1791–1792 Cornwallis takes command of the Army—Advance on Bangalore—Order of March—Floyd’s reconnoissance—Imprudent advance—Floyd badly wounded—Casualties—Capture of Bangalore—Advance on Seringapatam—Battle of Arikera—Army in great straits—Forced to retreat—Junction of Mahratta contingent—19th sent to Madras—Rejoin Cornwallis—Advance on Seringapatam—Night attack—Floyd detached to meet Abercromby—Seringapatam invested—Peace made—Tippoo’s hostages—19th return to Shevtamodoo.
Cornwallis assumed command of the army, at Vellout, on the 29th January 1791. By taking the field in person, he ensured the fullest co-operation of the civil and military administration, while it was hoped that his presence at the head of the troops, would induce the Nizam and the[82] Mahrattas to prosecute the war with more vigour than they had yet shown. Instead of attacking Mysore from the south, as had been done in the preceding year, Cornwallis proposed to operate on a more direct line. The considerations that had led to the rejection of this line in 1790, were, that Seringapatam could not be approached without first taking Bangalore, a place only second to Seringapatam in strength. The siege of Bangalore would have to be carried on at a distance of ninety miles from the nearest dep?t, Amboor; and the country between Seringapatam and Bangalore was unfertile, and not likely to furnish much in the way of supplies.
The army left Vellout on the 5th February. Tippoo, who had remained in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry, on hearing of the movement, hastily regained Mysore by the Changama and Palicode Passes. Cornwallis, after making a feint towards Amboor, which completely deceived the Sultan, turned northwards, and carried the army through the Mooglee Pass without opposition. Without firing a shot, the whole army was concentrated on the Mysore plateau by the 18th February. Here the army was joined by sixty-seven elephants from Bengal, the first occasion of these animals being employed in any considerable number by a British force. Hitherto, the movements of our armies had been greatly hampered by the difficulties of moving heavy siege guns; but on this occasion, by yoking the bullocks four instead of two abreast, and by the use of elephants to lift and push the guns in bad ground, the heavy guns were able to move with nearly as much ease as any other part of the army.
Among other beneficial changes made by Lord Cornwallis, was an improvement in the order of march of the army. Before this war, our armies in India had marched[83] with few cavalry and very small trains of artillery. They moved in a single column two or three files deep, with the stores, baggage and camp followers on one flank, covered by a strong party. This order was fatiguing to the troops, made rapid movement impossible, caused great delay in assuming any formation on coming in contact with the enemy, and exposed the camp followers and baggage to great losses from the enemy’s cavalry. Colonel Fullarton, in his brief campaign of 1783, remedied this, to some extent, by making the army move on a broad front of three brigades, the artillery and baggage following in rear covered on each flank by other brigades. The troops marched with intervals to permit of speedily forming line in any direction.
At the commencement of the campaign of 1790 the old order was reverted to. The battering train, which marched in rear of the column, often fell so far behind, that it did not reach the camping ground till the following day. It was then placed in the centre of the column. This only had the effect of delaying all in rear of the guns, and separating the army into two portions. It was then tried to improve matters, by placing the heavy guns in front of the column. This answered better when the guns were few, but with a large battering train gave bad results. The plan adopted by Cornwallis, was to make the infantry and cavalry move in parallel columns, some distance apart. Between them, moved two columns one composed of artillery and stores, while the other was composed of the baggage and camp followers, controlled by a baggage master. The army thus moved in a huge oblong, with the fighting men on the flanks. The front was covered by the advance guard, consisting of a cavalry regiment and the infantry picquets coming on duty. In the same way, the rear was covered by a regiment of cavalry and the infantry picquets last on duty, forming the rear guard.[84] The same order was observed in encamping. The infantry and cavalry camped in two lines, facing outwards, with the artillery, engineer corps, stores, baggage and camp followers in the space between. The order thus established by Cornwallis during this campaign, may be said to have held good in India up till the present day.
This appearance of a British army on the plateau of Mysore, marks the increase that had taken place in the military power of the East India Company during the past five years. In our previous wars with Hyder Ali and Tippoo, the operations of our armies had been confined to the low-lying country below the Ghauts, and the scene of warfare had been almost always the Company’s own territories in the vicinity of Madras, or the territories of our native allies in the Carnatic. Now, for the first time, the war was carried into the very heart of Mysore territory.
Tippoo’s movements, at this time, were characterised by unwonted indecision and want of energy. Instead of impeding and harassing the march of the army, he contented himself with watching the advance, with the intention rather of taking advantage of any mistake committed by the English commander, than of following any plan of his own.
