added greatly to the confidence of his troops, and tended much to render them essentially useful.

Colonel Wellesley had thus under his command the whole of the Nizam's detachment, forming the reserve of the army, and comprising his own regiment the 33d, the 11th, part of the 2d and 4th, two battalions of the 1st Bengal regiment, two brigades of artillery, the Nizam's infantry commanded by Captain Malcolm, and the cavalry of the same prince commanded by their own native officer, Meer Allum. Along with these he had a distinct staff; and the cavalry alone amounted to 6,000 men; the whole army under General Harris being returned 36,959 fighting men, all well equipped, amply and liberally supplied, excellent in discipline, and never surpassed by any army ever formed in India, in the skill and ability of the officers in all departments.

It must be confessed, indeed, that the expedition was begun under untoward circumstances, for the cumbrous baggage and numerous attendants on the Nizam force, as well as that of the European troops, the immense quantity of public stores and provisions, the long train of ordnauce, with above forty thousand Benjarres, formed altogether such a host as not to admit of be ing covered by the effective force; so that if Tippoo had employed his powers, with the military skill which he was supposed to possess, he might, without hazarding an engagement, by desultory skirmishes, distant cannonades, and other hostile movements, have so harassed the infantry, and weakened the cavalry, that a great part of the baggage, stores, and ammunition, would probably have fallen into his hands, and the army have thus been greatly impeded in its march to the place of destination, particularly as the rainy season was then near setting in.

The commander in chief, Lieutenant General Harris, having determined to advance to Seringapatam, by the route of Talgautporam and Cankanelli, the march commenced at daybreak on the 10th of March, 1799. The cavalry were in advance, the baggage on the right, and the detachment under Colonel Wellesley, which had marched by the left, moved parallel at some distance on the right flank of the army.

Even on the first day's advance, the enemy began to annoy them. Parties of their horse were in all directions, and were not only active in burning the forage, and destroying the villages, but had even the audacity to attack Colonel Wellesley's rear guard, consisting of a company of Sepoys. Of these twenty were killed upon the spot, and Lieutenant Reynolds, and thirtysix wounded; but the commanding officer taking prompt steps, they were immediately repulsed.

On the 19th, after a fatiguing march through a country full of jungles and defiles, intelligence was received that the army of Tippoo had advanced to Allagoor, a village near Sultaunpettah; and on the 28th, the left wing and the cavalry having encamped close to a pass about seven miles from Cankanelli, the right were advanced to Arravully, and Colonel Wellesley's division took up its ground at some distance in the rear.

On the 23d, after securing several posts and passes of importance, the right wing of the cavalry marched from Achil, and encamped at Sultaunpettah, the left wing and the battering train advancing to Achil, while Colonel Wellesley, with his detachment, marched from Cankanelli, and encamped in front of the army, and the village of Allagoor, from whence the Sultaun's army had retired. Early on the morning of the day, as the colonel and his advance approached Sultaunpettah, a cloud of dust to the westward evidently denoted that the army of Tippoo was then in motion, and it afterwards appeared that it had just quitted its position on the westward bank of the Maddoor river, and had encamped at Mallavelly. As the movements from this date led to an action in which the colonel had an opportunity of greatly distinguishing himself, we shall notice them more minutely from the observations of an eyewitness.

Pursuing their march, the right wing, the cavalry, and the detachment under Colonel Wellesley, balted on the 25th of March, and were joined by the left wing and the battering train. On the 26th the whole moved in compact order, and encamped five miles to the eastward of Mallavelly. This gave Tippoo an opportunity of executing part of his intentions; for the spies, on

their return from his camp,-positively asserted that he had declared his intention of attacking them "as soon as they ventured out of the jungles," or thick forests through which they had to pass; and his having waited some days encamped on the banks of the Maddoor appeared to confirm the truth of their reports.

The ground taken up by the army on the 26th was open, and easily to be seen from the adjoining heights; and the enemy's advanced parties, amongst which were some elephants, soon appeared upon a distant ridge. From thence, after reconnoitring the British encampment for a considerable time, they retired, and in the evening fourteen or fifteen guns were seen in motion; the whole of which circumstances seemed to point out that the Sultaun was preparing for the execution of his threatened attack.

