

to force

him

to risk

it

effectually out of

an action

mv power

and on the nisht

74

MEMOIRS OP

of the assault he retired, in great haste, from the

south side of the fortress where he was then post-

upon

ed, immediately

being acquainted with

his

After giving- some repairs to the breaches,

its fall.

making a number of necessary arrangements, and

leaving the train of heavy artillery to be refitted

my

during

absence. I moved from Bangalore on

the 28th. with the design of securing

and

safe

speedy junction with a large body of cavalry that

the

Nizam had promised

to

send me, and of re-

ceiving a reinforcement of troops, and a supply

of provisions and stores which

before ordered to be

way
ing*

of Amboor,

had some time

in readiness to join

patam

me
and

him

f. >r

proceed to the attack of Seringa-

I,

at the

to

that might be

same

manner

tual assistance

communicated

time,

Abercrombv, and

use every exertion

consistent

corps under his

in the

measures

to

intentions to General

rected

me, by the

from the Carnatic, consider-

those as necessary preliminary

enabling

my

in

his

to

prepare himself

that I prescribed, to give

I

power

with the safety of the

command;

when

di-

me

should reach the

effec-

enemy's

capital.

" Tippoo having made a

movement

westward, on the same day that

the neighbourhood of Bangalore,

that

place

I fell in

with

of about eight or nine

his rear at the distance

miles from

to the

marched from

but from

a sufficient body of cavalry,

it

t!'e

want of

was found

ira-

75

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

practicable, after a pursuit of considerable length,

either to bring

him

owing

down, he was obliged

"

My

first

to

carriage breaking

its

upon the road.

to leave

object being to form a junction with

made such movements

the Nizam's cavalry, I

or took such positions as I

ally

knew would

effectu-

prevent Tippoo from intercepting them, or

even from disturbing their march

I

taking one

that of

vantage over him, except

brass gun, which,

or to gain any ad-

to action,

was

but although

point out the

at great pains to

the march to Rajah Teige

Wunt, and

rage him to proceed, the effects of

this

of

to

encou-

my

recom-

mendations and requests were but slow

waste of time, which at

safe'y

and after

season of the

late

year was invaluable^ and which almost exhaust-

ed

my

patience, this junction

was not made

till

the 13th instant.

"

It is

not easy to ascertain the

number of

corps with precision., but I suppose

to fifteen or sixteen thousand horse

they are extremely defective

in

point of military discipline, yet as

in general well-mounted,

and the

amount

to

it

the

and thou oMi

almost every
the

men

are

chiefs have giv-

en me the strongest assurances of their disposition to

do every thing

in their

power

the success of our operations,

hopes that we

shall

to

am

promote
in great

derive material advantage

from their assistance.

" This junction being accomplished,

marched

76

MEMOIRS OP

on

my

to effect

time

next object without loss of

and having arrived

at

my

present

camp on

the '8th, and ordered the most expeditious meas

res to

be taken for transporting the stores from

the head

of

the pass,

march again

to the

ter calling at

Bangalore for

I trust that

commence my

shall

westward on the 22d, and

I shall

find

it

my

heavy

practicable

af-

artillery,

reach

to

Seringapatam before the 12th of next month.

"

No

useful purpose could be

enumerating the

dy encountered

difficulties

in carrying

campaign, and

it

ble

to enlarge

present

which

which

have alrea-

on the operations of

upon the obstacles

our future

foresee to

my

would be eoually unprofita-

this

at

promoted by

progress

they

are however of so weighty a nature, that under

different circumstances I should

undoubtedly act

with more caution, and defer the attempt upon

the enemy's capital

but acquainted as
of political

till

am

affairs in

after

the ensuing rains;

with the unsettled situation

Europe, and knowing that

a procrastinated war would occasion almost certain ruin to

which

your finances,

owe

to

my

station

I consider

and

to

my

disregard the hazard to which mv

reputation

may be exposed

and

it

country, to

own

military

to prosecute

with every species of precaution, that

ment or experience may suggest, the

is most likely to bring the war to an
sion.

as a duty

my judg-

plan

which

early deci-

77

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

re

couraged

same time been the more en-

at the

have

persevere in the execution of

to

ginal intentions, as both the INizam

r^ttas

have of

late

in fulfilling theii

my

ori-

and the Mah-

shown an uncommon

alacrity

engagements, which by the smallof backwardness on

est appearance

our part,

would be immediately cooled, and which I trust

addition,

will in

ally contribute

to

own efforts,
counteract many of
to

advantages which
the

of

risk

our

the

of

the dis-

of the march,

difficulty

scarcity

essenti-

and

provisions

fo-

rage, and the approach of the rainy season, pre-

sent against the 'undertaking

and

if

those ob-

stacles

can be overcome, the capture of Seringa-

patam

will

probably in

its

consequences, fur-

nish an ample reward for our labours.

"

A few

days after our success at Bangalore,

Tippoo repeated
gotiation

for

his propositions to

open a ne-

terminating our differences

but

whether with a sincere desire to obtain peace, or

with the insidious hopes of inciting jealousies in

our

allies,

vances,

is

by inducing
not certain.

was

duct however

our

treaties,

clear

me to listen to his adThe line for my con;

declined in

and conformable
civil

to

and moderate

terms to receive a person of confidence, on his

part, to discuss the separate interests of the

pany

but informed him,

if

com-

he should think pro-

per to make propositions in writing for a general

accommodation with

all

the

members of

the con-

78

MEMOIRS OF

federacy,

should,

after

communication with

the other powers, transmit our joint sentiments

upon them.
"

you

shal refer you entirely to the accounts that

from the different governmeiats,

will receive

of the

details

shall only

of their respective business; and

add, that the personal attention that I

experienced from the members of the su-

preme

b;>ard,

and the zeal which they have mani-

fested

since

ic

left

Calcutta,

good, has given

me

in

promoting the

very particular satis-

fact:
'

The Swallow

ness to be

packet will remain in readi-

dispatched in August, or sooner,

be thought expedient

and

if it

by

shall,

that opportunity, have the honor of writing fully

to you on several of those tubj^cts, on which

must no doubt be anxious

formation.

to receive

you

minute

cannot however conclude

in-

this let-

ter without bearing the most ample testimony

the zeal and alacrity which have been uniformly

manifested by his majesty's and the company's

troops, in the performance of the various duties

of fatigue and danger in the course of this campaign, and assuring you that they are entitled to

the

most distinguished marks of your approba-

tion.

I have the

Camp

honor

to be,

at Venkettigherry,

April 21, 1791.

&c.

CYrnwallis."

79

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Respecting the Killedar, an eld and

soldier of

Tippo' i's, who was

faithful

killed in the contest,

a circumstance occurred which deserves

mentioned as remarkably

to

b$

f the Sul-

illustrative

Lord Cornwallis sent a mes-

taun's character.

sage to the Mysore chief, informing him that the

body of the
the

fort,

sired

Killedar,

should be

The

it.

iC

spot of ground

when he

defence of

was

he

consider/'

if

he de-

truly

mag-

replied,

" that

which the body of a soldier cofalls in

the execution of his duty,

most honorable which can be chosen

as the

The

grave."

his

slain in

Sultaun's answer

nanimous.

vers,

who was

transmitted to him.

ingly had

him

British

for

commander accord-

interred in that spot, with

all

mili-

tary honors.

Several manoeuvres had been practised by Tippoo's generals

were
troops,

some
air.

with

continually

adroitness

driven

which had the desired

into

confusion,

wild bullocks

among
effect

the

English

of throwing

and tossing others

in the

80

MEMOIRS OF

CHAP.

VIL

Tippoo' s unwarrantable measures of cruelty

Assassination of three European prisoners

Story

of Hamilton

Inhuman murder

Proceedings of each army

suul Alarming

Tippoo

state of the

pur-

bullocks Lord

Cornicallis s mortifying retreat

Tippoo at'

Union of the British

and Mahratta forces Gallantry of the Killedar of Maddore Termination of the

tempts a negociation

se-

cond campaign.

Disappointment and vexation nov prompted

Tippoo
Piqurd

10
at

unwarrantable mea ures of cruelty.

bold

ihe

r
p oceedings and

Lord Corn\valli% and

in

success of

order to piev-nt cer-

tain discoveries, this vindictive chief ordered the

anamination of three prisoners who had been

for

some time

at Oussore.

in close

custody in his dungeon

His conduct

been attributed

to

in this

of revenge after his

spirit

recent losses at Bangalore

ginated in motives of policv.

edly

instance has

but probably

He had

it

ori-

repeat-

and solemnly declared that no Europeans

were retained against

nions.

When

their will

in

his

therefore the tide of his

domiaffairs

was rapidly turning against him, he seems

have adopted

this

barbarous measure simply to

prevent the discovery of his

treachery.

to

own

falsehood and

81

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

One
was an

of these unfortunate prisoners, Hamilton,

He

officer in the British navy.

despaired

of freedom, and had contracted an intimacy with

whom

a female of Mysore, by

he had a family:

having- happily acquired a thorough

knowledge of

he

maintenance

their language,

for their

toiled

in the capacity of a carpenter.

When

for their execution came, the killedar

the order

was suppli-

cated by the surrounding people to spare the poor

wretches

lives.

ded hard

in his behalf;

children

Hamilton's distrest family pleathe tears of his wife

and

now prevailed, and he was given to their

The 'other two were beheaded with,

entreaties.

the sabre, and their heads severed at one blow.

On

the capture of Bangalore, the order for

milton's death
all

supplication

was repeated

ineffectual

he took leave of

their distracted

weeping mother

now was

his children

then,

Haand

submit-

ting himself to the executioner's stroke, suffered

with unparalleled fortitude.

a desire
for his

to

through

situation, the executioner

so dexterous as before, for he repeated

the blow before he cut of his head

It

either

double his sufferings, or through pity

more lamentable

was not

But

was Lord Cornw allis's intention

to

march im-

mediately to Seringapatam, after the important

fortress of

Bangalore was completely subdued;

but his lordship prudently deferred

measure,

till

this favourite

he had formed a junction with the

Nizam's cavalry, which, as

his letter demonstrates,

82

MEMOIRS Ot

occasioned

much

He had

delay.

also

been pro-

mised a supply of provisions, by some northern

Poligars,

who had

allegiance

was

to

revolted from

recently

the SuJtaun

at

their

the same time he

also in expectation of receiving further sup-

plies

which he had ordered from

such objects in view, he

left

Wnh

arpor.

Ban junior-, aid

inarching to the north, had the good fortune to

succeed

in all his wishes.

ed him with

all

he stood

The
in

Polisars furnish*

need

of,

bu

were

afterwards severely punished bv Tippoo for their

treachery.

At the edge of the Gauts he met

With the party from Caroor, who, besides an additional supply of provisions, brought

him a rein-

forcement of 700 European, and 4,500 native

troops.

ed

to

Thus crowned

with success, he return-

Bangalore.

While the main army was thus honorably em*

ploved, General Abercrombv was marching towards Mysore, with the hope of sharing the honors of the war.

He

reached Poodicherrum pass,

opposite to Cannanore
directed to remain

till

(March

1),

where he was

further orders.

Being de-

sired to quit that situation, he proceeded

immedi-

ately to Periapatam, about three miles distance

from Seringapatam.
His lordship having arranged every thing to
his mind, set forward

on

hi-,

against the Sultaun's capital.

expedition

The

(May

3)

roads through

"Which he pa-sed were in seveial places deep ami

83

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

rugged, and had

been

rendered considerably

worse than usual by the

of an immoderate

fall

season was quite

quantify of rain, which at this

unexpected.

After

fatiguing

wade through great

ten days, being" obliged to

many

waters and encounter

difficulties,

ed at length at Arakeery, which

Seringapatam about nine

march, during

is

he arriv-

distant

from

miles.

Tippoo, who had been already four days at

was from

his capita],

march
b

and

ilt,

sition

it.

which that town,

on

The

approach to the po-

direct

which was thus occupied on the side of

Arakeery, was through a very narrow valley,

of swamps and ravines.

by

this

full

His lordship, deterred

making an attack

circumstance from

this direction,

determined

hope of surprising Tippoo

in

conduct his troops

to

by a circuitous route round the

least

is

of a strong post in

possession

to taice

the front of

situation perceived to

this

out of the sland

in

hills,

his

with

the

camp, or at

procuring more equal ground for a contest.

This hazardous expedition was undertaken at

eleven o'clock at night

and stormy, and

tiie

when

it

was so very dark

roads almost inaccessible,

that at day break he found to his great mortification he

had made but a short progress.

pushed on

in

Still

he

profound silence, much disappoint-

ed, but not dispirited; and actually arrived within three miles of the
least

alarm was given.

enemy's camp, before the

His near approach being

84

MEMOIRS OF

was immediately put

to occupy

enemy

a large body of the

at length perceived,

in

motion, and dispatched

some high ground, commanding a deep

ravine, through

which he was

still

under the ne-

Unfortunately this spot wa9

cessity of passing.

seized at the very time that 'the British

were descending on the other

ravine.

from the

full

at- last

the troops

after a delav

two hours, formed on the other side of the

and were during

ravine,

posed

towards the

side

Some guns were now brought to bear

height, which for a while damped the

British ardour

of

troops

enemy's

the

to

that time dreadfully ex-

Indeed their lines

fire.

must have been greatly discomposed, had

been

for

a rocky eminence which happily afford-

ed them some
It

shelter.

was deemed expedient, before any

be

tion could

enemy from

who

with one column of

army then

dows, with the

front.

exertions

and the action

left

flank

line

under

Colonel Floyd with

his

while General Me-*

command, attacked

Tippoo, notwithstanding
in

spirit,

Colonel Maxwell pressed the

general.

the

followed,

the cavalry on the right

in

much

became master of the eminence,

that he soon

enemy on

the

Colonel Maxwell was

the height.

the army pushed forward with so

the whole

disposi-

testified for action, to dislodge

appointed to this task,

became

not

it

the

und was pursued

field,

until

was obliged

his

personal

to give

way,

he took refuge under the

S5

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Lord Cornwallis,

batteries of the island.

after

encamped on the very spot

tips fortunate action,

where the contest had terminated.

Now

it

was expected

concerted for the reduction

But

Ills

lordship Thought

enterprise,

this

until

it

of

Seringapatam.

prudent

to defer

still

he could form a junction

with General Abercromby,

apatam waiting

would be

that measures

for orders.

who was then

He deemed

at Periit

expe-

dient to

have an army capable of keeping the

Sultaun

check on the southern side of the island,

in

while he forced his passage over

He imagined that

the northern side.

withoutsuch

he might have been exposed^ in at-

assistance

tempting the passage, to a cross

strong

Cavery on

the

fort

not very distant from

from a

fire

the ford over

which the passage might have been forced, and

from the main army of the enemy, which
have

taken

otherwise

for such

favourable

After a halt

design.

he forsook with

this

marched the army

to

might

position

two

of

days

view his new post, and

Kanambaddy.

On

ac-

count of the weak state of the bullocks, they

only advanced

seven

twelve the second.

the

first

day,

and

condition of these use-

now minutely examined; and

that their number was alarmingly

animals was

ful
it

miles

The

was

foun^i

diminished, and that several of those which were

still

living

were almost incapable

of

service,

through the extreme fatigue which they had en'

MEMOIRS OP

V&

dared, but more particularly an epidemical disortrjat

had

lately

broken out among them.

It

likewise appeared that the stock of provisions in

hand was inadequate

tion of the

be

army

These

probable consump-

for a longer period than

wo

del

them back to Bangalore.

take

to

sufficient

to the

circumstances obliged his lordship

galling;

to relinquish the fair prospect in view, and aban-

don

for the present a

ed within

bis grasp.

patched orders

to

wish that

.He

now

almost seem-

therefore instantly dis-

General Abercromby to return

to the Malabar Coast.

Accordingly that general

but with great reluctance

left

Peiiapatam, where

he had been only four days and

back towards

fell

the western Gauts, after having destroyed a part

of the battering train which had been

for the siege of

May

26th

destined

Seringapatam.

his lordship

commenced

his morti-

fying retreat, but had scarcely proceeded six miles

from Kanambaddy Fort, when a party of strange

horse unexpectedly rode in on the baggage flank.

They were supposed

the great joy
to

at first to

be enemies, but to

and surprise of the army, proved

be the advanced guard of a powerful Mahratta

possible speed

force,

which was marching with

to

support of the British troops.

(lie

all

This force

consisted of two considerable armies; one under

the

command

of

Purseram Bhow

Mahratta warrior) amounting

foot,

to

(a celebrated

20,000 horse and

with two battalions of Sepoys

the other

87

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Bramin of the highest rank,

linder

Hurry Punt,

to the

number of about 12,000 men.

Tippoo, previous

a.

to the actual junction of the

attempted to open a negociation

confederates,

with Lord Corn\yallis.

He

sent for this purpose

a numerous retinue of servants with large presents and letters: hut

his lordship declined

acceptance of the former, and answered

in

terms to the proposition

Ho step of

ratta

this

the

forces,

m gociaallies,

kind could be taken.

British army, united with the

were no longer

of provisions.

city

opening

without the concurrence of the

tion, that

Now

for

the

general

But

it

in

dread of a scar-

was too

late

make any attempt upon Seringa patam,

heavy guns had been destroyed when the
was determined

Mah-

the periodical rains

now
as

io

the

retreat

were

al-

and moreover General Abercromby

had already descended the Gauts. This enter-

so setting

was therefore relinquished

prise

and

it

the

in,

was resolved

head-quarters,

in the

for the present,

mean time

to establish

during the monsoon, in the

neighbourhood of Bangalore, that supplies might

be there collected for more effectual operations
against Seringapatam

when

the

season

would

permit; and that the confederate forces, by carrying the war into the northern
sore,

might

in

districts

some degree, during the

subsist at the expence of the

enemy.

of

My-

interim,

83

MEMOIRS OF

They

found, on their return to Bangalore that

the fort of

Maddore was taken and

destroyed.

The gallant killedar of Outradroog was summoned,

but returned the following noble answer, " That

he had eaten Tippoo's salt" (meaning- that he had

received his pay) " for twenty years, and was resolved not to surrender the fort entrusted to his
care,

till

Seringapatam

itself

was captured." Sa-

vendroog was next reconnoitred, but not invested.

separation took place at this time in the

bined armies

Lord Cornwallis, with Hurry Punt

and the Nizam's cavalry proceeded

while Purseram

towards Sera.

com-

to

Bangalore,

Bhow marched to the north-west,

And thus, what may be termed

the second campaign of the war, terminated.

89

TlfrPOO iULTAUN.

G H A

P.

VIII.