On the 5th March, the British force reached Bangalore, and took up its ground without any loss, beyond a few casualties caused by a distant cannonade on the march. On the following day, the army changed ground, and took up a better position on the North West face of the pettah.[27] In the afternoon, Colonel Floyd was detached to the south west of the town, to cover a reconnoissance by the engineers. He had with him his own brigade, consisting of the 19th Light Dragoons under Captain Child, and five Regiments of native Cavalry, besides a Brigade of three battalions of Infantry, with a detachment of Artillery under Major Gowdie.
[85]
The work was satisfactorily accomplished, and the force was about to return, when a body of the enemy’s horse appeared. Leaving the infantry and guns, Floyd moved against it, and, on its giving way, discovered some Mysore infantry, and guns, with large masses of baggage and stores, elephants, bullock carts, camels and all the paraphernalia of an Eastern Army on the march. Tippoo was changing his ground, and, by accident, the reconnoitring party had crossed the rear of his line of march. Disregarding his orders, Floyd allowed himself to be persuaded to attack, by the young officers who were clamorous for the fray. The temptation was irresistible, and the cavalry advanced at a gallop. Some parties of infantry were charged and broken, and nine guns captured. As the advance continued, the ground became much broken with ravines and low rocky hills. The horses were exhausted, and the enemy, collecting their forces, opened a heavy fire of musketry and rockets that checked the advance. At this moment, Floyd fell from his horse, apparently dead, with a musket ball in his head. At his fall, the squadron behind him made a half wheel to avoid trampling on their leader. This threw the line into confusion, the flank squadrons took it for a signal to retire, and, in a few moments, the whole force was falling back. Fortunately for Floyd, Corporal Murray and Private Buchanan remained with him, and, examining his wound, found that it was not mortal. Murray remained with him, while Buchanan galloped after the regiment, and in a short time returned with a troop of the 19th, under Cornet Roderick Mackenzie: Floyd was mounted on Buchanan’s horse and brought back to the regiment. He was able to halt the regiment, and show a front to the enemy, which checked them; but darkness was coming on; the enemy pressed on, and the confusion was very great. The exhausted horses were scarcely able to get back through the[86] ravines they had cleared with ease in their advance, and had it not been for the good judgment of Major Gowdie, who had advanced a mile beyond the place where he had been left, and covered the retreat with his brigade, the losses would have been very great. Lord Cornwallis, who had been able to see what was occurring from the encampment, put a division in motion, and met the whole detachment returning. Floyd’s wound was caused by a bullet through his cheek, which lodged in his neck. It was never extracted, and he carried it to his grave, but he was sufficiently recovered to take up his command again eleven days later. The losses of the detachment were as follows:—
Killed—
1 Officer.
1 Trumpeter.
18 Rank and File.
36 Horses.
Wounded—
2 Officers (European).
3 Native Officers.
43 Rank and File.
7 Horses.
Missing—
2 Trumpeters.
1 Rank and File.
228 Horses.
The losses of the 19th Light Dragoons were—
Killed—
1 Trumpeter.
2 Rank and File.
11 Horses.
Wounded—
1 Lieutenant Colonel.
7 Rank and File.
Missing—
4 Horses.
[87]
Major Skelly, Lord Cornwallis’ aide-de-camp, writing of the event a short time afterwards, says: “I never saw Lord Cornwallis completely angry before that evening. To this day he cannot speak of that night’s business without evident signs of disapprobation.”
The loss of so many horses at this early stage of the campaign was a serious one, as they could not be replaced. The cavalry had been constantly employed for the last three days, and the horses had not been regularly fed. Those that did not succumb on this occasion were of little use for the remainder of the campaign.
On the following day, the pettah was taken by assault, and some much-needed supplies were obtained: but there was great scarcity of forage, and horses and transport animals suffered greatly. “The draught cattle were daily dying at their pickets; grain and every other necessary, including ammunition, were at the lowest ebb.” In these straits, Lord Cornwallis resolved to try and take the Fort by a coup-de-main. On the night of the 21st, the assault was delivered by moonlight, and in an hour the Fort was captured under the eyes of the Sultan, who made no serious attempt to cause a diversion.
The capture of Bangalore was the first great blow that had been struck against the power of Mysore, by any foe, since its establishment by Hyder Ali.
