Letter from Harford Jones, Resident at Bagdad, to Henry Dundas, President of the Board of Control [‎249v] (494/1024)

BOMBAY
"1
A.
EXTRA!
^ TT V $ r> A T, JUNE \tb, 1799.
Courier Extraordinary.
4 th June, 1799*
npHE at rival of the Madras pofl: this
I morning has enabled us to lay the
following moft interelUng detail before
the public, which we have copied from
the Madras Gazette Extraordinary of
the 15 th ultimo. The orders of the
Right Honorable the Governor Gene
ral containing his Lordfhip’s fentiments
on the merits of the army, and the im
portance of their conqueft, place both in
fo juft and fo confpicuous a point of
view, that no comment of ours can add
to the luftre of either.
Yhe following Copy of a letter from ’Lieu
tenant General Harris^ to the Right
Honorable the Governor General^ da
ted Seringapatam, yth May, 1799, L
pub lifted by his Lordjhip's authority.
J. WE8BE,
Sec. to Go v.
Mr Lord,
On the 4th Inftant, I had the honor to ad-
drefs to your Lordftup a hafty note, contain
ing in a few words the fum of our fuccefs,
which I have now to report more in detail.
The fire of our batteries, which began to
batter in breach on the 30th April, had on
the evening of the 3d Inlfant, fo much def-
troyed the walls, againft which it was di-
teSted, that the arrangement was then made
for affaulting the place on the following day,
when the breach was reported pra&icable.
The Troops intended to be employed were
Rationed in the trenches, early in the mor
ning of the 4th, that no extraordinary move
ment might lead the enemy to expedl the af-
fault, which I had determined to make in
the heat of the day, as the time bed walcu-
lated to enfure fuccefs, as their troops would
then be lead prepared to oppofe.
Ten dank companies of Europeans, taken
from thofe regiments, neceffarily left to guard
our Cunp and out-pofis, followed by the
12th, 33d, 73d, and 74th Regiments, and
three corps of Grenadier Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. taken from
the Troops of the three Prefidencies, with
200 of His Highnefs the Nizam’s Troops,
formed the party for the affault, accompa
nied by 100 of the Artillery, and the corps
of Pioneers, and fupported in the trenches
by t’ ^ battalion Companies of the Regiment
JX Meuron, and four battalions of Madras
Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. . Colonel Sherbrooke, and Lieut.
Colonels Dunlop, Dairymple, Gardiner and
Mignan, commanded the ieveral flank corps;
and Major General Baird was entrufled with
?ne direvftien of this important fervice.
At one o’clock the tioops moved from the
trenches,, crofted the rocky bed of the Ca-
very under an extremely heavy fire, pafted
dhe glacis and ditch, and afeended the
breaches in the faufl’e braye and rampart of
the fort, furmo nting in the moft gallant
grt anne? _*>ftacle, which the
of the paftage and the refinance of the ene
my prefented to oppofe their progrefs. Ma
jor General Baird had divided his force for
ithe purpofc of clearing the Ramparts to the
Right and Left. One divifion was comman
ded by Col. Sherbrooke, the other by Lieut.
Col. Dunlop : the latter was difabled in the
breach, but both corps, although ftrongly
oppofed, were completely fuccefsful.—Refif-
tance continued to be made from the palace
of Tippoo, for feme time after all firing
had ceafed from the works : two of his Sons
were there, who on afturance of fafety fur-
rendered to the troops furrounding them ;
and guards were placed for the prote&ion of
the family, moft of whom were in the palace.
It was foon after reported that Tippoo Sul
tan had fallen. Syed Saheb, Mcer Saduc,
Syed Gofar, and many other of his Chiefs
were alfo flain. Meafures were immediate
ly adopted to flop the confufion at firft una
voidable in a city ftrongly garrifoned, crow
ded with inhabitants and their property, in
ruins from the fire of a numerous artillery,
and taken by affault.—The Princes were re
moved to Camp.