On the 27th, therefore, at daybreak, Colonel Wellesley's division was ordered to move parallel to the left, but at some distance, so as to cover the baggage, and to be in readiness to act as circumstances should require; whilst the main body of the army marched from its left flank on the great road leading to Mallavelly. Major General Floyd commanded the advance of the whole, having under him all the piquets; together with five regiments of cavalry; he approached within a mile of Mallavelly. but was there obliged to halt, in consequence of discovering a numerous body of the enemy's cavalry on the right flank, whilst their infantry remained on the heights beyond that place.

He was convinced that this was Tippoo's grand army; and having reconnoitred his position, discovered some guns moving towards the right of the enemy's line, as if with the intention of occupying a ridge which enfiladed the low ground on the eastern flank of the village. He immediately concluded that these guns were intended to open upon our line whilst passing this ground; and having given the proper information to the commander in chief, measures were immediately taken for an instant attack, in order to frustrate his plans.

Colonel Wellesley, with his division, was directed to attack the Sultaun's right flank, whilst the piquets, under Colonel Sherbrooke, supported by the right wing of the main body, under

Major General Brydges, were to penetrate through the village of Mallavelly towards the centre of the enemy's line; and Major General Popham, with the left wing and the rear guard, was to remain at the fort end of the village of Mallavelly, for the protection of the battering train and the baggage; the five regiments of cavalry being formed on the left of the road, with orders to support Colonel Wellesley's attack.

The colonel no sooner put his force in motion, and his manœuvre was perceived by the Sultaun, than the guns were drawn off to a ridge beyond that which they at first occupied. Here the main body of the enemy's infantry was drawn up, but at so great a distance, that it was at first imagined they were about to retire; and at this period General Harris, who had led the piquets and the right wing in person, arrived at the fort of Mallavelly, while Lieutenant Colonel Richardson, the quartermastergeneral, having advanced to reconnoitre the ground on the wes tern side of the fort, now waited for instructions.

The general, indeed, was of opinion, from the enemy remaining at so great a distance, that he did not mean to advance; he, therefore, gave orders to Colonel Richardson to mark out the ground for a new encampment, which he performed under the protection of Colonel Sherbrooke with the piquets, reinforced by the 25th light dragoons, and the second regiment of native cavalry. He had scarcely, however, marked out this new ground, when twelve or fourteen guns were opened from different parts of the enemy's line, at a distance of two thousand yards. Though at this distance they soon got the range, and did some execution; but our advanced troops were soon in motion, for Colonel Sherbrooke immediately pushed forward with the piquets to a village in front of the left of the hostile army, from which he soon drove off a party of their cavalry and rocket men. This position was of such consequence that a body of the enemy's horse soon began to hover on our right flank; but they were kept in check by the 25th dragoons, under Colonel Cotton, who still maintained their position. The piquets were, indeed, now the most advanced part of the army, and had been most ja

diciously posted by Colonel Sherbrooke with their right to the village; but they were now considerably annoyed by the cannonade and rockets; and, the cannonade increasing, the 5th, 1st, and 3d brigades were ordered to advance and form upon his left.

At this juncture Colonel Wellesley, supported by Major General Floyd, with the three remaining regiments of cavalry, advanced en échellon of battalions; and the whole line thus moving slowly and steadily, time was given for the whole to act together, the enemy's cannonade being answered by as many of the fieldpieces as could be brought up; the action thus becoming general along the whole front. At this moment a desperate attempt was made on the part of Tippoo, by moving forward a column to the number of two thousand men, in excellent order, towards the 33d regiment, but this gallant corps, reserving its fire with the utmost steadiness, received that of the enemy at the distance of sixty yards; and, continuing to advance, the column gave way and were thrown into disorder, at which critical moment General Floyd making a rapid charge completed the rout with great slaughter.

The enemy's first line, with the whole of its guns, was now forced, by the advance of the whole British line, to retire to the next height, where their second line was formed. They were at this time almost beyond the reach of our guns, and the cannonade, which had lasted three hours, having ceased on both sides, en account of the distance, the enemy retreated: indeed, it may be said that the action, properly speaking, was of very short duration; for, although some corps of their infantry, as well as cavalry, exhibited the strongest proofs of courage, yet it was totally impossible for them to withstand the determined vabour and steadiness of the British force.

The British loss was inconsiderable, three officers only being wounded, six Europeans killed, and thirty-four wounded; the loss of our native troops amounting to only about half that number; but though the enemy appeared to suffer severely, yet it was impossible to ascertain the extent of their loss, as they car