Preparations for another campaign

nal found relative

to the

unfortunate prison-

Tippoo attempts another

ers

The ambassador dismissed,

of the

allies

Capture

Tippoo'

noeuvres
Recovers by
Nundry-doog

Coimbetore Refuses

A jour-

ftegociation

to the satisfaction

and description of
enterprises and maa

second

to ratify

attempt

terms of
capitulation, and orders the English troops
to be

brought as priso?iers

Depredations

of Death

to

the

Seringapata?n

I)escription of the

Rock

Various successes of the different

parlies- Final junction and arrival of the
allied armies near Tippoo' s capital.

.His Lordship on
not

liis

arrival at

Bangalore, did

remain inactive during- the rainy season,

but constantly turned

all

his thoughts to hasten

and secure the necessary preparations

for

com-

mencing- the next campaign with increased vigour.

His first object was to open a communication

with the Carnatic.

The Muglu

pass

through which he had penetrated into

Mysore,
was thoughtless adapted to this purpose than
that
of Policode.

He therefore

determined on imme-

90

MEMOIRS Of

reducing the forts which might oppose

diately

the passage of the convoys;

advancing by

route from the Carnatic to Bangalore.

of this

prosecution

he

plan,

set

this

For the
towards

out

Oussore, (July 15) through a country in high cultivation,

which had been hitherto exempt from

The enemy-

the calamities of war.

at his ap-

but had not time to

proach evacuated the

fort,

carry off all the stores.

A journal

was here found,

which corroborated the story of the three unfortunate Enlish prisoners

The

inhabitants

much

simplicity

graves,

their

and

who

the preceding chapter.

in

told the

piteous tale

with

and compassion, pointed out

curiosity being excited,

they

were opened, and the headless trunks of the

poor wretches discovered, who from their hair

and

clothes

Hence
which
that

his

were evidently Europeans.

Lordiship proceeded to Ravacottah,

after a slight resistance to the

was sent against

it,

detachment

immediately at the ap-

proach of the main army surrendered.

This Mas

followed by the reduction of all the hill-forts in

the neighbourhood of

t'ie

Policode pass,

chittydurgam, Neelagheri, Itutnagheri,

durgam, and Chinraydurgam.

An-

Oodea-

Three of these

were destroyed, and only Anchittydurgam, and

Oodeadurgarn kept and garrisoned.

For some time the army continued in the neighbourhood of Oussore,

which was

in

order to cover a convoy,

daily expected

from the Carnatic, and

91

TIFPOO SULTAUN.

\
which arrived

in perfect safety,

(August 10) and

brought a supply pf one hundred elephants, and

thousand hullocks

six

laden with rice.

Tippoo, before the army moved from

this posi-

made another unsuccessful attempt

tion,

gociation.

at a

ne-

Being" distressed on every side,

and

probably despairing of effectually creating a jea-

among the members of the confederacy,

it was now understood that he consented to treat

lousy

with the

allies as well as

the

British government.

His ambassador was by birth a Mahratta, but so

from being acceptable to his countrymen,

far

that

Lord Cornwallis* was obliged

guard

to

protect

him from

to give

resentment.

their

Previous to a declaration of his

master's sen-

timents on the object of his mission,

certain conditions with respect to
his

reception, with which

it

him a

he proposed
forms of

the

was judged highly

improper to comply i but not being instructed to

dispense with the observation of such forms, he
declined entering into any negociation whatever,

and much

to the

satisfaction of the allies,

was,

in consequence, immediately dismissed.

Now,

as the

communication with the Carnatic

was opened and rendered secure,

his

lordship

next resolved to establish a communication with

the country of the Nizam, from whence important supplies might also be procured.
cipal forts

try

which were situated between

The

prin-

this

coun-

and Bangalore were Raymanghur, Ambagee-

93

MEMOIRS OF

Durgum, Chittum-Cottha, Nundry-doog and Ca

Jarum-Conda.

September

14,

a detachment, under Major

was dispatched upon

die,

Gowr
R^v-

service.

this

manghur made some

resistance, but

at

a vigorous assault of a few

discretion, after

Ambagee-Durgum and

hours.

submitted on the

Nundry-doog atforded a wider

of British yalour.

and

sive district,

This
is

is

Chitttim Cottha

The

summons.

first

surrendered

field for

capture of
the display

a capital of an

exten-

seated on the summit of a lofty

mountain, at least 1,700 feet high, accessible only

on one

side,

where two walls andau outwork had

been erected for

Against

this

formidable

the distance of his batteries,

much

first

Not

attempt.

disappointed at the

he had been able

mined

to

to

toil

object,

little

success attend-

upon

and hazard,

impression

iittie

it

at this

moment

neral

Medows

winch

it.

itself,

was practicable, and

After \\

days

to surrender.

but

stiil

the

on
e-

in<

he completed

at length

and breached the walls

mandant refused

though

discouraged,

ascend the rugged mountain

rect his batteries

t

consequence of

In

make, he immediately deter-

the only side by which

by

Major Gowdie with but a handful of

men, intrepidly advanced.

ed his

strengthened

fort,

garrisoned with some of Tippoo's

new works, and

best troops,

protection.

iis

his

com-

Lord Cornwaliis

sent a reinforcement under geto

make an

assault,

it*

neces-

TIPP00 SULTAUN,

sary: while the whole

within four

army moved

miles of the

ing

resolved,

fore

the

some

fort.

person,

on

troops advanced

dangerous enterprize,

An

a post

to

assault be-

immediately

be-

this

and

difficult

observed that a mine was

supposed to be near the breach. General

dows

with

which few

spirit

and

really there,

it

" that

could have

if

a mine was

and

could only be a mine of gold/'

rushed without delay to the breach.

ants were terribly annoyed, not so
fire

of mind,

presence

in similar circumstances

displayed, replied instantly,

Me-

The

assail-

much by

the

of the garrison, as by immense fragments of

stones which were rolled from the summit of the

hill,

and perpetually bounding from the

came down with an impetuosity, hardly

Yet in spite of every obstacle,
ceived.
were

at length carried.

solid rock,

to

be con-

the works

This capture occasioned

the surrender of the remaining fort Calarum- Conda, without opposition.

In the

tempted

mean
to

time, the unfortunate Sultaun at-

regain what he had formerly lost in

the southern districts of his dominions.

very

inconsiderable force was stationed in Coimbetore,

under the command of

Lieutenant Chalmers.

Tippoo accordingly directed his views

and

flattered himself that

to this point,

he might happily reco-

ver at least one of the rich gems, which had been

lately ravished

from the Mysorean empire.

He

dispatched therefore, immediately after the retreat

MEMOIRS OF

91;

of the British army from Seringapatam, a small

bo^y of troops

to

Coimbetore, which, after a

fruitless

attempt to storm the

back

the very

and

to

fort,

were driven

confines of Mysore,

with loss

di?s:race.

Tippoo, notwithstanding, did not abandon the

As soon

enterprize.

gave him

leisure.,

as the care of his convoys

(which was not until the month

of October) he sent Cummer-ud-Deen Cawn, his

second in command, with a far superior force

at

the same time enjoining that General, after his

descent into the low country, to dispatch immediately a

detachment to Kistnaghcry, in the Barra-

maul, the only place of any consequence which

he retained between Bangalore and the Carnatic.

By

this

manoeuvre, he hoped to intercept the

British convoys,

which would scarcely expect

to

find an enemy advancing against them by so

circuitous a route.

His

general,

Cummer-ud-Deen

peared before Coimbetore,

M jor

vigorous siege.
tioned

with

soon

ap-

and commenced a

Cuppage, who was

sta-

small force at Palacautcherry,

advanced immediately to the

relief of the fort,

but finding he was not able to cope with so superior an enemy,

should be cut

Cawn,

fell

and dreading

off if

lest

he ventured

back again

his

retreat

to attack

to Palacautcherry.

the

Now

with redoubled ardour the siege was pressed, un-

05

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

til

Lieutenant Chalmers, deprived of

hopes of

all

agreed to capitulate.

relief,

The

of

terms

capitulation

were,

that the

garrison should march out of the fort with the

honors of war, and should be immediately sent

to

Palacautcherry, with

permission

going

of

from thence to the Carnatic, en their parole,

where they were

As

to

remain during the war.

soon, however, as the

on of the

fort,

Cawn

took possessi-

he informed Lieutenant Chalmers,

that the terms of the capitulation could not be valid, till ratified

by Tippoo Sultaun.

refused to do.

arrtl

ordered the prisoners,

Lieutenants Chalmers and

to

This Tippoo

The

Seringapatam.

Nash,

to

with

be brought

detachment, principally

consisting of light horse,

which the

dispatched to the Barramaul,

not

Cawn bad
finding the

convoys which the Suitaun hoped to intercept,

When

Lord

Cornwallis heard of these depredations, he

sent

plundered and ravaged the country.

Colonel Maxwell to

oppose them.

rendezvous of the enemy, was a strong

called Ponagra,

which the colonel assaulted, cap-

and blew up.

tured,

maul

The chief
mud fort,

to the south,

Having scoured the Barra-

he proceeded against Kistna-

ghery, which contains two forts and a pettah.

His

object seemed to be to destroy the lower fort and

pettah
night.
fort,

with

The

this

view

it

was assaulted

garrison instantly fled to the

where a party of the

assailants

in

the

upper

rashly ve^-

96

MEMOIRS OP

lured to follow them, but were repulsed with corn

siderahle

The

loss.

lower fort and the Pettah

were now destroyed, and Colonel Maxwell having

executed his orders in the Barramaul, returned
to the main army.

Lord Cornwallis thus successful

ter be^m

now

in every quar-

think more seriously

to

But

object of this campaign.

of the

prevent

to

necessity of a second retreat, in the very

victory,

plies,

he

first

from a possible deficiency of sup-

determined to attempt the reduc-

tion of the forts situated in the country

Bangalore and Seringapatam

former of these

ture and art, that

It

ble.

is

built

it

is

between

*he most impor-

and Outradroog.

tant of which were Savendroog

The

mo-

so well fortified by na-

has been thought impregna-

on an immense rock, arising to

the perpendicular height of a mile from a base,

which

is

said to be nine or ten miles in circum-

ference.
tl

It is

many

secured on every side by

k and well disposed walls and barriers, which

seem

approach

to defy all idea of hostile

the summit of the rock, which

deep chasm,

is

is

crowned with two

while

separated by a

distinct citadels,

capable of affording shelter to the garrison,

driven from the lower works.

the surroun ding country

is

The

atmosphere of

conceived to be ex-

tremely unwholesome, and that from

stance,

it

derived the

signifies the

name

if

this

circum-

of Savendroog, which

Rock of Death.

97

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The detachment

sent against this formidable

(December 10) was under

fortress,

the

command

He was

of Lieutenant Colonel Stuart.

support-

ed by the main army encamped in the neigh-

The

bourhood.

artillery

was dragged through

woods and up precipices with incredible toil and

perseverance,, before batteries could be erected
At

with any prospect of success.

this la-

last,

bour being ended, the batteries soon began to

open, and in a few days effected a breach.

commenced
difficulty

Then

the assault, and notwithstanding the

of the enterprize,

it

was crowned with

most extraordinary success.

The

lower works were carried without opposi-

and so great was the consternation of the

garrison, that they abandoned at the same time

tion,

the fortification on the eastern

mountain,

summit.

all

summit of the

crouding to that on the western

Their ruin was occasioned by

this cir-

cumstance: for the steepness and ruggedness of

~the rock in this part,
that a

so

retarded

the fugitives,

body of our troops found means

the gates of the western

hill

to enter

with them, and thus

became complete masters of both submits.

In

this assault the English did not lose a

al-

though the enemy

killed

left

and wounded, on the rock.

Colonel

Stuart

now proceeded from Saven-

droog against Outradoog, which

treat

man,

almost three hundred,

was

ineffectually

summoned.

in the late

The

re-

Killedar

98

MEMOIRS OP

refused a second time to surrender, and even

ed on the
all

flag of truce as

advanced, to prevent

it

However, the garri-

kind of communication.

son seemed

inclined to support his efforts,

little

and deserted

in considerable

The

numbers.

was stormed, and carried without any

privateers

only

Killedar also

fiiv

being

slightly

was taken

loss,

fort

two

The

wounded.

prisoner.

While Colonel Stuart was employed in reducing

Outradoog, a small detachment was dispatched

Kam

against

and Sheria Gurry,

Gurry.,

both

which were captured; the former having made

but a slight opposition, and the

fatter

having sur-

rendered at discretion.

There

is little

the armies

importance in the proceedings of

of the

Nizam and Mahrattas. which

rated from his

of Curramcondah from

employed

in

A ucust

November, when

to

the siege

moving from
Cornwallis

for

it

succeeded

that neighbourhood,

the

in

car-

However, the main armv

fort.

protection

convoys, there were only

left at

The Nizam's was

rdship.

tojoin

Lord

of the Carnatic

a small body of troops

Gurramcondah, which were suddenly

tacked and defeated by Hyder Saib,

taim's eldest illegitimate son.

On

the

the

Sul-

return of

the main army, the lower fort

<ed,

final

which terminated
junction with

its

operations under the

Lord CbrnwaHis.

99

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The

Mahrattas

coopy, a

hill fort

attempt was upon Kin-

first

about eighteen miles from Chit-

which was attended with no success.

tledroog,

As the country west of Chittledroog and Chinroypatam, including the

and

Man galore, was

fertile

almost the only part of the

dominions

Sultaun's

provinces of Bidenore

had

that

smarted

not

under tne scourge of war, he had

a considerable force

there, for

the purpose

draw from

Purseram

that quarter.

Bhow, notwithstanding

this

of

might Una ne-

protecting the supplies which he

cessary to

stationed

was

circumstance,

determined to advance against Simoga and

forts

on the river Turn and Badra.

Hooly Or.

and Bankapoor were subdued without much

culty,

diffi-

but on approaching Simoga, he found a

Mysorean army encamped before

it

strength than had been imagined.

Still

tured to attack
tulating,

much

ihe"

it,

of greater

he ven-

and^the fort shortly after

was completely

victorious.

capi-

He was

indebted for this extraordinary success, to

the good conduct of Captain Little, and the

lantry of three

Bombay

battalions under his

gal-

com-

mand.

Thus

successful, the

Bhow

Bidenore, but here he found

Cawn

already posted,

turned

with an army capable of

stopping his triumphant progress.

doning

this

new

towards

Cummer-ud Deen

project, as

it

Wisely aban-

would have been

too hazardous to try his strength with the

Cawn,

100

lie

Memoirs of

proposed to return, and form a junction with

General Abercromby agreeable to a pre-concer-

ted plan

Thus

was too

unfortunately^ he

but

late.

Bidenore was not only un-

his expedition to

productive of advantage, but rather tending to

disadvantage, as

it

his co-operation,

and where

deprived the allied troops of

where

it

had been promised,

might be of considerable

his strength

service.

His Lordship had placed much

upon

dependence

the Bhow*s crossing the Cavery in time to

join General Abercromby, and the disappoint-

make

ment obliged him

to

his original plan,

though the ready

shewn b} Azeem
ter)

upon

ul

Omrah

it

alterations in

Nizam's minis-

(the

would be necessary.

His Lordship was encamped

when he was joined by

the

upon a larger

at Outradoog,

the Nizam's forces.

and reinforcements

supplies

scale than

in former wars,

cheerfulness

gave him hope that no

his junction

great deviation from

several

All

which were

any that had been sent

were now

arrived.

After

some

military parade in exhibiting the British line to

the Indian chiefs,

who appeared

by so novel a sight; the

a second time on

allied

highly gratified

armies proceeded

their expedition

to

the capital,

in the neighbourhood of which they arrived (Fe-

bruary

1,

1792) on the

and without the

fifth clay

least opposition

of their march,

from the enemy.

101

tiPPOO SULTAUN.

CHAP.
Commencement of the

third

IX.

consequences of nocturnal

of the divided parties

ment

His

General
attacks Meeting

campaign

Tippoo's

embarrass*

perseverance and fortitude

His

unsuccessful attempts, and consequent morti-

Tries for an immediate peace, and

His duplicity
releases the captive

fication

officers

He

meditates in the

mean

the death

time,

of Lord Cornwallis His commissioned assassins disappointed,

and make

their escape with

precipitation Negotiation for peace opened

continue with slaughter Siege
commences Orders issued for
terminatiHostilities still

its

on Terms of Peace The humbled Tivpoo

submits His two sons delivered up as hostages Their reception Behaviour Dress,
Definitive treaty settled Lord Corn-

fyc.

wallis s attention to the

Princes Character

of Abdal Khalic.

JLord

Cornwallis the very day after his arrival,

determined upon an immediate

Snltaun's

fortified

camp.

attack

As soon

were dismissed from the eveningders

were

assault the

immediately

same

evening-.

issued

for

on the

as the troops

parade,

or-

general

Every thing was

in

J 03

MEMOIRS OF

readiness

by half

commenced

their

after

march

and the troops

eight,

in

profound

silence.

They

advanced in three divisions; the right commanded

by General Medows, the centre by Loid Cornwallis in person

and

and assisted by Colonel Stewart,

by Colonel Maxwell.

the left

Lieutenant Colonels

were attached
Stuart and

to

Knox

Nesbitt

the right, Lieutenant Colonels

to

and Lieutenant

the centre,

Colonel Baird to the

The

Cockerell and

lefr.

appeared under the greatest asto-

allies

nishment and consternation, when they observed

Lord Cornwallis venture

his

person in

the

all

dangers and uncertainties with which a nocturnal expedition seemed pregnant, but likewise order

out his troops without cannon, on so formidable

an enterprize.

The enemy
centre

division,

a body of
rockets,

who

Mysorean

and

to disturb the
it

received the

first

alarm from the

unexpectedly
horse,

fell

proceeding with

other implements of Indian

camp of

the allies;

had arrived within a

short distance of the

it

soon en-

tered the enemy's lines, under a heavy but

fire.

war,

but not until

Pressing on rapidly,

bound hedge.

reeled

with

in

The Mysoreans

fled

ill

on every

side,

ignorant of the numbers, and dreading the bayonets of their assailants.

/The

front column of this division, which

been ordered,

if possible,

to

cross

had

the Cavery

mPPOO SULTAUN.
wi :.h the

fugitives,,

105

executed

fully

in consequence of the confusion

its

and hurry which

generalh attend nocturnal attacks,

mand

reached the river put

itself

it

separated

The

unintentionally into three parties.

ty '.hat

orders, but

first

par-

under the com-

of Captain Monsbn, as senior

officer,

and

crossed a ford near the East angle of the fort.

Immediately on gaining- the

son pushed for the fort

was unfortunately

shut,

island.

Mon-

Captain

but the eastern gate

and the bridge drawn

up.

Disappointed in his hope of surprising the

fort,

he passed on through the middle of the

island,

until

he arrived at the other side of

it,

taking post partly on a bridge over a canal, and

partly at a redoubt, which protected the southern
ford.

