“MYSORE,” “SERINGAPATAM”
[Sidenote: 1789.]
[Sidenote: 1790: “Mysore.”]
[Sidenote: Battle of Cheyur.]
[Sidenote: Surrender of Erode.]
The Battalion was employed on ordinary garrison duty until 1789, when it
joined a force operating against some insurgent zamindars in Southern
India. At the end of the year, owing to an expected outbreak of war with
Tippoo, it formed part of the army assembling at Wallajabad with the
intention of entering Mysore from the south. Coimbatore and other places
in this district were occupied, the Battalion being with the 1st Native
Brigade, which took the Fort of Suttiamungalum, which it garrisoned. On
September 11th Tippoo suddenly descended the Guzzlehutty Pass with 40,000
men. Information of this move had been received, but was disbelieved at
headquarters, and the detachment was ordered to hold on. After holding
off the attack of Tippoo, it was decided to retire at daybreak on the
14th, but the detachment was overtaken and a battle ensued at Cheyur, in
which the Brigade lost 148 Europeans and 408 natives killed and wounded.
Six guns and all the baggage were lost, but the enemy was checked. Erode,
which was held by a company of the Battalion under a subadar, was forced
to surrender on September 25th.
Tippoo, hearing of a concentration at Vellore, marched north unobserved,
and was not followed by the army until November 8th. The Battalion
with the 1st Europeans, 14th and 20th Battalions, was left to hold the
Coimbatore District with headquarters at Palghatcherry.
[Sidenote: Siege and Surrender of Coimbatore.]
The enemy sent a force which besieged Coimbatore in June. The siege was
raised by a force consisting of the Battalion and some local levies, and
a company was left to strengthen the garrison. In October the enemy again
attacked Coimbatore and an attempt to relieve the place having failed, it
surrendered after a defence of a month.
[Sidenote: 1792.]
In December orders were received to clear the district. This was done,
and by March, 1792, the force had, with great difficulty, reached the
head of the Guzzlehutty Pass, but was ordered to retire as peace had been
made.
The battle honour “Mysore” was granted to the Battalion in 1889, for
services during the campaigns of 1790-92.
[Sidenote: 1793.]
War was declared against France in 1793, and volunteers from the
Battalion formed part of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion for the expedition
against Mauritius, but this was abandoned.
[Sidenote: 1795.]
In 1795 war was declared against Holland, and one company embarked as
part of a volunteer battalion which proceed to Malacca.
[Sidenote: 1796.]
In 1796 the Madras Army was reorganized, the Battalion becoming the 2nd
Battalion of the 5th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry.
[Sidenote: 1797.]
The Battalion embarked in 1797 for an expedition against Manilla, but was
recalled from Penang owing to instructions from England to abandon the
expedition.
[Sidenote: 1798.]
[Sidenote: 1799: Capture of Seringapatam.]
Tippoo became restless and in 1798 an army was ordered to concentrate
at Vellore under General Harris. The Battalion was in the 6th Brigade,
Left Wing. The army advanced in February, 1799, and after some minor
actions encamped two miles south-west of Seringapatam on April 5th. After
much fighting against the enemy’s advanced posts, which were gradually
captured, the breaching batteries were established by May 2nd. By May 4th
a practicable breach had been made, and the assault was ordered for one
o’clock that afternoon. The Battalion was on duty in the trenches on that
day, the assaulting troops being formed of the flank companies of the
battalions off duty. The troops in the trenches formed the “sustaining”
corps. The assault was entirely successful after severe fighting. Tippoo
himself was killed. The casualties were:—Europeans: Killed, 181; wounded,
622. Natives: Killed, 119; wounded, 420; missing, 100; of which total the
Battalion sustained 11 killed and 33 wounded.
The battle honour of “Seringapatam” was subsequently granted to the
Battalion for this campaign.