Who won the battle of Seringapatam?
5 April-4 May 1799 marks the Siege of Seringapatam in the 4th Anglo-Mysore War when Lt. General George Harris’ 4,000 British and 22,000 sepoys of the British East India Company, in addition to Nizam Ali Khan’s 24,000 Hyderibadis, defeated Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu’s 30,000 Mysores.
After the defeat of Mallavelly, Ali retreated to his capital, Seringapatam. On 5 April, Harris occupied the Cauvery River’s south bank. It ran low enough to cross. Harris had to take the city before the monsoons made a siege impossible.
West of the city and to his right, Mysores occupied an aqueduct.
This lay beyond several villages & the Sultanpet groves. The Mysores there sniped & fired rockets at his outposts. 5 battalions, including Col. Arthur Wellesley’s 33rd Foot, attacked that night. They got lost in the dark & were pushed back. Wellesley was nearly captured. He attacked again with the Scotch Brigade & 2 native bns. He seized the groves. Harris could now begin operations 1600m from the walls.
On 16 April, his men crossed to the river’s north bank. Next day, Colonel Hart led the 74th & 75th Highlanders & 3 sepoy battalions. He seized Agrar village & established a battery: Hart’s Post. It fired on the city’s northwest wall. Mysores on the river’s south bank were pushed back, as a result a 2nd post was built: MacDonald’s post. A trench connected to a village in the rear: Shaw’s post. This let troops approach the walls. Hart’s Post fired on the Mysores in a trench on the river’s west bank.
On 20 April the EIC seized a powder mill, killing or wounding 250 Mysores.
They built another battery. It fired straight across the river. A Mysore attack on 22 April failed with 600 dead/wounded. Another battery went up. A trench, completed on 26 April, let Wellesley attack the west bank. The 73rd Highlanders, 94th Scotch & 8 sepoy companies seized the western trenches. A circular redoubt held out until more Highlanders attacked. Wellesley lost 300 dead/wounded. A new battery, built on 2 May, fired a round which fired a rocket magazine in the city. On 3 May the walls fell.
At 13:00, 2 columns assaulted the breach after a bombardment.
The left, under Lt. Col. James Dunlop, had flank companies of the 77th, 75th, 103rd & the whole 12th & 33rd & 10 Bengali companies. The right, under Col. John Sherbooke, had the 73rd & 74th flank companies, the 94th & 14 native companies. Major Gen. David Baird led the assault. He was Ali’s prisoner for 44 months. He was anxious for revenge.
The Mysores guarding the breach were loyal to the previous Wodeyar dynasty. They withdrew to hold a “pay parade.” They signaled Baird. He advanced.
The outer rampart fell in 6 minutes. Behind it, a ditch protected inner ramparts. The columns divided, moving along the ramparts. The 12th found a ramp across the ditch left by workmen. They crossed it & moved up the inner rampart. Dunlop’s column, moving up the outer rampart, cleared a bastion.
They were checked at a traverse held by Ali himself. He fought bravely, repelling several charges by the 74th. At length, the 12th, moving up the inner rampart, outflanked him. He retreated to his palace. He was blocked by Mysores fleeing the EIC men, who had broken in, he was shot dead there. His unknown killer looted the corpse. Sherbrooke’s column quickly took the other rampart. He continued up the walls until joining Dunlop at the fortress.
Fleeing Mysores reached a river ford & were shot by their own captured cannon. Some fled to the east gate. They were shot by sepoys, then burned when the gate caught fire. Harris lost 1,400 dead/wounded, including 81 dead & 280 wounded in the assault. The Mysores lost 6,000 killed & wounded. Lastly, the Company restored the Wodeyars to the throne. Mysore would remain forever friendly to Company interests.
Written by Garrett Anderson
Back To News
Who won the battle of Seringapatam?