The

second party of

this divided

commanded by Colonel Knox, who

column was
crossed the

ford in a few minutes after the preceding party;

but arriving to the island, turned

to the left, in

contrary direction to the route of Captain

iached without

son

Mon-

much impediment,

the

pettah of Shahir Ganjam, which he found aban-

doned by the enemy.

en

at.

He was now near the preat

the western point

or*

the island.

la

vain he waited here to be joined by the other

his

column, which, as

a different quarter.
at

the ford

observed, was in

Hearing; at length a

firing*

near the great garden, which he

d might be that of the enemy,

IC4

MEMOIRS OF

disputing the passage of the Cavery with Colonel

he instantly dispatched some

swell's division,

troops to that quarter,

in

flank,,

who

taking the Mysoreaua

quickly dispersed them, and thus secured

an easy passage for the Colonel.

The third party of the same column under the

command of Captain. Hunter, came to the Cavery
rot long after Col.

Knox had reached

but missing- the regular

ford, crossed

immediate-

Dowlet Bang,

ly opposite the Rajah's garden, or

of which

it

the island,

As he

he took possession.

did

not

suppose that any of the others had gained the

island before him,

he judged

it

best to wait in

the situation he then occupied, until the remain-

der of the column should arrive, or until he could

learn with certainty,

where

his assistance

would

be most necessary. He was, however,

covered by the enemy, who apprized of

his small

number, came with a considerable

and even

some cannon,

to

force,

bear upon the garden.

soon dis-

Finding

therefore that his position would not be long tenable, particularly

towards day-light, be recrossed

the Cavery, under a heavy

fire,

and very

nately at this critical period, joined

fortu-

Lord Corn-

wallis.

While

success thus attended in various parts

the front

column of the centre

division,

the

middle one commanded by Colonel Stuart, immediately after passing the bound-hedge,
to the

left,

and routed

the

right

moved

wing of the

105

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Colonel Stuart then advanced to Tip-

enemy.

poo's redoubt, which he found abandoned.

proceeding- to the

Still

he crossed the Cavery, at

left,

Maxwell had just

the very ford which Colonel

passed, and arriving on the

island,

joined both

Colonel Maxwell's and Colonel Knox's parties;

taking as senior

officer,

command

the

Monson, likewise a

Captain

little

befoie day-

on the southern side of

light, quitted his position

the island, and marched to the

The

of the whole.

same pot.

rear column of the centre division, under

the immediate

command

of Lord Corhwallis, took

post at the Sultaun's redoubt, after Colonel Stuart

had

left

waiting for hours with extreme anxiety,

it,

but in vain, for a junction with General Medovvs.

When
his

Captain Hunter joined his

troops

cartridges,

had scarcely time to replace their

which had been damaged

recrossing the

with great fury.

before

Cavery,

body of the enemy

rallied

Though

they again advanced

finally

Lordship,

repulsed,

till

in

their

considerable

and began an attack

repeatedly driven back,

to the charge,

the day

and were not

was nearly broken.

His Lordship then quitted his post, and retreated

towards the Pagoda

Hill.

In this attack a mus-

quet-ball grazed his Lordship's left hand.

In the mean time, General

Medows

with the

ri^ht division passed the bound-hedge, without

opposition.

The

officer

of the front column,

who was

at the

not finding any

head

enemy

MEMOIRS OF

1C6

in his

way, but perceiving on the right a strong

Mosque

redoubt, called the Eadgah, or

immediate!/ wheeled

The

by the

their danger,

viously heard in
for their

who

of

apprized

which they had pre-

Severe, and indeed for

was the

at length carried,

column,

firing

been

it.

ether 'quarters, were prepared

d fence.

time, doubtful

column towards

his

having

Mvsoreans,

redoubt,

conflict

but the post was

by the persevering

driving the

some

enemy from

spirit

of the

the redoubt,

forced them upon the bayonets of the main

body

of the division, which was by this time formed by

General Medows, to support the

changed

general having secured this post,

and marched rapidly

route,

The

assault.

to the

his

eastward to

join Lord Cornwallis. as had been previously a-

greed

but in hope of avoiding some swampy

ground, he unluckily made a greater circuit than

he intended- and crossing the track by which the

centre division had advanced, without observing
at length arrived to the

surprize and vexation.

Pagoda

Hill, to his

He was

it,

great

joined here at

day-break by his Lordship.

The

left

commanded by Colonel

division,

Maxwell, which was ordered

doubt on the Pagoda
the alarm became

camp.

arrived

general

in

This strong and important

with a very
sition*

Hill,

to attack the re-

trifling loss,

and

there before

the
fort

Sultauii'a

was taken

after a slight

However., in descending the

hill,

oppoin or-

107

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

ag-ainst the right of

der to proceed

Tippoo's

line,

the troops were considerably galled by the ene-

my's

lire

bnt having formed at

on the plain,

last

they soon succeeded in turning the Sultaun's flank,

at the very

moment

that the centre division pres-

The enemy now

sed him in front.

giving way,

Colonel Maxwell proceeded to the ford, and gain-

ed the

observed, he

as before

where,

island,

joined the other parties.

when

Tippoo,

estimate his losses.

Driven from

camp and only sharing

adversaries,

his

most alarming
let

the

his

his

fortified

island itself with

he found himself reduced

He

situation.

despondency overcome

waste

began to

day-light appeared,

his

to

did not, however,

spirits

he did not

time with fruitless complaints, but im-

mediately endeavoured to retrieve the misfortunes

of the night, with perseverance and fortitude.

His

first

who was

attempt was against Colonel Stuart,

in possession of the

western extremity of the

him

too securely posted

Abandoning

Laul Bang, at the

island,

to

therefore the

be

but he found

easily

idea,

removed.

he next

dis-

patched a body of troops to retake the redoubt

on the northern

side of the Cavery,

(called the

Sultaun's redoubt) where only a party of about

one hundred and

fifty

men had been

column, by Lord Cornwallis, on

night.

The guns

of the

in reach, opened upon

fort,

it

its

left

by the

retreat at

which were with-

in the morning,

and

10$

MEMOIRS 0

soon cleared the gor^e of the redoubt, which wa

much exposed towards

The My so-

the island.

reans then advanced to the assault, but were re-

pulsed with considerable

The day grew

loss.

extremely hot, and no water could be procured

who were

for those

and

sinking-

dying" with thirst

advancing",

dreaded

and
for

second

of cartridges, almost
in

all

deficiency

of which had been ex-

in

Two

No

night.

of resistance thus

providentially procured, than another

commenced, but

and more

to as little pur-

The enemy approached

pose as the former.

ble, this

bul-

the ditch, whither they

new means

third time, with the

of

entertained

had accidentally wandered dining the

furious attack

much

moment, laden with ammu-

were observed

sooner were these

be

to

was

the preceding conquest.

locks, at this critical

nition,

hope was

little

seemed

attack

opposing them, from

effectually

pended

fresh troops

under their wounds,

hope of recovering,

possi-

if

important station; but they were driven

back as before, and the victorious English

still

retained their position.

Tippoo, now mortified at the inefficacy of every

attempt to regain what he had
his forces

lost,

withdrew

all

from the northern side of the island,

and prepared with unremitting fatigue

defence of the

fort,

quence he retained

for the

almost the only place of consein his extensive empire.

The

Tl?OG

stfLTAfilN.

'|5v

ground on which he had been

lately en camped,

the allied armies immediately after occupied.

The Sukaun,
cularly as

perilous situation, parti-

in this

some of

the most capable of the

French-

who had been

long- in

foreigners

'nic

his service nov

lie s, felt the

tained

necessity

shadow of

ed

his

negotiating

of

immediate pence.

an

ble,

Ijoj

adve
if

possi-

While he vet

re-

dependence, something

i'i

he thought might be expected from the policy

as well as generosity of the

only wish to reduce,

sorean

empire.

Impressed

released the officers

at

not to

who might
annihilate the My-

English,

with

this

who had been made

idea,

he

prisoners

Coimbetore, and sent them loaded with pre-

sents to the British camp, entreating

them

to use

their interest wiih Lord Comwailis, to open a

Previous to their depar-

negociation for peace.

ture,

Tippoo had written

to

Lord Comwailis the

following letter on the subject:

" At

this time, with a

view to strengthen the

friendship and remove the disagreements between

the

the

Ahmudy

Sirkar, the

Nawub Asoph

Company,

Highness

Jaw. and the Peishwa; and to

cultivate the ties of intimacy

Sirkars, a confidential

longing to

his

between those four

and experienced man be-

this Sirkar will

be deputed to your

lordship, in order that by ncgociation personally

with every one, the displeasure of the mind

may

be done awav, and a reconciliation with each

110

MEMOIRS Of

other (which

may

kind)

is

for the

good and

quiet,

of man-

If this meets with your

take place.

lordship's approbation,

be pleased

that the above-mentioned person

notify

to

mav be

it,

sent to a

place appointed, and the ancient friendship

may

be renewed."

To

this

his
:c

answer:

made every

lordshio returned the

It is well

known, that

of honor and good

faith, to

to save one of the

Company's

tion;

and

afier having:

conciliatory proposition in

to prevent this war, I was forced

following

my power

by the

dictates

have recourse to arms,

allies

from destruc-

have ever been desirous to make peace,

as soon as proper compensation can be received,

for the injuries

and

losses that

have been sustain-

ed by the Company, and by those

whom

connected in the

is

it

confederacy.

But

strictest

treaties of peace,

bonds of

who not on-

but also disregards

the faith of capitulations, during; war.

rison at

with

with what confidence can a

negotiation be carried on with a man,

ly violates

allies

The gar-

Coimbetore ought by the capitulation

have been

set at liberty,

immediately after

its

upon

certain conditions,

surrender: and I have a just

right to demand, that the agreement should

be executed on the spot where

being unwilling, at

I shall

ance of the original

stipulations,

occasion

opening a ne-

in

not insist on a

still

was made; but

it

this critical time, to

any delay that can be avoided

gotiation,

to

literal

perform-

on account of

III

TIPP0O SULTAUN,

the length of time that the execution would require

Let

therefore

the garrison of Coimbe*

tore be sent to this army, to be set at liberty ac*

cording to the conditions of the capitulation,

that

was

settled

between Lieutenant Chalmers

and Cummer-ud Dien Cawn, and

I shall

then be

ready, in concert with the

to

upon a

allies,

place where Vakeels from you

meet proper persons that

fix

may

conveniently

be deputed, on the

will

part of the three confederated powers,

purpose of endeavouring

to

for

the

arrange the terms on

whish a general peace can be re-established."

Tippoo manifested much

siness

duplicity in this

he denied that any capitulation

garrison

for

buthe

had takdn place between Lieutenant

Chalmers and Cummer-ud Dien Cawn.

CornwalHs, not wishing

to drive

him

Lord

to despair

by

treating so shameless an assertion as

ed,

and by that means shutting the door against

all treaty,

informed him that

upon himself

it

depended

to state this matter in

it

deserv-

entirely

a clear and

uncontrovertible light, by communicating again

with

Cummer-nd Dien upon

the subject, and

by

a personal examination of Lieutenants Chalmers

and Nash, who were

still

in his possession

and

that in case of any misinformation, he could with-

out the least prejudice to his interest, as his lordship would engage that neither of the gentlemen

should serve against him during the war, easily

make

the truth be

known by sending

out Lieu-

112

MEMOIRS OF

tenants Chalmers and Nash, or one of (hem,

eiii

of this proposition,

when he

army.,

to

Put Tippoo took no nc

the business.

now after

tiil

the defeat of his

sent letters by these Lieutenants

Chalmers and Nash, requesting again that Vakeels might be received from

him

to

open a ne-

gotiation for peace.

Tippoo's flagrant breach of the capitulation

was

by the personal testimony

clearly established

of Lieutenants Chalmers and Nash, bat as his

thought no time should be

lordship

curing" a safe

resent

se-

and honorable peace, he did not

he learned from Lieu-

particularly as

it,

lost in

tenant Chalmers that the garrison of Coimbetore

was so much dispersed

Tippoo's power
mediately
in

to

upon

consulting with the

allies,

that as he

make atonement

tulation,

for

accordingly,

his lordship sent

after

word

the breach of the capi-

critical affairs, insist

upon

cuted previous to

negociation,

he was

en-

had shown a disposition

he would not on account of the

all

to

and judged itadviseable

point

that

this de-

a virtual refusal

ter into an}7 negotiation,

to

was not in

compliance with

literal

mand would amount

to Tippoo,

it

he saw therefore that perseverance

requiring a

to relax

that

execute the capitulation im-

to

its

being

pres<

fully

exe-

and therefore

at liberty, according to his request to

send

Vakeels to a spot that was pointed out. where

113

TtfPOO SULTAUN.

deputies from the confederate powers would meet

them

hear their popositions.

to

Tippoo ap-

In consequence of this permission^

pointed Gullum

head of

his

All

Cawn

(who had been

at the

embassy to Constantinople,) and

Ileza, his Vakeels;

AH

and they arrived and encamp-

ed at the place that had been fixed upon for them,

on the afternoon of the 13th of February.

Conceiving

it

to

be very improbable that Tip-

poo would authorise

his

Vakeels to make any

were prepared

specific propositions, the deputies

to

state

those

They met on

to

which the

the 14th.

would agree.

allies

A demand was made by

the deputies of the cession of the country to

ma

extent of three cores of rupees of revenue, and

cfdres

eight

of

The

of rupees

Vakeels protested the

master

to

comply with

money.

ready

in

total inability

this demand,,

would immediately inform him of

of their

but said they

it,

and return

as soon as possible with his answer.

While Tippoo was embracing

measure, his active mind, ever

ge

ns, projected

less

fruitful in strata-

another more expeditious

of extricating himself from his

was no

this pacificatory

difficulties,

mode
which

than making at once a bold atten

on Lord Cornwallis's
which he released the

life.

The

officers,

very

day on

his cavalry

observed to quit their encampment on

thern side of the Cavery: but as

it

were

the sou-

was conjec-

tured that they were going to protect some dis-

114

MEMOIRS OF

tant convoy., there was very litde

They

it.

contrived on the morning of the

sequent day,
British

to

par v of

mistaken for the Nizam's

troops.,

advanced towards the British

diately

enquiring for the tent of the

manding-officer of the artillerv,

wanted.

Drawing

pushed

for the tent to

cutting

down

instantly

tli

imme-

line-, a id

commander, were

whom,

directed to Colonel Duff's,

sub-

get between the Nizam's and the

camp undiscovered.

who were

notice taken of

it

as being

com-

was supposed they

their swords,

tl

which they were directe

few who opposed them

they found time to execute their project, they

ed about, and gallopped

tion apprehensive that

if

off

1,

but before
ti

with great preeij

they delayed to acorn;

their design, th-*y would probably be overpowered,

and put

to the sword.

General Abercromby

Bombay armv, who

now

arrived

furnished a

of about 2000 Europeans,

and

with

the

reinforcement

400 J

native

troop?.

Notwithstanding the negociation

peace was

opened, in consequence of Tippoo's over-

now
tures,

in

for

Lard Cornwallis was

making preparations

which

after

for

still

inces-antly b

ai attjek on the

ry.

As

some deliberation he deemed

practicable on the northern side arross the

undertaking of

fort,

st

the erection of batteries in the dav

within gun shot of the

fort,

appeared to be

much hazard and

difficulty,

he

TIPPOO SULTAUV.

resolved to erect

n'v's

camp an

Accordingly

a detachment

arrived

at

\\hen

to heat

which
its

of the

uo

, about

he

the.

island.

was sent on the

by

considerable

place of destination un-

an immediate slaughter com*

Before any effectual resistance was

meed.

tem

ni^ht, while

the other side

enterprise,

1-,

discovered,

them during the

by way of a diversion,

tried,

deto

115

at-.

100 troopers and 230 horses were

killed.

The

consternation which this spirited attack

occasioned engaged tue S iltaan's

the

mthern side of the

were constructing
northern

side,

The whole
to

ivitho

while batteries

molestation

it

on

within 800 yards

on the

of the walls*

proceeding became manifest at the

gun which couid be

bear was opened upon the new direct-

break of day

brought

island,

attention

so that every

ed works, while parties of infantry crossed the

ri-

ver to harass the troops stationed in that quarter.

Tippoo, now convinced of

rupt the progress

of

his

the

inability to inter-

siege,

contrived

to

change the coarse of a canal which supplied the

allies with water, and turn it into the Cavery, by

which means he not only hoped

enemies of the advantages

to

deprive his

resulting

stream constantly running through their

but at

ttie

same time

to

of an assault, by swelling
er height than usual.

increase

from

camp,

the hazard

the river to a great-

However the

distress

of

115
the

MEMOIRS OF

was but of a short duration,

allies

tachment was immediately dispatched

gate the cause of

sudden

the

a de-

for

to

investiin

the

waters of the canal, which soon drove the

My-

failure

from the ground they occupied on

soreans

bank-, and reconveyed the stream to

its

its

accustom-

ed channel.
Feb.

and

all

19.

The

siege

commenced

in

earnest,

the batteries opened on the fort, while

General Abercromby crossed the Cavery, west f

Seringapatam, and took post on some heights on
the south-west side of the

However he was

fort,

out of gunshot.

not able to effect this alteration

in this position without

much

resistance from the

enemy who more than once attempted but

vain, to prevent

When

him from executing

in

his design.

posted to his wishes, he was ordered to

possess himself of a redoubt, ana a grove beyond

it,

which were

fort.

situated

Towards night a

ed for

this

drift,

thev

between him and the

small party

purpose, but the

were disptacrw

enemy perceiving their

were vigorously attacked the subse^

cjuent morning.

Being through want of ammu-

nition compelled to retreat, they

were pursued

very tumultuous and disorderly manner;

instantly advancing again, they briskly

and routed the Mysoreans.

with a

str

time, and

the same

in

when

charged

The enemy however

>ng reinforcement, appeared the second

the English forces,
difficulty as before,

labouring under

were a second time

117

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

obliged to retreat; but fortunately meeting; a battalion with a supply of cartridges., they returned,

and

victoriously retained the disputed ground, af-

an obstinate and tedious

ter

At the

principal point of attack

of the

side

conflict.

on the northern

second parallel had been

island, a

completed, within 600 yards of the

spot was

marked out

within 500 yards,

for the

fort,

and the

breaching batteries

when orders were suddenly

is-

sued to desist from the operations of the siege,

and

at the

same time the termination of hostilities

announced.

From

the

5th to the 21st of February there

had been repeated meetings of the Vakeels and

aid deputies; but

till

the 24th,

when

the siege

became more and more alarming, and the moment seemed rapidly approaching, in which the
capital itself

by the

Now

allied forces,

the

deserting to
all

be completely subdued

nothing decisive was adopted.

numbers of whom were continually

his adversaries,

supplies, cooped

island, in a post
self

to

humbled Tippoo, being abandoned by

troops,

his

was likely

up

in

deprived of almost

one corner of a small

which he could not

him-

flatter

would be long tenable, but which he had ne-

vertheless determined to preserve or perish

and

perceiving his opponents at the same time flushed

with repeated conquests, and

in daily

expectation

of receiving a considerable accession of strength

by the junction of Purseram Bhow, as well as

ns

MEMOIRS OP

h y reinforcements from the south, submitted

at

length to the following terms:

That he should cede one

1.

half of his domi*

nions to the allied powers.

k

That he should pay

three crores and thirty

lacks of rupees.