Leaving a garrison in the place, Cornwallis moved northward, on the 28th, with the twofold object of forming a junction with a corps of the Nizam’s cavalry, and of meeting a convoy that was expected from Amboor. After some delay, caused by false intelligence purposely spread by Tippoo, the British force was joined at Cotapilli, on 13th April, by 10,000 irregular horse of the Nizam’s, and, a week later, the much-needed convoy, escorted by four thousand men, was met at Venkitagheri. The combined force then returned to Bangalore, which was reached on[88] the 28th. Arrangements were at once made for the siege of Seringapatam, against which the Sultan sought to guard himself, by wasting the intervening country; a measure that was not without effect on subsequent events.
On the 13th May, the British force reached Arikera, about nine miles from Seringapatam. The army moved with extreme difficulty, and there was great distress, owing to the inadequate transport and the wasted state of the country. The Nizam’s cavalry refused to forage beyond the outposts, and added to the scarcity: great quantities of ammunition were dependent for carriage on the private resources of officers and other individuals with the army. Before laying siege to Seringapatam, it was Cornwallis’ object to cross the Cauvery at Caniembadi, and form a junction with the Bombay force, under Abercromby, which was shortly expected. The Sultan, who had hitherto confined himself to harassing the line of march, found it necessary to offer battle, to prevent if possible the threatened junction. With this purpose he took up an extremely strong position about three miles from Seringapatam, with his right resting on the Cauvery, and his left on a rugged hill. His front was covered by a deep, swampy ravine the passages of which were defended by batteries along the whole front. Cornwallis determined to turn Tippoo’s left wing, and, by a night march, to place himself between Seringapatam and a great portion of the Mysore army. Halting at Arikera on the 14th, the force marched at night, leaving the camp standing, with the heavy guns and stores. Unfortunately, there was a storm of extraordinary violence that lasted several hours, which added to the confusion and difficulties of a night march, and, when day broke, the force had only accomplished three or four miles. All hope of surprise was at an end, but Cornwallis continued his advance. To meet the movement, Tippoo threw back his left, and in order to cover his change of[89] front, detached a large corps of cavalry and infantry, with eight guns, to occupy a strong rocky ridge on his left, at right angles to the line of march of the British column. Owing to the depth of the ravine to be crossed, and the weakness of the gun bullocks, it took two hours before the British force could form up in line for attack; during which it was exposed to a galling artillery fire, and to some charges of cavalry, which were repulsed. The British force was disposed, with nine battalions under Major General Medows, in the first line, opposite to the enemy’s main body; four battalions in the second line, under Lt. Col. Harris; while five battalions, under Lt. Col. Maxwell, were destined to attack the enemy’s corps on the ridge to the right. The cavalry under Floyd, consisting of the 19th Light Dragoons and five Regiments of Native Cavalry, and the Nizam’s horse, were left on the opposite side of the ravine, out of reach of artillery fire.
The action commenced by an advance of Maxwell’s force against the ridge, which was taken, while the cavalry crossed the ravine, and fell on the rear of the Mysore infantry, inflicting considerable loss. But the exhausted horses could not raise a gallop, and they were obliged to fall back from a strong body of infantry, that had rallied and made a stand in some broken rocky ground. At this juncture, the Nizam’s horse, which had followed the British cavalry across the ravine, threw itself in an unwieldy mass in front of the left wing, preventing its advance, and detaining it under the fire of the enemy’s batteries in Seringapatam. This unfortunate circumstance, which by many was ascribed to treachery on the part of the Nizam’s commander, saved the enemy from destruction. The British line was for some time unable to advance, and the enemy’s guns and infantry, in great confusion, were able to withdraw under protection of their batteries across the river. Four guns were taken. The British loss was 81[90] killed, 339 wounded, and 6 missing. Of this, the 19th Light Dragoons lost
Killed—
1 Officer. Cornet James Patterson.
2 Troopers.
Wounded—
2 Officers. Cornet Roderick Mackenzie.
Cornet John Fortnam.
2 Troopers.
Horses—
13 Killed.
11 Wounded.
The army was now in such a state, owing to want of proper supplies, want of carriage, and an epidemic of smallpox, that it was necessary to join hands with the Bombay force under Abercromby, before undertaking the siege. Abercromby had encountered great difficulties in ascending the Passes into Mysore, and so excellent was the work done by Tippoo’s cavalry, that Cornwallis was without any precise information as to his advance. Nor was anything known of the Mahratta contingent, beyond the fact that they had captured Dharwar. Cornwallis therefore resolved on continuing his march on Caniembadi, to meet Abercromby. “For two marches, all the battering train and almost every public cart in the army were dragged by the troops,” and Cornwallis came to the conclusion, that the state of his force rendered a retirement on Bangalore imperative. The siege t............