It appeared to M?jor General Baird fo
important to afeertain the fate of the Sultan,
that he caofed immediate fearch to be made
for his body, which, after much difficulty,
was found late in the evening in one of the
gates under a heap of flain, and foon after
placed in the palace. The Corpfe was the
next day recognized by the family, and in
terred, with the honors due to his rank, in
the maul'oleum of bis father.
The ftrength of the Fort is fuch, both
from its natural pofition and the ftupeodous
works, by which it is furrounded, that all
the exertions of the brave troops, who at
tacked it, in whole praife it is impoffible to
fay too much,-—were required to place it in
our hands.—-Of the merits of the army I
have exprefl'ed my opinion in orders, a copy
of which 1 have the honor to inclofe; and I
truft your Lordfhip will point out their fer-
vices to the favourable notice of their King
and Country.
I am forry to add that on colle&ing the
Returns of our lofs, it is found to have been
much heavier, than 1 had at firft imagined.
On the 5th Inftant, Abdul Khalic, the
elder of the Princes, formerly hoftages with
Lord Cornwallis, furrendered himfclf at our
out-pofls, demanding prote&ion. Kerim
Saheb, the brother of Tippoo, had before
fought refuge with Meer Alum Behauder.
A Cowl-Namah, was yefterday defpatched
to Futteh Hyder, the eldeft fon of Tippoo,
inviting him to join his brothers. Purneah
and Meer Kummer 6 deen Khan have alfo
been fummoned toSeringapatam; no anfwers
have yet been received, but I expefct them
ftiortly, as their families are in the Fort.
This moment Ali Reza, formerly one o
the Vakeels from Tippoo Sultaun to Lord
Cornwallis had arrived from Meer Kummer
odeen Khan, to ask my orders for 4000
horfe, now under his command. Ali Reza
was commiflioned to declare, that Meer
Kummer odeen would make no conditions,
but rely on the generofity of the Englifti.
Monfieur Chapuy and moft of the French
are prifoners; they have Commiffions from
the French Government.
I have the honor, &c.
(Signed) GEORGE HARRIS.
Abjiratt of a return of Killed, Wounded, and
Miffing at the ajjault of Seringapatam, on the
\th of May, * 799 -
Europeans KilltA.—Tvro Captains, Six Lieute
nants, Three Serjeants, One Drummer, and
Fifty-Eight Rank and File.
Ditto H'ounded .—One Lieut, Colonel, Four
Captains, Eight Lieutenants, Three Enfign*
Two Conductors, Twelve Serjeants, Five
Drummers and Two-hunded and twenty-eight
Rank and File.
Ditto Miffing.—Onz Serjeant, and Three Rank
and File.
Natives Killed.—TWwittn Rank and File.
Ditto Wounded. —-One Jemidar, Two Drum
mers, and Thirty-one Rank and File.
Ditto Miffing.-—Two Rank and File.
Names of the Officers Killed and Wounded on the
AJfault.
Lieutenat Mather, of the TStb* and
and Captain Owen, of the 77th, Flank Com
panies ; Lieutenant Lalor, of the 73d, Lieuts.
Farqnhar, Pendergraft, Hill, and Shawe, of
the 74th ; Captain Cormick of the Pioneers.
Wounded —Lieutenants Turner, Broughton,
and Skelton, of the 75th; Lieut. Colonel Dun
lop and Lieut. Laurence, of the 77th,' Lieut.
Webb, of the Bombay Regiment, Capt. Lardy
and Lieut. Matthey, of the Meoron Regiment,
flank companies. — Lieut. Shawe, of the ?6th,
ferving with the 19 th, Capt. Macleod, Lieut.
Thomas, Enfigns Antil and Guthre, of the
73d, Capt. Caldwell, of the Engineers, and
Capt. Prefcott of the Artilicry.