T;:at he should

unequivocally restore

the prisoners which had been taken by the

all

My

soreans from the time of Hvder Ally.

4.

That two of

his three eldest sons

should be

delivered up as hostages for the due performance

uf the treaty.
In conformity to such hard but necessary terms,

two of

temp

the Suliaun's

English camp.

to the

want of punctuality
ges,

sons were sent with great

It

was

said that the

in the delivery of the hosta-

was occasioned by some domestic

in Tippco's

own

family, as well as

by

difficulties
its

requir-

ing some time to arrange their attendants and

ceremonials of their reception in camp.

settle the

Though

it

his boys,

Without a

cut

Tippoo

to the heart to part with

yet warrior-like he took leave of

tear; but the

mother hung upon their

necks for some moments

patriotic fortitude to

them

she had not sufficient

hush her maternal

feelings

the bovs took leave of their parents with

manly

firmness, and seemed cheerful that they were in

some measure the instruments of peace. They

arrived at Lord Cornwall's the 27th of February.

About twelve

o'clock the works of the fort of Se-

119

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

ringapntam were crowded with an innumerable

multitude of people, among;
r

Sultaun.

ance

in a

whom was

he young- princes made

Tipno->

appear-

their

few minutes afterwards, and were thei

conducted from, the island

to

a large

paviliiori

pitched for their reception, near Sibbauh's redoubt, about a

mile from the fort, where they

'were received by Sir

John Kennavvay, who

at-

tended them, accompanied by an escort, to head-

On

quarters.

luted with

entering the

camp thev were

9 guns, and the part of the

i\\e

passed was under arms. ---The

officers

Lord Cornwallis received them

in his tent,

was guarded by a

they

saluted

which

and they

battalion of Sepovs,

were then formally delivered

sa-

to his lordship

by

Gull'tm Alii Beg, the Sultaun's Vakeel, as hostages for the true performance of the freatr.

An

awful silence for a

length

with

Guhum

much

his lordship
'

These

princes
ing* the

Alii,

moment

At

prevai'ed.

approaching Lord Cornwallis,

agitation thus

emphatically addressed

children,

whom

sous of

their situation

(pointing

to

is

young

tbe

he then presented) were

this

morn-

my master, Tippoo Sutaun;

now changed, and they must

look up to your lordship as their father.'

The

tender and affectionate manner in which

Lord Cornwallis received them, seemed

firm the truth of the expression.

knew what

to

lie said,

con*

he

the feelings of a father were, and

120

MEMOIRS OP

that they should never

The

his care.'

seemed

want a father while Under

young prince*

attendants of the

astonished,,

and their countenances were

highly expressive of the satisfactio

Seme

the benevolence of his lordship.

sation

now

took place between

and Tippoo's Vakeels,

in

sitting a

conver-

Lord Ccrnwallis
latter decla-

war

diffused hap-

ranks of people.

all

few minutes,

in

which the

red that the termination of the

piness throughout

felt

his

After
ac-

retired,

lc

compaiiving the young princes to their

te

linder an escort of British troops, which rem

ed with them as their guard.

Lord Comwallis,

before he took leave of them, presented each of

them with a gold watch

The

as a

mark of

Indian princes were dressed in long white

muslin gowns and red turbans.

ral

his esteem.

They had

rows of large pearls round their necks,

seve-

from

which was suspended an ornament consisting of

a ruby and an emerald of considerable

rounded by large

brilliants

each had a sprig of rich

their infancy

in their

and

and

in their

to

at the correctness

turbans

instructed

utmost reserve

imitate the

politeness, all the spectators

sur-

Bred up from

pearls.

with infinite care, and

manners

size,

were astonished

and propriety of

their behavi-

our.

Notwithstanding the

minary

ratification of the j

articles of peace,

young princes

and the delivery of the

into the hands of

Lord Cornwal-

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

121

the definitive treaty proceeded but slowly

lis,

much

ordered

actually
"

one time preparations were

that at

so,

so

-JO

recommencing* the siege.

for

Tippco however assented (March 19)

the

to

arrangements that were proposed.

The
Art.
first

definitive treaty consisted of eight articles.

That

1.

with

articles

Tippoo Sultaun, March

still in full

treaties,

178-i.

11,

should

That the two sons of Tippoo Sultaun

Art. 2.

the

and the

S, 1770,

force.

be detained as hostages
paid

of two former

Hyder Alley Cawn, August

other with

remain

tlie

till

the

at three instalments, not

stipulated

shall

sum, to be

exceeding four months

each, shall b? discharged On

payment

thereof,

and

the cession of one half the country, and release of the

prisoners

the said two sons shall be

immediately dis-

missed.

Art. 3.

That according

preliminary treaty,

minions which were

at the

it is

to

the

first

article

of the

agreed that one half of the do-

in possession

commencement of

of Tippoo Sultaun

the war, shall be ceded to the

allies.

JTere follows the general abstract of countries com*

posing half the dominions

to

he ceded to the

allies^

agree"

able to their respective shares.

Relative to the cession and necessary ex-

Art. 4.

Nam

changes of

Keel Sunkaghurry, Sclera, Cavery

Poor. Attoor, and Permutti.

Art. 5.

Such

treaties

by

Tippoo

out

any cavil or

ces

and

sue!)

Sultaun

and

shall

demand

talooksand

forts as are to

be ceded

be

up with-

for

delivered

outstanding

forts as are to

balan-

be relinquish-

ed by the three powers to Tippoo Sultaun, shall in

MEMOIRS OF

122

same manner be delivered up

the

orders

tcvtlns ef-

be immediately prepared and delivered

fect shall

on the receipt of which, the discharge of the money

stipulated to be paid

immediately, and prisoners on

be released, without detaining a single per-

all sides

son.

Art.

Whatever guns and

6.

Tippoo Sultaun
ers,

in the forts

shot shall be

ceded

an equal number of guns and shot

which the

the forts

allied

left

to the allied

by

pow-

shall be left in

powers have

agreed to

restore.

The

Art. 7.

contracting parties agree that zemin-

dars and aumildars being in balance to either party, and

repairing to the country of either party, protection shall
If any

not be given them, and they shall be restored.

disputes arise on the boundaries of the

allies,

and the

said Tippoo Sultaun, they shall be adjusted with the

knowledge and approbation of all parties.
Art. 8.

The Polygars and Zemindars, who

in the

course of the war have attached themselves and been

serviceable to the allies, shall not on that account be
in

any manner molested by Tippoo Sultaun.

The

hostage princes were treated with the

utmost cordiality during their stay

camp

but the eldest son,

partiality

to

him on

Lord Comwallis

the former having proved his

by a very magnificent present he made

his return to the capital of Seringa pa-

tam, at the ratification of the treatv.

ship,

English

Abdal Khalik, was

certainly the favourite both of

and Lady Oakley

in the

amor

ral

His lord-

other costly things,

then

123

IIPPOO SULTAUN.

presented this youg prince with the most beautiful

palanquin which the mechanics of India could

produce, richly ornamented with solid silver and

gold mouldings

the pannels on each side

were

decorated with emblematical devices, characteristic

of the prej udices of the Mysoreans, support-

ed by two snakes, whose colour in the sun was

such a

fine piece of Art,

sentation

of Nature.

as to be a close repre-

This prince, then

fourteenth year, possessed

many

in his

excellent quali-

he was mild, courteous, and generous

ties

in

short, for affability

was the contrast of

and sentiment,

CHAP.

X.

Tippoo's losses and mortification

of the Zenanna
the

he

his ancestors.

Tippoo

Description

takes advantage of

war between England and France

Sup*

plicates the latter f>r assistance against the

English

His secret correspondence with the

French Directory.

Bangalore was acknowledged to have been the

richest gem in the Mysorean crown
both nature
;

and

art

ombined

to

render

it

a beautiful place;

MEMOIRS OF

124?

the houses were regular and

gardens delightful
of such

no

place

pointed

was ever

His

sadly

mortified
in

The number

loss

Tippoo

boundless

accompanied

indeed his losses

considerable.

gave

uneasiness.

now

was

pride,

The

and salubrious.
consequently

small share of

ambition, which

magnificent the

with

and disap-

this

war were

of captured

forts,

guns, and troops, were immense; upwards of 70

torts

surrendered to the

Instead of en-

allies.

creasing his power, with the hope of which he

had been

cajoled, he

now beheld a woful decrease;

while S00 pieces of cannon, which he

additional

conquered

strength to the districts that

;

lost,

gave

bad been

and the destruction and dispersion

of above 50,000 fighting men, reduced considerably his sway.

Tippoo's pride and ambition were by no means

humbled by these

losses.

He still

looked forward

and only waited

to the recovery of his power,

the opportunity of avowing his hatred and jealousy of the English.

Tippoo now passed the

in

chief part of his time

theZenanna, where he had a great many Jpeau-

tifui

women;

those

by

whom

he had

sor.s

were

always his favourities: these ladies take their

precedency accordingly, but lose

child.

Tippoo did not make

throwing a handkerchief, as

tom

it

at Constantinople,

is

on the death of
his

choice by

said to be the cus-

but communicated to his

125

TIPPOQ SULTAUN.

chief minister the preference he intended; an!

made known

minister officially

this

his master's

choice to the lady.

There

is

great attention paid to the educati >n

of these females

and music.
hundred

respect to d

The Zenanna
though

ladie?,

his

sin^in^,

;tri r,

boasted of o ie

latterly the

number did

not exceed eighty.

These
their

change

ladies

their dresses coi yiua lly;

whole time seems to be employed

in

adorn-

ing their persons, for the elegance of which, aid

accomplishment of manners they certainly

all

the other

women

rival

of the place: their apart-

ments and furniture are magnificent, and they

have

visits

of ceremony with each other.

the love of dress

is

meanest labourer

will

tisfying

women

universally

expend

the idle vanity

his

Indeed

prevailing: the

earnings in sa-

The

of his children.

are subject to severe punishment for in-

fidelity or licentiousness.,

and contumely

if

and endure much shame

they have no children.

The war between England and France

suff-

gested to Tippoo the hope of revenging himself

on the former by the assistance of the

latter.

Accordingly he held a regular correspondence

with the French government at the Mauritius,

where he had ambassadors who

-elicited

a levy of

troops for renewing hostilities with the English.

He

importuned them constantly for succour, and

deluded by their artful promises, absolutely pa: ad-

MEMOIRS OF

126

ed about with

his

army

Mysore, which con-

in

duct was at length noticed by the Governor General,

Mornington, who

Lord

succeeded

Lord

Cornwallis.

This secret correspondence with the French

The

Directory was continued for some time.

lowing are copies of the most particular

1

fol-

letters

(which were afterwards discovered) that passed

on the occasion.
iVo.

Copy of a Letter from Tippoo Sultaun

1.

to the

Executive Directory.

In the name of the friendship which the Sirkar Con-

dadad and

bis

nation

vow

observe towards the

to

French Republic, a friendship and alliance which will

endure as long

Sun and Moon

as the

shine in the Heavens,

and will be so

shall

continue to

solid that the

most

extraordinary circumstances shall never break or disunite either the

The

one or the other.

English, jealous of the connection and friend-

my

ship which for a long time reigned between

Sirkar

and France, have united themselves to the Mahrattas,

to the

Nizam

Ali Khan, and to

my

other enemies, for

the purpose of declaring war against me; a war as odi-

ous and unjust as that which had lasted for some years
before,

and which was attended with such

quences

to

me, by taking from

me my

fatal conse-

finest

provinces,

three crores, and thirty lacks of rupees.

The Republic

is

not ignorant of any of these un-

fortunate circumstances; and of my having endeavour-

ed

to dispute

every inch of territory, which I was

forced to give up to our

common enemy.

have been compelled

make

to

should not

those cruel sacrifices had]

127

TIPPflO StJLTAUN.

my

I been assisted by the French,

ancient allies

who

deceived by the perfidious projects of Governor-Gene-

Conwa*v

ral

Campbell

Pondioherry, together with Governor

at

Madras, agreed to the evacuation, of the

at

The French Republic,

place "which they commanded.

by expelling

the Eaiglish from their rich possessions

in India, will certainly repair the faults of their ancient

Government.

Animated

long time by these sentiments, I

for a

have communicated them

Isle of

to the

France through the

whom

dors, from

Government of the

medium

of two Ambassa-

have just had the high

satisfaction,

of receiving such answers as I wished for; as well as

the Republican colours from the Chief of Brigade Chapins,

to

me

and the Naval Captain Du Buc, who have brought

such succours in soldiers and

officers as

stances have permitted General Malartic

circum-

and Rear-

Admiral Sercey to send me.

I

keep near me the former

Officer,

and send you

the second in quality of an Ambassador for the pur-

pose,

same time that he demands your alliance

at the

offensive
to attack

and defensive, of obtaining forces

transmit to

you by

his

means

ted to that of the Republic,

the alliance which the
tract.

sufficient

and annihilate our common enemies.

have

I will

my standard,

which, uni-

will serve as

a basis of

two nations are about

also charged

him

to

to

con-

communicate,

particular orders to you.

him

I join with

and Mahomet

in the

Bismilla,

directed to represent

embassy Sheik Abdoubrahn

my

me

subjects,

in all affairs

who

are equally

which they have

to transact with you.

Whatever may be the circumstances

two

nations

may

in

which the

hereafter find themselves,

whether

123

MEMOIRS OF

together or separately in
ffood, the glory,

the end of them

all their transactions,

may

the

and the advantage of both, be always

May

their

respective sentiments be

guaranteed by the appearances of

fidelity

lemn pledges given by each of them

draw near

heavens and earth

to

and the so-

and may tue

e?ch other and unite,

sooner than our alliance shall experience the slightest alteration

Given

JVb. 2.

my

at

Palace at Seringapatam, July 20, 179S.

Copy of Articles of Engagement proposed hy

Tippoo Sirftaim

Recapitulation
.

bassadors are to

to the

Directory.

of the Demands which my Am*

make of tlie Executive Directory at

Paris :-
Art.

Ten

1.

or fifteen thousand troops, consisting

oi infantry, cavalry, and

2.

artillery.

naval force to carry on hostilities on the coast

where our armies may

be, in order to favour their ope-

rations, or reinforce them, if necessary.

3.

The

Sirkar shall furnish all warlike stores and

provisions to the armies of the

horses, oxen,

Republic, as well as

and every necessary

article,

with the ex-

ception of European liquors, which he has not in his

country.
4.

The

pect to
o.

orders of the

all

King

shall be taken

with res-

the marches and military operations.

The expedition

shall

be directed

against so

point of the coast of Coromandel, and in prefer

against Porto Nov, where the disembarkation of the

troops shall take place, and the

thither Av.th

mence
try.

his

King

shall first

army, his intention

his operations in the heart

being to

repair

com-

of the euemy's coun-

129

T1FP00 SULfAUV.'

The King demands that notice shall be given to

&im by the Republic in dispatching two corvettes
6.

at a distance of

from Europe,

twenty days from each

other, of the

number of

him, that he

may immediately

ships

and troops

be sent to

to

enter upon' the cam-

paign, and make himself master of the coast of Coro-

mandel before

conquests

All the

7.

the arrival of the Republican forces.

made from

enemy

the

shall,

with the exception of the Provinces which the King

lias

been obliged to cede to the English, to the Mali-

and

rattafi,

Nizam Ali Khan, be equally divided

to

between the two nations, and according to the respective Conventions, the

same division

of the enemy's vessels and

shall

take place

Portuguese Colonies,

the

purpose of indemnifying the King for ihe ex-

for the

pences of the war.

8. If

any

difficulty

shall

between the Allied

arise

Armies, each of them shall possess the right of referring

to their

modes of justice according

to their

laws and

customs, and every discretionary article shall be a-

greed upon in writing between both nations.

9.

to

That whatever may be the wish of the Republic

make peace with England,

it shall

or to continue the

always consider the King as

faithful ally,

and include him

communicate
10. All

to

him

in

all

its

friend

and
and

all its intentions.

French who now are

in, or

may come

States of the King, shall be treated as friends

and they

shall be

empowered to come and

on trade without being

tion, but shall

of which they
11.

This

war,

treaties,

its

liable to

into the

and

allies,

go, and carry

any trouble or molesta-

on the contrary receive every assistance

may

article

stand in need.
relates to bringing into the service

of the Sultaun, several French artists

R
J

and mechanics,

130

MEMOIRS OF

skilled in casting cannon, in

paper and glass making,

with some engineers and builders.

Given

in

my

signature,

my

Palace of Seringapatam, under

that of

my

Prime Minister, and au-

thenficated with the State Seal, on the 20th of

July. 1798.

No.

3.

Copy of a

Letter

from Dubuc

Rajah

the

to

of Trazencore's Minister.

My

Lord,

expect with impatience

from India, to

sels

your health

hear-

been reported here,

As

the

it

which

vessel
to

del,

>m

write to the
I

have

intelligence

for

Prince Tippoo Sulaun,

honour

the

it

Oriental language, that

may

lo

shew

it

to

India

to

of Coroman-

coast

the

you, after having caused

has

it

opportunity of a

take the

it

to

be

with

correspond.

to

request he will be pleased to communicate

you

as

if,

has been in a bad state.

sailing

is

to learn that

re-established,

means of sending

very fluctuating.

are

from you, and

perfectly

is

some ves-

the arrival of

my

letter to

into the

translated

not be necessary for

any one.

have often considered in

my own

mind,

why your

Piince was not in alliance with the Sultaun, and in

that the great

recollecting
father,
I

Nabob Hyder

had-beenthe friend and ally of

Ally, his

Ram

Rajafc,

was astonished that that friendship, which had been

deranged b} some event, had not been renewed.

r

is.

at

very

common

war with

ally.

You

i:i

its

Europe

for

neighbour to become

have been

at

its

friend

war with the Bacha.

the sincerest conviction that every resentment

ba forgotten, that

all

It

a power which has been

and

I feel

should

former disputes should be con-

131

TlPPOO SULTAU3.

signed to oblivion, and that

the

is

it

duty of the two

Princes to enter into a treaty of alliance and friend-

way

ship, in a

well as the

would

be

your

to

should give you

India, I

in

to their reciprocal

suitable

grounds

Sultaun, such substantial

proceeding,

that

and

solid

"Were

interests.

til at

fulfilled

glory

to

am

but

unite

my

confident
will

it

two

these

be

peculiarly

(and

will be sufficient for

it

and the two Princes

derstanding.
respect,

Should

my joy

you

you

find

do not doubt but you

you

to

will readily

my

propose

come

it

to

him,

a good un-

to

will be complete, for

you

will be con-

who has

a long time united with France.

for

Heaven

to

hopes be gratified in this

sidered our ally in becoming that of a Prince

been

You

King

direct his affairs so advantageously that if

will)

for

wishes

powers.

are the counsellor and the friend of your

this alliance profitable

asr

pray

grant you long and happy days, and that

those of your

King may be prosperous,

is

the sincere

wish of your servant and friend,

MAL. DESCOMBRE.
Isle

de France, Mar.

No.

4.

1798.

5,

Copy of a Letter from Dubtic

taun; dated 10th December,

Grand Pacha,
Health and respect! The men
arrived,

but

thing the
ever hope

we

letters

are

in

to

Tippoo Sul-

179S, O. S.

have fortunately

want of the most

which they

left

essential

on their way.

they will arrive in a few days.

how-

They have

been four months on their journey, and you

may

judge of their dispatch and of their punctuality

their services to you.

ed

to

you on

The Alcarahs whom

the 11th of last month,

in

dispatch-

returned yester-

132

MEMOIRS OF

day with your Majesty's answer of

ame month, and

I hasten to

the 99th of the

send them back, as they

are very faiihful persons, and I wish them to he

libe-

The person who^was to have furnishmoney has not made his appearance, and I fear

rally rewarded.

ed the

them

there will be considerable difficulty in getting

paid.

think

indispensably necessary for you to

it

expedite an order for faking up immediately

money which

is at

Mercieus^ and to annex

The importance

result of it

of

my

considered as nothing,

moment

when

are carrying on.

It

to depart, and without money

money

tries

mission

is

r.nd the

such,

most prove so advantageous to your Ma-

that I cannot too often

jesty,

to a let-

bad requested of you, on the Repub-

ter of credit, as I
lic.

it

all the

is

repeat,
affairs

money must be
of such immense

will be necessary for

I cannot.

In

all

me

coun-

the sinew of war, and if your Majesty

does not wish to be ruined by the English, and lose

the assistance ef your good friends the French, give

sufficient

me

means of proceeding.

the proper

be in pagados, with
it

to

Soc;irs with

will not be stopped, more particularly

money

me

demonstration of your confidence in giving

me, and

stars.

Use dispatch

shall instantly set

off.

in

if it

sending

The

clothes

are not yet come, and I have dispatched people 10

forward them.
rise

me

request your

to take a year's

salary

Majesty will authoin

advance, as you

promised me, in order to provide for the subsistence

of
for

my

my

family in

which

absence, since ihc six months

have been paid expire on the 8th of next

month, and that

have been compelled to expend

every thing in ray possession.

taken

my

ship

fny demand jua

and
in

my

The English having

property, you will consider

every point of view, when you

re-

133

TlPPOd STJLTA'JN.

my

fleet that

family are in a foreign country, depriv-

ed of every resource.

Majesty will give

desire that your

that respect, and order

my

once more repeat

me

earnest

powers

full

in

me immediately to be providThe A lcarahs have pro-

ed with the necessary funds.

mised to return wilhin SO days, and

to depart in 40.

I shall

would be prudent

It

other Alcarahs here, that

to

you may receive

be able

have some

intelligence

every eight days. I beg leave to recommend earnestly

you

to

the Ouaquil,

who

not sufficiently paid, and

is

He

has received nothing for eight months past.

should have a palanquin

envoy of a great

for the

Prince, so truly noble and generous as

not to walk on foot like a Cooly.

my

with

much

conduct

am

my

fidelity.

friend

often,

you

You know how

beseech your Majesty

to

my
hira

and the more you

shall

ought

and colleague General Chapins. See

to countenance your bounty

good

are.

you, and you, shall have

attached to

certain proofs of

you

Are you content

Speak candidly.

also

know

that he

is

and protection

shall

see

him the more

worthy of your esteem, as

u man of honour and prudence.

I

have learned that your Majesty has written to the

government of Madias and

What

guard against them

self,

are

make an

or to

going

of the

on

Mornington.

attack.

The
its

The army

it

march

should

it

must be

but I discovered

has not succeeded.

your Majesty

of

desirous of carrying a-

way Ouaquil Sac ha Chidevaran

and

preparations for war

with great rapidity.

Nizam is already on
The English were

the plot,

Be on your

be ready either to defend your-

stopped.

that

Lord

to

will be the issue of their answer?

instantly

Government of Tranquebar, by a

It is

necessary

write to

swift courier,

the
to

131

^IEMOIRS OP

demand
Chief

immediate protection for your General in

its

Du

Buc, his Major Filietag, the Interpreter

De

Bay. and your Ouaquil.

Lord Mornington, Governor

General of Bengal, and General Clarke, are coming to

the coast about the end of this month, for the purpose

ofentering into negociations with Sour Majesty, which

if

they are not advantageous to them, they will cause

you

to declare

The

war against them.

result of that

measure will be the invasion of your country, and the

dethroning of you, by substituting for you and your
heirs a

Nabob

must perceive,

of their

own making.

that nothing less

and negotiate every where

power,

until the

moment when

it for ever for yourself

Your Majesty

agitation than the

You must

destruction of your kingdom.

self

is in

exert your-

for to maintain

I shall

your

be able to secure

and your august children.

It is

very easy for the English, in consequence of their intrigues in every part of India, to

serious kind,

cause troubles of a

and deprive you of all your

Allies.

Should

war against your Majesty, they

they
would afterwards effect the destruction of the power of
the Mahrattas, and deprive them of every possession
succeed iu the

which might be ceded to them by a new treaty of

peace.

It

is

jointly with

therefore evidently their interest

you

for the

to treat

purpose of finding a certain

and mutual guarantee, and that each member may defend the stipulations and cessions

made by each

at

the peace which you signed in your capitul with the

contracting parties. The English threaten you, the

Mahrattas are bound to support you, and not suffer you

to be overcome.

The

barrier

which separates you

from the former should exist wiihout any encroachas you

ment. You may rely on your allies as long
possess interests in

common, and you would be aban-

135

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

doned by thera were these common interests to cease.

The time is short and precious. You must give
proofs of your good intentions, and gain over the

English, and at the same time throw obstacles in the

way

In such a con-

of their negociaUons at Poona.

jecture, the Mahrattas ought to give to the law of treaties all possible

weight,

and not

to

omit recalling to

the minds of the English the assistance granted

by

Should their remonstran-

them against your Majesty.

ces be neglected, and the means of conciliation prove
fruitless, let them instantly take up arms, and threaten
Such a

the nation guilty of a breach of the treaties.

proceeding would perhaps stop

designs

all military

operaiions against your Majesty.

and

But if the event

should prove different, the sword must be drawn, and

the sheath thrown so far as to render every search for
it

We

useless.

interest

have

no intelligence of any peculiar

The Republic

from Europe.

victorious,

and continues

to refuse

is

uniformly

peace to England.

Scindia has already taken Delhi, and

think that he

must have also finished the conquest of Agra.

be prudent

in

to acquaint

placed.
tively.

It

your Majesty to dispatch Couriers

him with

I entreat

It has

the situation in which

your Majesty

to read

my

would
to

him

you are

letter atten-

been dictaud by candour, truth, and a

sense of your interest.

I

pray

Majesty,

God to grant
to whom I

success to the exertions of your

have the honour to be, with

respect.

(Signed)

Commander in

Chief,

DUBUC,
Naval Captain of the

French Republic, one and

indivisible.

135

MEMOIRS OF

CHAP.

XI.

Letters from Lord Mornington, General Harris,

fyc. to

ive
:

the

Honourable Court of

to

Tippoo's clandestine proceedings

Diirectors, re;.

Copy of the Governor General's Decla-

rail

O*

the discovery of this secret correspondence,

the following letters from Lord Mornington, &c.

addressed to the Honourable Court, of Directors,

give the reader a perfect idea of Tippoo's
ides tine proceedings.

Extract of a Letter from the Right Honourable

the Earl of Mornington, to the Court of Directors, dated the 20th

cf March, 1799.

(Received per Sarah Christiana, 13th Sept. 1799 J

To

HON.

tee

Honorable
In

my

the

COURT

of

DIRECTORS.

Sirs,

separate

by the Eurydice,

Dispatch
I

Court, that although

of the 21st of Nov.

informed your Honourable

I

had deemed

it

my

duty

137

TIPrOO SULTAUN.

part
to call your armies into the 'field in every

of your possessions,

were

the letter of the 13th of January, from

George.

Council at Fort St.

in

Governor-General

the

views and expectations

my

directed to the preservation of peace in

all

India.

my

apprized your Hon. Court of

which

rival at this Presidency, to

thought

ar-

it

my

duty to proceed from Bengal, in the hope of opening a negotiation with Tippoo Sultaun, for the

amicable adjustment of the differences which had

Hon. Com-

arisen between that Pri ce and the

pany's

Government

In

my

Dispatch to the Se-

Committee of your Hon. Court,

cret

have re-

gularly transmitted advices of the state of politi;

cal affairs in India,

and

have

fully

the principles which have governed

explai ied

my

conduct,

not only towards Tippoo Sultaun, but towards

all

the no five powers, since I have taken charge

of the Government General,

Having ultimately been

mence

hostilities

now become my
in

it will

to

against Tippoo Sultaun,

comit

is

duty to lay before your Hon.

Court an accurate

war

compelled

detail

of the causes of the

which we are engaged.

be necessary

to

For

this

purpose,

draw your attention

to

period of time as remote as the month of June,

179S, and to trace from that date the progress of

those

events,

which have

finally

produced the

necessity of resorting to arms for the security of

your interesi ewnmitted

to

my

charge.

133

A Proclamation

MEMOIRS OF

issued by the Governor Gene-

of the Isle of France, in the month of Febru-

ral

ary 1798,

made is

appearance at Calcutta

first

on the Sth of June of the same year.

clamation states, that

had arrived

assy

This Proaf

the Isle of France with letters from Tippoo Sultaun, addressed not only to the

Executive Directory of

bat to the

that Island,

France; proposing

to

Government of

conclude an offensive and

defensive alliance with the French, to subsidize

and

whatever troops the French might

to supply

furnish to the Sultaun and to

Power

the British
for

d,

against

war of aggression,

in India a

which the Sultaun

commence

declared to be fully pre-

is

waiting with anxiety the

moment when

the succour of France shall enable him to satisfy

his ardent desire of expelling the British

The

from India.

Nation

Proclamation concludes by

of-

fering encouragement to the subjects of France

to enter into the service of

terms to be fixed with his

Tippoo Sultaun, on

Ambassadors iheu on

the spot.

Although

to doubt the

was

inclined,

authenticity of this extraordinary

publication, I thought

copy of

it

in the first instance,

it

adviseable to transmit a

on the 9th of June,

to

Lieutenant Ge-

neral Harris (then Governor of Fort St.

and Commander

in

George,

Chief on the coast of Coro-

mandel) informing him that

should prove authentic,

it

if

the

must lead

Proclamation
to

a serious

TIPPOO 'SULTAUN.

lis

132

with Tippop Sultaurv; and directing

ion

Lieutenant General Harris to consider without

.

y the
t

means of assembling the army on the

of Coromandel,

the

unfor-

necessity should

auch a precaution.

tunately reqi

On

if

v\ i?9S,

St

received a regu-

lar

authentication of the Proclamation, in a let-

ter

from

his;

Excellency the Earl of Macartney,

dated the 2Sth of

March

and

at the

same time

who had been

several persons arrived at Calcutta

present in the Isle of Francs at the time of the

publication of the Proclamation.

Tippoo Sultaun dispatched two Ambassadors,

who embarked

at

Ma

for

the

Isle*

of

France, and arrived at Port Nord-ouest in that

towards the clo?e of the month of Jan.

island,

ihe Proclamation

17!

nated
at

in

Ambassadors

the arrival of Tippoo's

the Isle of
its, it

question origi-

in

France

was avowed

it

was distributed by

in every par.

public declarations, and finally

ording to

its

tenor,

by

it

by

their

their

own

was executed,

their personal

assis-

tance and co-operation.

On

the 7th of March,

at

French

1798, the Ambassador.?

Port Nord-ouest,

frigate I41

Preneu

on board

the

either with the

name of Tippoo Sultaun,

about 2000 men, inclusive of seve-

force thus raised in the

amounting
ral officers,

to

the chiefs of whom were

buc and Chapins.

The French

M. M.

frigate

La Pre-

140

MEMOIRS OF

neuse, with the Sultann's Ambassador?,

French troops

levied

for

service,,

liis

and the

arrived

at

Mangalore on the 26th of April, 1798.

An

opportunity

beyond

now occurred

the possibility

acts of the Sultana's

of d<*ibt, whether the

Ambassador* in the

France were conformable

For

their Sovereign.

of ascertaining,

of

to the instructions of

al though

the presumption

already sufficiently powerful,

vvas

Isle

it

yet remain-

ed a question, whether Tippoo Sultaun would

venture openly to avow proceeding's which could

not

your

him

to expose

fail

to the just

resentment of

Jovernment.

This question was imme-

for

the Sultaun, without hesita-

diately

solved,

tion,

permitted the French force to land pub-

licly

at

Man galore,

and, far from

manifesting

the least symptom of disapprobation of the con-

duct of the Embassy in any part of the negotiation,

he formally received

the French

in

public and extraordinary marks

of honor and distinction

mitted the greater part
for the

Ambassadors, and

and principal persons

officers,

their suite, with

'

his

of. the

and

finally,

he ad-

French force raised

purpose of making war upon the Hon.

Company,

into his service, in

entertained.
sanction,

By

it

is

still

public and unequivocal

he must be considered not only

have personally
tained in

this

which

ratified

the engagements

the Proclamations of

General of the

Isle of

the

to

con-

Ge vera or

France, but to have taken

14)

TIFPOO SULTAUN.

the preliminary measures for accomplishing the

which the Ambassadors had avowed in

design
his

name.

Tippoo

Sultaun,

having- actuary

therefore,

concluded offensive and defensive en<ra gemen ts

with the French against the Hon.

Company

by the aid of the French, a

having; collected,

openly destined to carry those engage-

force

ments into

having applied to the Exe-

effect;

cutive Directory of France for a more powerful

force destined to the

same end

having signified

Public Ambassadors to

Enemy,

through

his

that his

preparations for war (as far as they de-

pended upon himself) were

the-

actually complete

having avowed the object of those preparations

to be

India

subversion of the British Empire in

the
;

and

having declared the delay of

finally,

meditated blow

the

cause, than his

aid from the

proceed from no other

to

expectation of receiving further

enemy

could not hesitate, to pro-

nounce, that he had flagrantly violated the Treaof Peace subsisting

ties

Hon. Company

between him and the

and that he had committed an

act of direct hostility and aggression against the

British

Government

in

India.

To

confirm the

conclusions necessarily resulting from the facts

already stated, 1 received undoubted information,
that

Tippoo Sultaun had

employed
to

in

for

some time past been

military preparations, conformably

the hostile spirit of his engagements

w ith

the

142

MEMOIRS OP

enemy;

actually in a state

that a large po
tier his

To

ofeq

-.

personal

command.

your Hon. Con-t

by any of your

it.

would be guperfluoui

no provocation had been

in India, to justity

or to paliate any act of

hostility,

emotion of jealousy ox

Tippoo Sultaun

receiving

but

place,

in this

think

that at

t'

moment

of

of France,

Wynaad

to

of the justice ot his

had proposed

to

>n 3

open an ami

district

lity,

be delivered

laim to that

for the purpose of adjusting

a part of the

red

ha

a public acknowledgment

to the Sultaun, after

ofeq

the very

re-

of the Proclama-

the disputed District of

pies

to

n<

it

any

or even

on the par

ion,

tl

tion issued in

to observe, that

mark

army wag

thai the greater part of his

iiis

and
.ion

recent

to

ciai; is

of Cooya, on similar pri

according- to the tenor of

Article of the Treaty of Seriogapatam.

The

Sultaun himself had not attempted to aU

ledge even the pretext of a grievance

British

Government

Shore., Tip:
is

In his letters to

oo declare?,

'''

That

his

Sir J

fiend

disposed to pay every regard to truth

tice,

the

and to strengthen the foundations of

ny and concord between the two Naiions

he

signifies

his desire, that

''

Sir

ham
;"

and

John Shore

would impress Lord Morning-ton with a sense of

143

TIPPOO ?LLTAVN.

and unanimity so-nVmly

friendship

the two States"

pveeft

This

subsisting;

not the language of hostility, nor even

is

of discontent;

now

it is

werewiiiteu a

r
.

t-"e

proved, that these letters

when he was

verv crisis

ctation of

in

the hourly arrival of that

military succour whicis he had earnestly solicited

the enemy,, for the express purpose of

...

mencing- a war of aggression against the

panv's possessions.

Under

all

Com-

these circumstances an immediate at-

Tippoo

tack upon

com-

Sulfiaun,

the purpose

for

frustrating the execution of his

of

unprovoked and

unwarrantable projects of ambition and revenge,

appeared

to

me

to

be demanded by the soundest

ims both of justice and policy.

The
tified

Tippoo Sultaun's Ambassadors, raby himself, and followed by the admission

act of

of a French force into his army, was equivalent

to a public,

unqualified,

bad

been

means of

clearly
a

and unambiguous de-

But while

claration of war.

his hostile

manifested,
ishing

it

the

The

construed as a limitation of
the public safety,

ment of
rate,

inconsi-

amount of the aid which he had already

eived from the French, while

dicate

immediate

had happily disap-

pointed the ardour of his hopes.

derabl

purpose

it

could not be

my just

right to vin-

afforded

strong argu-

policy in favour of attacking this despe-

implacable,

and treacherous enemy, before

MEMOIRS OF

1-i-i

he could either complete the improvement of

own army, under

French

the

had already adn.itted

into

officers

his

whom he

his service, or

could

receive a further accession of strength under the

progressive operation of his alliance with France.

In the moment of his comparative weakness, of

his disaopointment,

and probable dejection, the

principles of justifiable

self-defence,

and of pru-

denial precaution, required that we should strike

such an instantaneous blow against his power

and resources,
his deriving

as should preclude the possibility of

any substantial advantage from the

aid of France,

whenever

might reach

it

his do-

minions.

Such was the tenor of my opinions

the 20th of June, 1798.

period

Although

as early as

at that early

could not ascertain from what quarter

the French would attempt to assist the Sultaun, I

recorded

my

conviction that some attempt to as-

him would be among the

sist

operations.

The

earliest of their

conclusion ot

Peace upon the

Continent of Europe, the weak state of our Allies

in

India

Counci
ed

to

(particularly

of the

and Army where

at

Nizam, whose

that period subject-

the overbearing influence

of a powerful
to

Tippoo

to offer a ravorable crisis

for the

French facion; might appeared both

and

to

France

attack of the British possessions in

disposition of the

India.