While Lieut. Gen. Harris fincerc
ments the lofs fuftained in the valuabl
cers and men* who fell in the atta
cannot omit to return his thanks
warmeft terms to Major Gen. Baird,
decided and able manner, in whiH h
dueled the aftault, and for the hur
Cures he had fubfeqoently adopted f
ing order, and regularity in the p
requells that Major ^Gen. Baird wil
nicate to the Officers and men, wl
great occafion adfed und" L ’~
high fenfe he muftentertain w.
ments and merits.
“ The Commander in Chief 1
Colonel Gent and the Corps o!
under his orders will accept his
their unremitting exertions in cor
duties of that very important cL
and his belt acknowledgements ».
Major Benfon for the eflential affift;
to this branch of the Jervice by th
exertion of his ability and zeal.
“ The merits of the Artillery •
ftrongly exprelfed by the effedls of
that the Commander in Chief can
Colonel Smith to affure the Officer
of the excellent Corps under D'
that he feels moft fully their cl;...,
bation.
“ In thus publicly expreffing
their good conduct the Commanc
finds himfelf called upon tornot*
particular manner the ex-r*
Dowfe and his Corps of Pic
ring the prefent fervice, ha
marked by unremitting labor
ty, with which that labor ”
** On referring to the pro
fo many occafions have occurre
to the Troops, that it is difficult t
rize individual merit, but the gall
in which Lieutenant Colonel .
Honorable Colonel Wellefley,
Colonel Moneypenny, the Honora’
nant Colonel St. John, Major V
Major Skelby, and Lieutenant Cc
lace, conduced the attacks on
outworks and pofts of the enem;
to be recorded. And the very
tack led by Lieutenant Colonel C - -
His Majefty’s 74th Regiment, whio
fo greatly to fecure the pofuion our
had attained in the Enemy’s w
26th Ultimo, claims the ftp'
tion of the Commander in
Copy of GENERAL ORDERS, dated
CftMP at Ser ingapatam, 5th May, 1799 *
“ The Commander in Chief congratulates
the gallant Army, which he has the honor
to command, on the conqueft of yeflerday.
The effefls arifing from the attainment of
fuch an acquifuion, a* far exceed the’prefent
limits of detail, as the unremitting zeal, la
bour, and unparalleled valor of the Troops,
furpafs his n^vver of praife. For fervices fo
incalculable in their confequences, be mnft
confider the Army as well «ntitled to the ap-
plaufe and gratitude of their Country at
large.
“ The important part taken b
Army flnee the commencement
in all the operations, which led
rable conclufion, has been fuch,
tains its long eftablifhed reput
gallant manner in which the po
lage of Agrar was feized by the
Colonel Hart, the ability difplaye
ing the fire of the batteries eftablift
the vigor with which every atta
enemy on the out pofts of that i
repulfed, and the fpirit fhewn in
of the breach, by the corps led b
nant Colonel Dunlop, are points 0
lar notice, for which the Com
Chief requefts Lieutenant General^
offer his belt thanks to the Officer
employed.
Lieutenant General Harris trufU
tenant Genera! Stuart, will excuf
publicly expremng nis feme of v
co-operation and affiftance received
during the prefent fervice, in th<
which he has ever found it diffic.
rate the fentiments of his public (
the warmeft feelings of his private
ExtrdHs from General Orders, dc
gapatam, %th May, 179^
« r Lieutenant General Harris has
pleafure in publiffiing to the Army,
ing Extract of a report tranfmitted 1
terday, by Major General Baird,
in a diftinguifhed point of view the
Officer, on the very important occ
to, whofe general gallantly and 1
fince he has ferved with this ar
failed to recommend him ftrongl)
mander in Chief.”
*< If, where all behaved nobly
“ to mention individual merit,
“ man fo juflly entitled to pr
“ Sherbrooke, to whofe cxertio
much indebted for the fuc*
True Copies,
(Signed) P* A. 7
MU
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