French government

The

to attempt

such an enterprise has never been disguised, and

TIPPOO SULTAIJN.

although

had not obtained positive proof that

any formal

146

.;nd

regular correspondence between

Tippoo Sultaun and the Executive Directory of

France had existed previous
letyers

which arrived

Embassy, and

to the

at the Mauritius, in

January,

1798, yet the nature of that transaction afforded

a strong- presumption that a previous intercourse

of the same

hostile character

was apprized

that

patched an embassy

to

had taken place.

Tippoo had

Zemaun Shah,

also

dis-

the object

of which could be no other than to encouraoe

o
that Prince in the prosecution of his lon^ threat-

ened invasion of Hindustan.

of

my

advices from the

me

of Hindostan, led

Shah would
vour

to

in the

The whole

to believe

that

cross the Attock* and

pursue

his

tenor

North Western Countries

Zemaun

would endea-

avowed project of invasion

course of the ensuing- season

and it ap;
peared probable that his approach, which must
engage the attention of the army
Bengal, might be the signal to Tippoo Suitaun

necessarily

in

for

an irruption into the Carnatic.

In addition to these considerations,

it appeared by no means improbable, that the impetuosity

of Tippoo Sultaun's temper, exasperated by
the
assiduous and unremitting' instigations of
the
Emissaries of France, might break forth
into

hostilities

me:

without

waiting for the actual move-

of any Indian or European

Embassy

to the Isle of Fiance,

Ally.

His late

sufficiently raani-

146

-MEMOIRS OF

fested a disposition capable of pursuing

rite object of

favou-

its

vengeance against the British nation

with more zeal than discretion.

further to remark, that in the

It

is

my

duty

month of June,

1798, the distribution and condition of the army

on the coast of Coromandel,

to

which

shall

advert more fully in a subsequent part of this dispatch,

offered but too strong a temptation to the

enterprize of a faithless and active enemy.

der such circumistances

unmanly

and

weak

it

Un-

would have been an

policy

to

hive

confided

the safety of the Carnatic to the precarious for-

bearance of Tippoo >ultaun, or

to

have

left

him

any longer in the undisturbed possession of the

powerful advantage of being able to

chuse, ac-

mode

cording to his convenience, the time and

of the attack which he had openly menaced.

therefore recorded

was necessary

mv

It

decided judgment, that

to assemble the armies

on the coast

of Coromandel and Malabar without delay, and

issued

June,

To

mv
J

final

orders for this purpose on the '20ih

*i9S.

assemble the army on both coasts was an

indispensible

have been

ment

it

justified

that I

offensive

precaution,
in

which

could

omitting, from

the

not

mo-

was apprized of Tippoo Sultaun's

engagement with the French, and of

the landing of a

French force

But, being resolved on

your Court

a full

and

all

at

occasions

distinct

Mangalore.
to*

submit

view of the

wh

to

"\

14

TIPPOQ SULTAVN.

motives and intentions, I-have no

my

scope of

hesitation in declaring,
tion

was

(if

that

mv

original resolu-

circumstances would have admitted)

attacked the Sultaun instantly, and on

to have

both sides of his dominions, for the purpose of

defeating his hostile preparations,
cipating their declared object

however

and of

anti-

was concerned

from persons most conversant

to learn,

details at Fort St. George (notwith/

standing the distinguished discipline of your army

in military

...

...

on the coas* of Co^omandel, and the eminent

valour,

persed

activity j
state,

and

skill

and certain

of

its officers)

dis-

its

radical defects in

es-

its

tablishment, wonld render the assembling a force

equal to offensive movements against Tippoo,

tedious and difficult operation than I

much more

had apprehended.

Some

officers

of approved military talents, ex-

perience, and integrity, at Fort St. George, declared

your army

that,

be assernblcd

for

commencement

in the

not

Carnatic could

offensive purposes before the

of the year 1800,

and that a pe-

riod of six

months would be required

quipment,

even for the purpose of defending the

Carnatic against any sudden attack.

of assembling and moving your
of Coromandel,

for

e-

The difficulty

army on the

furnished indeed

its

coast

an alarm ins:

proof of the defenceless and perilous state of the

Carnatic in

that arduous conjuncture.

proportion to the pressure of that

But

difficulty,

in

the

i
143

'MEMOIRS OF

necessity of an instantaneous and active exertion

became more urgent;

when

assembled, was to anticipate or wait the at-

tack of Tippoo,
sible

whether the army,

for

it

appeared an equally in iispen-

measure of precaution

delay, the

Prince

restless

to

power of meeting
in the field.

resume,

without

and

that vindictive

was not therefore

discouraged, either by the suggestions to which

I have referred, or

by subsequent representations

of a similar character and tendency, from insist-

ing on the immediate execution of

my

assembling the army, and advening

orders for

to the fatal

consequences which have formerly been expert*

enced in the Curnatie, by neglecting

pace with the forwardness of
in

Mysore,

I resolved to

hostile

to

keep

equipments

entrust the protection

of your possessions on the coast of Coromandel

a complete and early

to no other security than

state of preparation for war.

At Bombay, my orders

unaccompanied by any sympt >ms of

disposition

and zealous

to those united

which the exigency of the

everv branch of your

The

assembling the ar-

executed with great promptitude and

my were
alacritv,

for

civil

crisis

in-

efforts,

demanded from

and military

service.

unavoidable delay which obstructed the

assembling your army in the Carnatic, having

compelled

me

to relinquish

my

striking an immediate blow

first

intention of

against the

and resources of Tippoo Sultaun,

power

applied

my-

149

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

permanent system

self to the formation of such a

of preparation
the

to restore

with
ling"

all

and defence,

while

as,

Government of Fort

it

ten led

George,

St.

power of

practicable dispatch, tbe

repel-

any act of aggression on the part of Tippo

might

Sultaun,

ultimate!}-

me

enable

to

>

demand

both a just idemnification for the

expence which

the Sultaun s violation of treaty

had occasioned

to

your Government, and a seasonable security

,

recent alliance

against the consequences of his

with the enemy.

my was

With

strengthen

was directed

early attention

to

and improve the defensive alliance

concluded between the

Honourable Company,

Highnesses the Nizam and Peshwah,

their

under

while the ar-

assembling on the coasts of Coromandel

and Malabar, my

and

this view,

Poonah, and Se-

the'treaties of Paangul,

ringapatam, for the purpose of establishing a barrier against the

The

Sultaun.

ambition and revenge of Tippoo

state

of this alliance afforded a-

bundant matter of painful anxiety

the PeBhvvah and

the

found both

Nizam (whose

respective

power

it

patam

to maintain in such a state of efficiency as

was the object of the

might render them useful

treaty of

Allies in the event of a

war with Mysore) reduced

to the lowest conditi-

on of depression and weakness

the

intrusion of Doulet

latter

by the threatened

chieftain,

Seringa-

Row

the former by

Scindia,

hostilities

by the establishment

and the

of the same

of a numerous

150
and

MEMOIRS OF
active

Decan

French

in the

faction

centre of the

and while the internal convulsions of

each state had diminished the resources of both,

co-operation against Tippoo Sultaun had

t':eir

become impracticable by the

.progress of their

mutual animosities and dissentions.

In

this

scene of general confusion,

of Tippoo Sultaun alone (which

policy of our alliances

and

it

the

had been the

result to the British

to be,

first,

and improved.

the entire loss

or'

The

fulfil

Company

secondly, the establishment of a French

lies, in

to

me

Tippoo Sultaun,

defensive engagements with the

in the

final

the benefit of the

utter inability of our Allies to

14.000 men,

had

if it

Government appeared

treaty of triple alliance against

by the

had

treaties to reduce)

remained undisturbed and unimpaired,

not been augmented

power

their

and,

army of

dominions of one of our Al-

the vicinity of the territories of our irre-

concilable enemy, and on the confines of the

Carnatic and of the Northern

Sirkars.

state of our political relations, the

In

this

Company was

exposed, without the aid of a single Ally,

to the

hazard of a contest with the united force of Tip-

poo Sultaun and of the French. My separate

dispatch under date the 21st of November, for-

warded by the Eurvdice, will have apprised your

Honourable Court of the measures which I took
for the purpose of restoring to his

Nizam, the power of

fulfilling his

Highness the
defensive en-

TIPP00 SULTAUN.

151

gagements with the Company.

At the same

time

my

endeavours were employed, with equal

and

assiduity, to give vigour

effect to the treaties

subsisting with his Highness the Peishwah.

return of

Nana furnaveess

on, afforded,

for

some

to the Administrati-

a just exoectation

time,

that our alliance with the Mahrattas

dily

The

would spee-

be restored with additional vigour and ad-

vantage,- but the increasing

distractions of the

Mahratta Empire, unfortunarely frustrated the

wise counsels of that experienced and able States-

man, and disappointed

Poonah;

my

views at the Court of

had however the

satisfaction to as-

certain, that the disposition of that Court,

under

the Administration of Nana, continued perfectly

favourable to the British interests

and that want

of power would be the sole cause of

the

inaction,

war with Tippoo Sultaun.

in the event of a

Towards

its

commencement of

August 1798,

by the French

in

the

month of

preparations

learnt the

the Mediterranean.

making
Various

circumstances attending the equipment of that

armament, inclined me

apprehend,

might be destined

least a part of

it

tion to India,

although

the attempt would be

fer

tunity of directing the

an expedi-

couid not believe that

Un-

took the earliest oppor-

attention of

Rainier to the Coast of Malabar,

same tjme

that at

made through Egypt.

der these impressions,

ral

to

Rear-Admi-

and

at the

proposed to strengthen his Majes-.

MEMOIRS OF

152

tv's

squadron

rangement which

On
1.

Excellency might suggest.

his

the lSih of September

-diary

treaty with the

substance

ive stated the

of the Slst of

in

new

ratified the

Nizam, of which

my

November by

the 18th of October,

tic

any ar-

in these seas, according- to

s pa-rate

dispatch

On

the Eurydice.

received the

authen-

first

information of the invasion of Eg\ pt by the

French, and of the progress of their arms in

that country.

It

is

unnecessary to

tention of your Honourable

the at-

call

Court

the evi-

to

dent connection of the invasion of Egypt with the

joint design 5 of the

taun, against the

French and of Tippoo Sul-

British

power

necessity of either compelling

in India. --The"

Tippoo Sultaun

to

detach himself from the interests of France, or of

denrivinghim of the power of co-operating with the

French

if

they should be enabled to reach India,

now became too evident

to

admit of any doubt.

opinion had long been decided,

tion with

no negocia-

that

Tippoo Sultaun could be

successful,

unless accompanied by such a disposition

force as should alarm
pital,

and

that

him

city.

On

of our

for the safety of his ca-

no military operations could

an adequate or speedy reduction of

unless directed

My

his

effect

power,

immediately to the siege of that

the 20th of October, therefore, I gave

peremptory orders

to .the

Government of Fort

St.

George, for completing the equipment of their

battering train, and for advancing

it

with

all

prac-

153

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

dispatch

ticable

most

to the

eligible

station

on

the frontier of the Camatic, with a view of proceeding- towards Seringapatam at the earliest pos-

such a movement into Mysore

sible period., if

should become necessary. At the same time, I signified

my

Government of Fort

to the

intention

3000

of reinforcing their

volunteers

from

army with

who had

their services with the utmost alacrity

the

George,

Native Infantry on

the

the Establishment of Bengal,

To

St.

Government of Bombay

offered

and zeal.

issued further

orders, for the collection nof only of their troops,

but of the largest possible supplies on the Coast

of Malabar.

On

22d of October

the

(as

have already in-

formed your Honourable Court) the dismission

of the French fac ion in the Nizam's army was
happily accomplished at Hydrabad.

of October,
glorious

being

army

in

still

the 31st

received the intelligence of the

victory obtained

dron under the

tout

On

command

by

his Majesty's squa-

of Sir Horatio Nelson

uncertain of the fate of the French

Egypt, and ignorant whether an additi-

onal force

might not have been intended

operate with

it

in India,

to

co-

by the ordinary passage

round the Cape of Good Hope, 1 did not relax

any part of the naval or

military

preparations

nhich had been commenced undermy orders.

opportunity

The

now appeard favourable for opening a

negociation with Tippoo Sultaun I had already'

MEMOIRS OF

154:

communicated

to the Allies, the

wah. a circumstantial
that Prince,

Nizam and Pesh-

detail of

the conduct

of.

and had received from both the

most unequivocal assurances of their entire concurrence in

my

sentiments and views, as well as

of their determination to support

my just

claims

of satisfaction for the infraction of the treaty

of

Seringapatam.

On
ed

to

November,

the Sth of

Tippoo Sultaun the

py accompanies

therefore, I address-

letter,

of which a co-

this dispatch.

expectation was, that the necessary im-

]\Jy

pression of the success of his Majesty's

fleet

a-

gainst the French in Egypt, the revival of our

defensive alliance with the Nizam,

tion of the

French influence

declared disposition of the

engagements

defensive
his power,

to

the destruc-

in the

Peshwah

Decan, the
to

fulfil

his

the utmost extent of

the presence of his Majesty's squa-

dron on the coast of Malabar, reinforced by such

of the Hon. Company's ships as had been equip-

ped

for the purpose, and, finally,

the progress of

our military preparations on both coasts, might

have induced the Sultaun

sals for

tion;

opening

to

accede to

my

propo-

the channels of pacific negocia-

and under these circumstances

trusted

that the terror of the British arms might have

rendered their actual employment unnecessary.

With such
Fort

St.

expectations I resolved to proceed to

George, for the purpose of conducting

155

TIPPOO SULTAtJN\

the expected negotiation witTi the Sultauri, which

coast of
flattered myself my presence on the
I

Coromandel might enable me

bring

to

to

an

issue,

before the season should be so far advanced as

to relieve

Tippoo Su.taun from those alarms

for

founded

my

the safety of his capital,

on which

hope of obtaining any satisfactory adjustment with him. On the 10th of December, I

sole

addressed a letter to the Sultaun, informing him

of

and again urging him

On

Fort

intention to proceed to

my

the 25th of

embarked on board

his Majesty's ship the Sybille,

and arrived

val, the

few days previous to

in perfect safety,

and soon

after

and

a corps of

from Fort William under the

lonel

on the 31st of the

my

arri-

Corps of Native Vol nteers from Bengal

bad landed
spirits,

Captain E. Cooke,

at this Presidency

same month.

George,

Major Doveton.

to receive

December

St.

in the

highest

artillery arrived

command

of Co-

Montague.

The
on my

letter

arrival at

ter your

Fort

St.

was delivered me

4,

George.

Honourable Court

varication

taun's

marked No.

will

In this let-

observe the pre-

and falsehood which mark the Sul-

statesmen,

French, and you

of
will

his

intercourse with

perceive

the evasion

the

by

which he eludes the moderate and amicable proposition of the Allies for

To

this letter

opening a negotiation.

from the Sultaun,

returned the

answer, dated 9th of January, in which I renewed

MEMOIRS OF

156

a negoeiation, and

the proposition of opening-

urged the Sultaun not

to delay

beyond

his reply

the period of one day after

my

reach

dangerous conse-

him, intimating that

letter

should

The

quences might result from a longer delay.

advanced period of the season abso'utely required that

I should

the

ascertain

within a short time;

Suitaun's views

my proposition contained

no-

thing derogatory, to the honour or dignity of the

Sultaun.

now employed

every effort to ad-

vance the Military preparations in the Carnatic,

which had already made a considerable progress

during: the months of November and December.

From

moment

the

George,

all

and every

of

my

the inhabitants

officer, civil

and

arrival at

of this

military,

Fort

St.

settlement,

appeared to

be animated by an unanimous determination

to

discharge their respective duties with a decree

of cheerfulness and ardour, correspondent to tlie

exigency and importance of the occasion; and I

was soon

I lamented the appearance in the

and August, had

wh'rh

that the disposition, of

satisfied

either

months of July

been subdued by the just

exercise of authority, or corrected by reflection

and by the more

the enemy.

full

The

disclosure

zeal, alacrity

of the views of

and public

spirit

of the Bankers and commercial Agents at

Ma-

dras, as well as of the most respectable of your

Civil Servants at this Presidency, enabled

within a few weeks, to raise a large

sum

of

me
mo-

157

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

tifcy,

my

by loan,

Previous to

for the public service.

departure from Bengal^ I "had remitted twenty

lacks of rupees in

Presidency;

now dispatched

use of

specie for the

the

Sybille

Calcutta for a further supply and the

dinary exertion ot

hi-s

this

to

extraor-

Excellency the Vice-Pre-

sident in Council, assisted by the

diligence and

Mr. Thomas Myers, the Accomptant

ability of

me

General of Bengal, furnished

an addi-

with

tional aid of twenty lacks, within so short a time,

movement of the army was not delayed

that the

for

an

and Lieut. General Harris was pro-

treasure,

wth

vided

on account of a deficiency of

instant,

supply

sufficient

of

specie

the

month of

maintain his array in the field until

to

May.*
Tippoo Sultaun remaining-

derable time after the receipt of

9th of January.,

be to delay

answer

be so

his

silent for

my

letter

consi-

of the

concluded that his object must

until the season should

advanced, as to render the capture of

far

of Seringapatam impracticable during the present year.

At length, on the 13th February,

from Tipuoo Sultaun a

letter,

that being- frequently disposed

* This
to. the

is

to

characteristic of his Lordship

promptitude of

success over

?'

his

measures, that

Tippoo. Money,

procrastination

is

is

received

me,

make excur-

and

it is

owing

we may date our

the sinew of

death to the cause

informing-

War while

158

"

MEMOIRS OF

sions

and hunt/' he was

" ceeding upon a

c<

ing
'.'

ec

accordingly pro*

hunting- excursion/"' and desir-

would dispatch Major

that I

Dovetori

But the season

slightly attended."

nego-

for

ciation through the pacific channels so often

fered by

me was now

elapsed.

of-<

After mature;

deliberation on the grounds already stated, I had

directed the advance of the

army

into the territo-

ry of the Sultaun, and I had signified

to the Al-

lies

my

To

have delayed the advance of the armv, would

determination to proceed to

hostilities.

at once have thrown the advantages which

then

possessed into the hands of Tippoo Sultaun, and

have rendered the siege of

his Capital impracti-

On

the other

hand an Embassy, combined with the

hostile ir-

cable during the present season.

ruption of any army into Mysore, would

been

liable to

the

have

imputation of insincerity to-

wards Tippoo Sultaun, and while

pearance of indecision

in the

it

bore the ap-

eyes of the Allies,

would have promoted, and perhaps warranted, a

similar degree of instability in their Councils

operations.

and

The

design of this tardy, reluctant,

insidious assent to the admission of an

bassy from the British Government,

for the

Em-

could be

considered in no other light than that of a

artifice

and

purpose of gaining time

new

until

Change of circumstances and of season might

enable the Sultaun to avail himself of the assistance of France.

This conclusion was now con-

139

TIPPOO SULTATJN

my knowledge of the actual embarkaMr. Dubuc and two native Vakeels, on

firmed by
tion of

an Embassy from Tippoo

rectory of Fiance

to

the Executive Di-

an event which took place

at

Tranquebar on the 7th of February.

I

therefore, replied

Sultaun

which

in

to the Letter

the

of

terms

the

of Tippoo

Inclosure,

in

have declared Lieutenant- General Har-

ris to T>e

the only person

authorized by

now

me

answer whatever communicawith a

tions the Sultan may think fit to make,
view to the restoration of peace, on such con-

to receive

and

io

ditions as appear to the Allies to be indispensibly

necessary to their
ter I directed

common

security.

General Harris

to

Sultan, on the day on which the

command
same

This Let-

forward to the

army under

his

should pass the frontier, and, at the

time, I instructed

him

to issue, in the

name

of the Allies, the Declaration.

The Nizam's

contingent consists of 6000 of

the Company's troops, subsidized by his Highness, of about the same number of his ovrn infantry, including a portion of

poys,

now commanded by

a large body of

cavalry.

General command of

Mur

Mr. Peron's Se-

British officers,

This

force,

and of

under the

Allum, formed a junc-

army on the 19th of FeUnder these circumstances General Harbruary.

on the 5th
ris entered the territory of Mysore,
tion with the British

of March, with orders to proceed directly to Se-

160

MEMOIRS OF

ringapatam.
reflections

Hii Lordship concludes with some

upon the prospect of the ultimate con-

sequences and permanent effect of the measures

Towards the conclusion he

adopted by him.
ec

says,

If

Tippoo Sultan had been disposed ta

content himself with the quiet possession of his

present dominions
to a sense of his

with

nection

which
an

the

if

he could have been brought

own

peril

French,

in

forming a con-

the

representations

addressed to him would hiive produced

earl)'

and salutary impression.

Whatever

speculative opinions might have been entertained

with respect to his interests, views, and power,

the justice and moderation of the British govern-

ment would never have disturbed

But he
lost
still

his tranquillity,

resolved to attempt the recovery of his

dominions, at the hazard of th

retains,

and

in the

>se

which

lie

ardour of his passionate

pursuit, he overlooked not only the certain des-

truction of his

own independence,

the inevitable

consequence even of the most prosperous success

of any alliance with France, but also the predo-

minant influence of the English East India Company, which would detect his treachery, and turn
against his

own empire

the ruin which he had

meditated against theirs/'

&51

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Copy of a Declaration of the Right Honourable

the Governor General in Council, for all the
Forces and Affairs of the British Nation in
the East- Indies, on behafofthe Honourable
the East- India

the said

Company, and the

Company

Nizam and

A.

the

there, his

Allies of

Highness the

Peshwah.

solemn Treaty of Peace and Friendship was

Ho

concluded at Seringapatam, between the

Nabob Asaph Jah

one part, and the Na-

nourable Company, and the

and the Peshwah, on the

bob Tippoo Sultaun on (he other part;

from that day

all

commotion and

and

hostilities ceas-

Since that day the three allied States have

ed.

invariably manifested a sacred regard for the ob*

ligations Contracted

Nabob Tippoo
sition

under that Treaty with the

Of

Sultaun.

this

of the Allies.

wiih regard

Whatever

differences have arisen

to the limits of the territory of

sore have been amicably adjusted

culty,

Treaty.
lies

without

and with the most exact attention

principles of equity,
'

uniform dispo-

abundant proofs have been afforded by each

and

to the

Such has been the

Mydiffi-

to

the

stipulations of

solicitude of the al-

for the preservation of tranquillity, that they

have viewed with forbearance, for some years

past, various

embassies and military preparations

on the part of Tippoo Sultaun, of a tendency so

evidently hostile to the interests of the

Allies

as

To3

MEMOIRS or

would have justified them, not only

serious

remonstrances, but even in an appeal to

On

arms.

most

in the

the part of the

British

Government,

every endeavour has been employed

to conciliate

the confidence of the Sultaun, and to mitigate his

vindictive spiri;, by the most unequivocal

ledgment and confirmation of

acknow-

his just

rights,

and by the removal of every cause of jealousy,

which might tend

These

of peace.

most

to

interrupt the continuance

pacific

sentiments have been

manifested

particularly

in

the

Governor

General's recent decision on Tippoo Sultaun's

claim to the district of
tiation

nego-

in the

his Lordship with regard to the

opened by

districts of

Wynaad, and

Amarah and Soileah.

In every in-

stance the conduct of the British Government in

India towards Tippoo Sultaun, has

natural
ration,

justice,

Legislature
ble the

of

result

those

and

principles

good

faith,

been
of

the

mode-

which

the

of Great Britain, and the Honoura-

East-India Company,

have firmly esta-

blished as the unalterable rule of their intercourse

with the Native Princes and States of

The

exemplary good

position of the

Allies,,

faith,

and the

India.

pacific dis-

since the conclusion of the

Treatv of Seringapatam, has never been disputed

even by Tippoo Sultaun.

tempted

to alledge

Far from having

at-

even the pretext of a complaint

against their conduct, he has constantly acknow-

ledged their justice,

sincerity,

and good

faith;

loB

TIPPOO SULTAlftf.

and has preferre

1,

desire to maintain
tions of

in the

most cordial terms, his

and strengthen the founda-

harmony and concord with them.

In the

midst of these amicable professions on the part of

Tippoo Sultaun, and

British

moment when the

at the

Government had issued orders

confirmation of his claim to

Wynaad,

for the

was with

it

astonishment and indignation that the Allies dig's

covered the engagements which he had contract-

ed with the French Nation,

the

in

direct violation of

Treaty of Seringapatam, as well as of his

own most solemn and

friendship towards the

recent protestations of

Allies.

Under the mask

of these specious professions, and of a pretended

veneration for the obligations of Treaty,

Tippoo

Sultaun

dispatched Ambassadors to the Isle of

France,

who,

in

India, proposed

a period of profound peace in

and concluded,

in

his

name, an

offensive alliance with the French, for the

avow-

ed purpose of commencing a war of aggression

Company, and consequently against

the Peshwah and the Nizam, the Allies of the

against the

Company.
Tippoo

The

Sultaun,

Ambassadors, in the name of

demanded

military

succours

from the French, and actually levied a military

force in the Isle of France, with the declared

view ot prosecuting the intended war.

When

the Ambassadors returned in a F; ench ship of war,

from the

Isle

of France, Tippoo Sultaun suffered

the military force, which they had levied for th*

MEMOIRS 0?

164?

avowed' purpose of making war npon the

to land in his country
it

into his

and.,

he admitted

finally,

army; by these personal

acts ratifying;

and confirming the proceedings of

dors.

This military

ficiently

force,,

Allies,

ins

Ambassa-

however, was not suf-

powerful to enable him immediately to

attempt his declared purpose of attacking the

Company's possessions; but

advanced
his

conformably

his h< st.le preparations,

engagements with the French

move

ready to
territories-,

France the

army

his

whenever
effectual

he

meanwhile he

in the

into

and he was

the Company's-

might

succours,

to

from

obtain

which he

assiduously solicited from that nation.

had

But the

providence of God, and the victorious arms of

the Bri.ish nation, frustrated his vain hopes, and

checked the presumptuous career of the French

in Egypt, at the

moment when he

anxiously ex-

pected their arrival on the coast of Malabar.

The

British

Government, the Nizam, and the

Peshwah, had not omitted the necessary precaution of assembling

their

forces.,

for

the joint

The

protection of their respective dominions.

strict principles of self-defence

fied the Allies,

would have

at that period of time, in

an immediate attack upon the

making

territories of

poo Sultaun; but even the happy

Tip-

intelligence of

the glorious success of the British

mouth of

justi-

fleet at

the

the Nile did not abate the anxious desire

of the Allies to maintain the relations of amity and

lo5

TIPPOO SULTAU1*.

peace with Tippoo Sjltaun.

They

bv a moderate representation,

to recal

attempted,

him

to

sense of his obligations, and of the genuine prin-

prudence and policy; and they employ-

ciples of

ed every
tion,

effort to

and

to

open the channels of negocia-

facilitate

accommodation.

With

the

means of amicable

these salutary views, the

Governor General, on the 8th of November,

17^*3, in the

name

of the Allies, proposed to dis-

patch an Ambassador to Tippoo Sultaun, for the

purpose of renewing the bonds of friendship,

and of concluding such an arrangement as might

afford effectual security against

anv future inter-

ruption of the public tranquillity

and

his

Lord-

ship repeated the same proposal on the 10th

December, 1798.

Tippoo Sultaun

declined,

of

by

various evasions and subterfuges, this friendly

and moderate advance on the

part of the

and he manifested an evident disposition

Allies,

to reject

the means of pacific accommodation, by suddenly

breaking up,

in the

ferences which had

the districts of

month of December, the con-

commenced with

A mora h and

Souleah,

respect to

and by in-

terrupting the intercourse between his subject*

and those of the Company on

frontiers.

On

their respective

the 9th of January,

739, the

Go-

vernor General being arrived at Fort St. George

(notwithstanding these discouraging circumstan-

ces in the conduct of Tippoo Sultaun,) renewed with

increased earnestness, the expression of his Lord-

ite

Memoirs of

ship'sifnxious desire to dispatch an

Ambassador

to

the Sultann.

The

solicited the

Sultaun to return an answer within

one day

Governor General expressly

to this letter

and as

it

involved no pro-

position either injurious to the vights, dignity, or

honour of the Sultaun,

any degree novel or

in

complicated either in form or substance,

it

could

The Gover-

not require a longer consideration.

nor General waited with the utmost solicitude for

an answer

and

to the reasonable

distinct proposi-

tion contained in his letter of the 9th

1795.

January,

Tinpoo Sultaun, however, who must have

received this letter before the 15th of January,

remained

had

silent,

although the Governor General

plainly apprised

that

Prince that dangerous

consequences would result from delay.

mean

In the

while, the season for military operations

already advanced

had

to so late a period, as to render

a speedy decision indispensible to the security of

the Allies.

Under

these

circumstances, on the

3d of February (eight days having elapsed from

the period when an answer might have been received from Seringapatam to the Governor General's letter

of the 9th of January,) his Lordship

declared to the Allies, that the necessary measures must

now be

adopted, without delay, for

securing such advantages as

common

safety of the Allies

should place the

beyond the reach of

the insincerity of Tippoo

Sultaun,

violence of the French.

With

and of the

this

view, the

187

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Governor General on the 3d of February

isiied

orders to the British armies to march, and

sig-ni-

fied to the

Commander

of his Majesty's squadron,

that the obsiinate silence of the Sultaun

must be

considered as a rejection of the proposed amica-

At

ble negociation.

on the 13th of Fe-

length.,

bruary, a letter from Tippoo Sultaun reached the

Governor General;

ff

which the Sultaun signi-

in

c:

Lordship,

to^iiis

fies

That being frequently

disposed tomake excursions and hunt, he was

" accordingly proceeding upon a hunting excur" sion adding, that the Governor General would
;

" be pleased
*"'

to dispatch

unattended"

Major Doveton

Tiie Allies will not dwell on the

but

peculiar phrases of this letter;

evident to
of the

all

period of the
to

must be

it

the States of India, that the

Sultaun

preclude

has

the

the

defered

their

combined

able

them

insidious

advantages

of those

delays,

which

operations

would en-

On

advantages

mil tary

secure.

answer

to this late

no other view than

by

Allies,

benefit,

to

been

season, with

from

to him,

those

alone (under the recent experience of Tippoo

Sultaun 's violation of the Treaty of Seringapa-

tam, and under the peculiar circumstances of

that Prince's offensive alliance with the French,)

can the
ful

Allies

now

venture to rely for the faith-

execution of any Treaty of Peace conclud-

ed with Tippoo Sultaun?

suffer

Tippoo Sultaun

The

to profit

by

Allies
his

cannot

own.sta-

us

.MEMOIRS OP

died

Batic delay,

disposition of their n

ili

nor to impede such a

ary and naval force, as

oppear best calculated

shall

Bound by

their just views

give

to

effect

to

the sacred obliga-

lions of public faun, professing the most ami-

cable disposition,
session

of those

and undisturbed
dominions

in

the pos-

secured to him by

Treaty, Tippoo Sultaun wantonly violated the

relations of amity

arm

Allies to

in

and peace, and compelled the

defence of their rights, their

happiness, and their honour.

For a period of

three months he obstinately rejected every pa*

cific

overture, in the hourly expectation of re*

ceiving that succour, which he has eagerly

for the prosecution

cited

soli-,

of his favourite pur-

poses of ambition and revenge.

Disappointed

in his

hopes of immediate vengeance and con-

quest,

he

now

resorts

crastination, and,

long-

subterfuge and

pro-

bv a tardv, reluctant, and

sidious acquiescence

had so

to

in

in-

a proposition which he

and repeatedly declined, he endea-

vours to frustrate the precautions of the Allies,

and

to protract

even

effectual

operation,

some change of circumstances and of season

revive his expectations of disturbing
quillity of India,

French army.

and

delays.

shall

the tran-

by favouring the irruption of a

The

to repel his violence,

fices

until

Allies are equally

and

The

solved to place their

to counteract his arti-

Allies are,

army

prepared

therefore, re-

in such a position as

16*

TIPPOO SULTAUtf.

shall afford

adequate protection against anysSTti-

and

fice or insincerity,

shall preclude the return of

that danger which has so lately

possessions.

The

Allies,,

menaced

their

however, retaining aa

anxious desire to effect an adjustment with Tip-

poo Sultaun, Lieutenant General Harris. Commander in Chief of his Majesty's and the Honourable Company's Forces on the coast of
del

and Malabar,

is

Coroman-

authorized to receive any

bassy which Tippoo Sultaun

may

Em-

dispatch to the

Head-quarters of the British Army; and to concert a

Treaty on such conditions as appear to

the Allies to be indispensibly necessary for the

establishment of a secure and a permanent peace.

Dated Port

By

St.

George, 22d February, 1799.

Order. of the Right Honourable the Go-

vernor General,

N. B.

EDMONSTONE,

P.

T.

Copy of a Letter from the Right Honorable

the Governor General to the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors, dated \$tk

May,

1799.

to the secret committee of the honourable

court of directors.

Honorable

The

Sirs,

accidental detention of the Sarah Christia-

na packet, enables me
Committee by

to forward to

this dispatch,

your Hon.

documents of great

importance, explanatory of the nature of the

170

MEMOIRS OF

connection between Tippoo

Sultaun and the

French Republic.

These papers were found

Palace at Se-

in the

ringapatam, and were transmitted

to

officially

Military Secretary, by the Secretary of the

my

Com-

mission appointed to assist Lieutenant General

Harris in

The

all

matters of a political nature.

Paper,

No.

is

1,

a Letter from Tippoo

Sultaun to the Executive Directory., and appears

to-be

an attested Copy of that which was dispatch-

ed by M. Dubuc, with two Native Vakeels, on

The

the 7th of February, 1799-

howe-

1798, at which

20th of July,

ver, is dated the

Letter,

time the military preparations in the Carnatic

had scarcely commenced

Your Hon. Committee

this Letter

manner,

will

Tippoo Sultaun,

observe, that in

in the

states the nature of his late

most

distinct

Embassy to

the Isle of France to have been the same which

I

have described

August, and

in

in

my

my

Letter to Tippoo Sultaun of

the 8th of November,

had endeavoured
transaction in his

to
1

minute of the 12th of

notwithstanding that he

put a different colour on the

etter

me

to

December, 1798. and received

at

of the

Fort

St.

18th of

George

the 25th of December.

equally remarkable,

It is

tempt

that

he does not

to ailedge against the British

at-

Government

any ground of complaint since the conclusion of

the

last

war.

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The

17

object of his offensive and defensive., al-

Fiance, appears to have been not

liance with

merely the recovery of his former dominions, but

the expulsion of the English from

their rich

all

and the utter annihilation

possessions in India,

of their power in Asia.

You
to

will further observe,

be his intention

first

commence

to

he declares

that

it

the attack on the

favourable occasion, and, on the whole, that

he professes

common

to. make

cause with France,

under the most solemn protestations of

fidelity

and

zeal to the Republic.

The

Paper, No.

is

a Note of the

Demands

which Tippoo Sultana's Ambassadors were authorised by

him

to

rectory at Paris

make upon the Executive Dithey

correspond

with the requisitions announced in

in

substance

M.

Malartic's

Proclamation at the Mauritius.

In the Articles 5 and

the

Suhaun intended

to

you

will

perceive that

commence

his operations

6,

in the heart of the Carnatic,

French army

to be landed at

in

concert with a

Porto Novo; and

that he did not propose to wait the actual

of the French force, but was resolved

arrival

to

make

himself master of the coast of Coromandel as soon

as he should find

it

convenient, after

having-

re-

ceived notice of the motions of the French.

In Article 7,

it

appears that the Portuguese

colonies in this quarter of India were to have

been

divided between Tippoo Sultaun and the French.

>*

/>

172

MEMOIRS OF

Al-Khe
'

"articles

of his paper demand particular at-

tention, as tending- to prove, in the

sive

most conclu-

manner, the entire devotion of

this infatu-

ated Prince to his alliance with France.

This

on the 20th of July,

1798:

PaDer

is

also dated

boih Papers are signed in the Sultaun's own hand

writing, according- to the abbreviated form of sig-

nature which he was accustomed to use in

letters

and other

of signature

is

documents.

official

usual

among

his

all

This mode

the naiives

of Hin-

dostan, and no doubt can be entertained

of the

authenticity of the Papers.

Your Hon. Committee

will observe, that the

Letter from Tippoo Sultaun to me, which was received at Fort St George on the 13th of February,

must have been written subsequently

dispatch of the Papers

now

inclosed,

as

to the

M. Du-

buc, with the Sultaun's two native Vakeels,

em-

barked at Tranquebar on the 7th of February.

I

have the honor to inclose two other

No. 3 and

4, in the

Papers,

French language, found

al-

so in the Palace of Seringapatam.

I

have the Honor to be,

Honorable

Your most

Sirs,

obedient and faithful Servant,

MORNINGTON,
Fort

St.

George, 19th May, 1793.

173

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

Extract of a Letter from Lord Morningto^

the Chairman of the Court of Directors.
Fort

to

George, 19th May, 1799.

St.

Sir,

Sarah Ghristiana having been detained

The
for a

few hours,

am

enabled to acknowledge

Comf

the receipt of the dispatches of the Secret

mittee, under date 24th of

The .intelligence which

December.
I have received this

me

day from Seringapatam, induces

to believe

that 1 shall be able to effect a settlement of the

country without quitting this Presidency.

and

brother,

Lieutenant-Colonel

are far advanced on their

and

Kirkpatrick,

way towards Mysore,

wait for their report before

shall

I request

from hence.

you

to

move

apprize the Court

my being able

probability of

of Directors of the

My

to raise the investment nearly to the standard originally proposed.

The

Egypt are by no means

advices from

tisfactory

it

sa-

appears that the French had gain-

ed some considerable advantages in Syria, and

had taken the town ofJoppa;

that they had fortified Suez,
collect

The

craft at the

it

also

appears

and had begun to

head of the Arabian Gulph.

Centurion and Albatross, and two of the

Company's

cruizers,

for the purpose of

were gone up the lied Sea

detroying the

and of preventing the

Princess

craft collected

collection of more.

Charlotte Indiamen,

The

armed, together

:)

Vi4

MEMOIRS OF

witV-the Fox

were probably

frigate,

off.

Streights of Babelmandell; having quitted

bay

with

that

destination

the

Bom-

some time before.

The- last intelligence of Commodore Blankett was

of the month of January, whevn he

tending

adverse winds off the coast of

with

J^frica,

a very few degrees

of the

Line.

cumstance to
able,

dia by

May

after

the

cir-

French should

Admiral Rainier

to

In-

have

shall

they will find no friend to

their arrival,

circumstances, would,

am

add another triumph

to

a satisfactory

accident, to push a force

quitted his station,

support them

it is

reflect, that if

by an
sea,

the northward

to

Admiral Rainier was at Canna-

nore on the 8th of

be

was con-

under our present

persuaded, only serve

to the British

arms in

India.
I

have the honor to be.

the

&c. &c.

MORNINGTON.

(Signed)

To

Sir,

Chairman of the Court of Directors.

Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant General

George

Harris,

the

to

Court of Directors;

Chairman of the

dated Seringapatam,

6th Mai/, 1799.

the chairman of the

hoi*.

court of directors

of the united east india company, &c.

&c

Sir,

I have

the honor of congratulating you

and

the Honorable Court, on the prosperous issue of

175

TIPPOO SULTAUNi

the expedition committed to

my

charge

by the

Right Honorable the Earl of Mornington.

Seringapatam was carried by storm

day of the 4th instant
with many

at

Tippoo Sultaun

of his principal

mid-

killed,

and thousands

officers,

of his adherents; and his family, with the farni-

-^

lies

of his chief Sirdars, in our possession.

My

attention

is

now

directed to secure

and maintain our advantages,

sition,

my

until I

receive further instructions from the Right

po-

can

Hon.

the Governor General.

I have the

honor

&c. &c.

to be, Sir,

GEORGE HARRIS.
Head-quarters, Seringapatam, Gth May, 1799.

Copy of a Letter from John Spencer, Esq.

to

the Court of Directors; dated Calicut, 2\st

May,

1799.

to the hon. the court of directors of the hon.

united east india company,

Honorable Sirs,
Admiral Rainier having been

&c &c

pleased to order

his Majesty's frigate the Carysfort,

age

to

England, to touch at

intelligence as

my

the Carysfort,

be

worthy of your

anxiety to avoid the detention of

particularly at this late period

the season, will necessarily oblige

concise.

for such

myself of the opportunity to ad-

I avail

dress, while

this place,

might be attainable here of a na-

ture sufficiently interesting to

notice,

on her voy-

me

to

of

be very

176

MEMOIRS OF

(general Harris's dispatches will advise

glorious

iris

and important success

tarn,

on which

with

my

On

at

Seringapa-

have the honor to present you

cordial congratulations.

Kemmerrut Peca

the 13th inst.

of the principal officers of the late

came

taun,

you of

in

Khan,,

one

Tippoo Sul-

General Harris with 4,000

to

horse; and on the 12th, Purweah, a Bramiii, one

of Tippoo's

civil

officers, also

Hyder, Tippoo's eldest son.

expected

to

come

came

in

Fattah

illegitimate,,,,

in on the 13th

and a

was

salute,

which was heard by the Bombay army on that

day

at

Seringapatam, was supposed to announce

that event.

The Bombay army under General

Seringapatam
is

for the

Stuart left

Malabar Coast, and there

every reason to expect that the

whole

will

reach Cannanore by the 25th instant; they have

had the advantage of very

fine dry weather,

withstanding- the advanced period

not-

of the season.

I understand that the whole of General Stuart's

army, including the native corps

a part of Colonel

Little's

lately

forming

detachment,

will

be

cantoned for the present at or near Cananore

and Tellichcrry.

The

intelligence

patam of the 4th

of our success at Seringainstant,

Hon. the Governor-General.,

11th.

reached the
at

Right

Madras, on the

K7

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

I have

the satisfaction to acquaint your

Hon.

Court, that during- the late hostilities between the

H<n. Company and Tippoo

quillity

Sultaun,,

the tran-

of the Province, and the realization of

the Revenues, have remained uninterrupted.,

then

iiieat

and

reason to conclude that the s:ene-

ral state of the

Province

will

be very much ame-

liorated by the very successful termination of the

It is

my

expected that part of General Stuart's ar-

will shortly

march

into

and take possession

of the country of the late

lies

late

Tippoo Sultaun, which

on the Malabar Coast, between Kabye, our
northern frontier, and Goa.
I

have the honor

&c. &c.

to be,

J.
President of

SPENCER,
the

Commission

for

executing the Office of Supravitor and Chief

Judge and Magis-

trate in Malabar.

.SMU.^

173

MEMOIRS OF

CHAP.

XII.

Death of Tippoo
r

Capture of Seringapatam

Conduct of his sons

Interment of

the Sul-

taun British commander's attention

the S

Sultana Her character Cursory remarks,

to

4
he Capture of Seringapatam and dea'h of
Tippoo being but slightly mentioned in the BriJL

tish

Commander's

necessary here to

letters, it is

resume the History, and give a

interesting business.

Lord Mornington

The

full detail

of this

preceding papers of

sufficiently evince the necessity

of crushing Tippoo's power and disappointing

his ambitious views.

General Harris, according

to orders,

proceed-

ed for Seringapatam, where he arrived April 4.

The

English troops were, the

their arrival,

employed

sary materials
skirmishes,

in

after

in

first

few davs after

collecting the neces-

which they had repeated

which thev took some outposts,

&c. so that their breaching batteries did not open

till

about the termination of the month.

Several

Polvgars and Zemindars of Mysore, had

attached themselves to our
considerable ser

allies,

now

and rendered

179

TIPPOO SULTAUN.

The

fire

of the batteries which began to

ba<>'

ter in breach (April 30)

May

much

2, so

which

it

was

had on the

evening- of

destroyed the walls against

arrangement was

directed, that the

then made for assaulting the place on the follow-

ing day, when the breach was reported practicable.

-May

Early this morning the troops in-

3.

truded to be employed, were stationed

.

trenches, that no extraordinary

le

enemy

the

to suspect the

in

the

movement might
assault which was

determined to be made in the heat of the day.

Ten

flank companies of Europeans, taken

to

guard the

outposts, followed by the

12th, 33d,

those regiments necessarily,

camps and

from

73d and 74th regiments

left

and three corps of

grenadier sepoys, taken from the troops of the

three presidencies, with

200

of his Highness the

Nizam's troops, formed the party

accompanied by 100 of the

for the assault,

Artillery,

and the

corps of pioneers, and supported in the trenches

by the

battalion companies of the regiment

Meuron, and four

of Madras sepoys.

battalions

Colonel Sherbrooke, and

de

Lieutenant Colonels

Dunlap, Dalrymple, Gardiner and Mignan, com-

manded

the several flank troops, and

Major Ge-

neral Baird was entrusted with the direction of

this

important service.

The

troops

moved

at

one o'clock from the

trenches, recrossed the rocky bed of the Cavery,

180

MEMOIRS CF

under an extremely heavy

cis

passed the gla-

fire,

and 'ditch, and ascended the breaches

fausse braye, and rampart of the

fort,

in the

surmount-

ing in the most gallant manner, every obsta-

which the

cle

difficulty

of the passage, and the

enemy, presented

jesistance of the

ed his force for the purpose of

parts to the

right

and

left.

divid-

cleari
i

commanded by Colonel Sherbrooke.

b\

oppose

to

Major General Baird had

their progress.

on

the

-..as

er

Colonel Dunlap; the latter ^vas dis-

Lieut.

abled in the breach, but both corps, though strongiv

opposed, were completely successf

1.

Resist-

ance had been made from the palace of Tippoo

some time

after all

firing

had ceased from the

works.

General Harris only gave Tippoo 24 hours

to consider the propositions

ed expedient

to

make

against

operations

to

the

which
him,

fort

it

was deem-

respecting our

of Seringapatsm.

These were transmited by a Vakeel, April 28;

but Tippoo returned no answer, obstinately persevering in his determination of defending his
capital to the

May
ble,

it

4.

last.

The breach being now

was resolved

at three

o'clock

to

commence

dow"

field,

besides two

regiments complete, moved

to the

the attack, and

the morning the flank com-

panies of every corns in the

or three

practica-

trend

s,

where thev

sat for

some

181

TIPPOO SCLTAUN.

time in anxious expectation of the signal, dar-,/

ing which time they kept up an incessant

The

storming party,

firing.

under the command of

General Baird, began to move on, covered by

the constant

fire*

from their batteries, and suf-

fering a very galling one of grape from the

Great anxiety pervaded the English troops

fort.

a quarter of an hour,

"pi

tiou of joy 'then

the breas

they saw their co-

till

Loud acclamaall parts, and

on the ramparts.

.ours hoisted

resounded from

every British soldier was fired with

The enemy

enthusiasm.

soon abandoned the

ramparts, after the English had reached them:

in

about half an hour, the

tirely ceased,

and

ly displayed in

Soon
into

the fort had en-

the British flag

was triumphant-

every part of

it.

300 grenadiers rushed

the storm,

after

and were about

the palace,

when

fire in

they were

called

mediately shut the gates,

sons,
little

in

&c.

were

all

to his

adversaries.

up with a

this

his Sultana,

in the palace.

A.

mak-

and by the cheerful-

ness of his countenance, seemed

to bid defiance

Major Allan now corning

flag of truce

ter explaining to those

that

At

before the attack Tippoo had been

ing merry with his family

it,

inside im-

front.

Tippoo Sultaun with

treasure,

plunder

and the 33d regiment,

and a native corps drew up

critical time,

to

Those

off.

from General Baird,

who were

no violence should be

in the

offered,

af-

balcony,

desired the

182

MEMOIRS OP

Fultaun to be

wounded
was

that

ed that
to

or not, but that they would

much

After

his escape

was

know whether he

delay

was only a pretence

this

make

replied that he

they did not

in the palace

look for him.

They

called.

it

was suspect-

to give

him time

upon which the general or-

dered a six-pounder to be brought in fron'

the gate

and

told

them

that if the Sultan-, uj

not immediately make his appearance, he

burst

it

open.

he was not

They then

in the palace,

come out immediately.

won

jL

dec!.. red,

but that his sons would

They

waited again, for

making

time, but the sons not

some

positively

their appear-

ance, Major Allan earning the flag of trace, and

accompanied by two other

officers,

went

in

and

returned in about half an hour with the two princes,

who, though they seemed

pression of spirits,

they

to hide their de-

not but manifest that

could

Being asked what

felt their situation.

vants should attend them to the camp,

nobly replied,

'*

that they

when the
they had only to name
order:" and

wished

for.

ser-

they very

had now no right

to

general told them that

the persons

and that they should

whom

instantly

they

accom-

pany them, the vounger said, with a tear starting in his eye, " We could have called for many
this

morning, but now, I

fear, there are

but few

remaining."

General Baird,

much

who behaved

kindness, gave them

to

them with

in charge

to

Major

183

TIPPOO SULTAUft.

Agnew, who conveyed them

Head

Quarters.
being-

It

in palanquins to

desirous

to

now near
secure,

every one was

sun-se^,

the

if possible,

Mysorean

After much
who seemed to be a man of consequence,
but his name was unknown. He said that Tip-

enquiry, they found a per-

chief.

son,

Sultaim had been killed in endeavouring* to

This man was immediately seized, and

cape

thk*atened with immediate death,

show

if

he did not

Accordingly, he led the way to

the place.

a kind of gateway, leading to a bridge across the

ditch: there, in a place about four feet wide,

and

twelve feet long, were upwards of 70 dead bodies,

and Tippoo's palanquin appeared

in the midst

Immediate search was then made

them.

body, but so numerous were the

was a

full

slain,

of

for his

that

it

The

hour before he was discovered.

unfortunate Tippoo had received a shot in his

arm

at the time of the

on the ramparts:

make

his escape,

ple,

after this,

he had

dy was recognized by

in

he was himself

endeavouring to

in

the side with a

his existence.

his

relatives,

the palanquin-boys, and was

hand.

for

also received a shot in the

which put an end to

covered.

he was met by a party of Eu-

who wounded him

ropeans,

bayonet

storm

He had

his sabre

still

tem-

The

bo-

and some of

warm when

clenched

dis-

fast in his

**

MEMOIRS

OF
t

JThe Nizam's

troops discovered great pleasure,

indeed savage satisfaction, when the body was

exposed

to

utmost

order

view;

but the English observed the

and

decorum.

Such a speedy

termination to the war not bekig expected,

former cried with exulting voices,

tam

is

taken

the

tyrant

dead

is

family are prisoners, and

all

Serin-apa-

sons and

his

his treasure

ataurf?

is

General Harris issued orders to

disposal."

surrender of this strong

critical time,

fort,

at such

was particularly fortunate;

news was announced

and

brilliant illumination took place.

Two

at

for the

army bad only three days grain remaining.

the

sum

*^&f

" *"

press their impetuosity.

The

When

Madras, a general

days prior to the capture of Seringapa-

tam, Tippoo held a durbar (or council) attended

by

all

his chiefs,

to

territory

of a large

his

who

advised him to cede more

besiegers,

and the payment

sum of money; but Tippoo, seeing

that his adversaries had already one half of his

dominions, strenuously opposed the measure, and

dismissed the council.

Tippoo Sultaun was rather above the middle

size, stout,

He

corpulent, and well made.

He

dress-

rather plain, and his head was shaved close.

was

in

his 51st year

when

killed,

and was

interred, agreeable to the supplication of his fa-

mily on the
with

all

left

side of his father, in Laul

Hang,

the ceremonies and honors of the place.

'

I80

TIPP00 SULTAUft.

His

will,

him and

the

{/:*-*

French Directory, were found

The

Palace.
little

and the treaty concluded between

was enclosed

latter

in th

an elegant

in

box, which was very remarkable,

as

it

dis-

hopes entertained by the

covered the sanguine

deceased chief of the success of the hostile plans

against the British government.

Many

of Tippoo's chiefs were slain, particu:eb,

>.

Kofar,

&c.

Kerim Saheb sought refuge with

le

Meer Saduc, Syed

Meer Allum Behauder.

Tippoo's sons, though suspected at

first

of dis-

simulation, behaved with the utmost candour

sincerity.

They

death, and were

they said.

did not

know

absolutely looking for

They made no

hesitation

in

him as
surren-

dering themselves to General Harris, tho'

resistance

at first

the kind treatment

was vigorous.

first

now meet

Recollecting

doubted

with equal

but they

not

civility.

The two

captive sons sent to their three brothers,

strictly

their

they had experienced from

Lord Cornwallis, they

should

and

of their father's

and

enjoined them to follow their example.

The news

of Tippoo's death

filled all

the ladies

of the Zenanna with the utmost consternation;

not on account of any partiality for the chief, but

through an apprehension of what frequently attends

conquests

natives of India, in

in
all

these

countries;

for the

their victories, never paid

MEMOIRS OF

l$o

which

respect

is

due

female sex.

the

to

apprehensions were however soon remov-

?se

by the politeness of the British commander,

ed

sent a

>

der of the

immediately after th

flag-,

pla< e, to

irren-

assure them of his protection.

His attention to the Sultana, whose

occasion was truly sincere, does him equ-.l credit

This lady

is

delicately formed,

of her face so regular and

onomist would have had

placid,
little

and the

lin

difficulty

nounce her of a tranquil and amiable

her dress was generally a robe of white muslin,

spotted with silver, and round her neck rows of
beautiful pearls, from

which hung- a pastagon,

consisting of an emerald and a ruby of considera-

ble size, surrounded with a profusion of brilliants.

She

is

about twenty years of age, and for a com-

plete form,
all

aud

captivating' appearance, rivalled

Mysore.

Among- the poor prisoners who had suffered

Ions:

confinement

in

a dark dungeon, Mas a des-

cendant of the Hindoo

Hvder
tish
still

Ally dethroned.

officers,

Kmg

of Mysore,

There were

whom

several Bri-

supposed dead, who were found

living in these

General Baird,

dungeons.

who had now

taken an active

part in defeating-the tyiant, had formerly suffer-

ed three years confinement in

this prison

during

which time he was loaded with irons and experienced the most cruel treatment.

lo7

TIPPOO SULTAUN.
/ *

>

Considering the magnitude

our

loss

was inconsiderable, but that of the enemy

was very
soners,

of this enterprise,

One thousand were made

great.

and about the same number

pri-

Up-

killed.

wards of three millions of treasure were found

in the Palace.

Mangalorc
tory in India
:it

a. d

to

is

be added to the British

a circumstance not more impor-

in the benefit

it

render to our commerce

will

marine v than in depriving the enemv of a

oort in which they found protection and

The

partition of the treasures

of Seringapatam

and

terri-

is

relief.

and other

thus arranged

The arms

military stores are to be given to the

one clear moiety of

all

spoils

King

the other produce 'to the

besieging troops, and the other moiety to the

East India Company.

pedition against the

In Lord Cornwallis's Ex-

Mysore countrv, the Compa-

ny ceded

their portion of the

captors;

but so great are the spoils at present,

that

it is

booty to the brave

thought the above share

will

amply com-

though eminent

pensate their services,

in

the

greatest degree.

The

standard of Mysore was sent by General

Harris to Fort William

it is

of light green

silk,

with a red hand represented in the middle, and

was never hoisted but on

the Palace in Seringa-

patam.

This History cannot be concluded better than

by quoting the

singular and just

catastrophe

s
k

MEMOIRS OF TIPPCO BBtTAUK.

v which was

predicted of this tyrant some years

Vigo by an eminent writer

to advance

till

cc
:

He wou

d continue

he came to a point from which

there was no receding"

and then,

like

a stag at

bay, he would terminate his career of despotism,

cruelty,

and oppression."

P. Criciiton,

Primer.

DS

Authentic memoirs of Tippoo

Sultaun

T6A8^
1819

PLEASE

CARDS OR

DO NOT REMOVE

SLIPS

UNIVERSITY

FROM

THIS

OF TORONTO

POCKET

LIBRARY