1781.] ADVANCE OF THE BRITISH TROOPS. 221 CHAPTER XLIV. THE BATTLE OF PORTO NOVO.-ARRIVAL OF COLONEL PEARSE'S COLUMN. -BATTLES OF POLLILORE AND SHOLINGUR.-STATE OF VELLORE. BEFORE steps could be taken for that purpose, Hyder took post but a few miles distant, with his whole army. In the south he had previously been amassing an enormous amount of plunder, in money, merchandise, men, women, and cattle. The people consisted of artisans and their families, whom he captured to occupy the isle of Seringapatam; boys were seized for forced conversion to Islam, and girls to fill zenanas and become the mothers of military slaves. After Hyder heard of the failure on the pagoda of Chillambaram, he actually marched 100 miles in two days and a half, and having placed himself between Sir Eyre Coote and Cuddalore, began to entrench with all the skill his French officers could exert. By this means he baffled the intended movement on the pagoda, and covered his own designs upon Cuddalore, thus making matters so critical for Sir Eyre Coote that the latter summoned a council of war, being in doubt whether he could advance either to Trichinopoly or Tanjore. The resolutions of the council were, that the attack on the pagoda of Chillambaram be abandoned, and that an attempt be made to turn the enemy's flank, force his position, or to bring on a general engagement; and that for this purpose four days' rice, borne by a fatigue party, should be brought from the fleet into camp. Hence ensued the conflict which was known as the battle of Porto Novo, where by seven o'clock on the morning of the 1st of July, the British quitted their encampment and got under arms, with their right flank towards the sea. When we first became acquainted with the scene of this brilliant victory about to be narrated, it was in the possession of the Mahrattas, and in 1684 we obtained permission from Sambagi to carry on a free trade at Porto Novo, where the Dutch and French subsequently erected factories, near the mouth of the Velaur, which boats can enter without fear of the surf which rolls so heavily along the coast of Coromandel. "As generally happens in Indian warfare," says General Stewart, " there was, at Porto Novo, a great disproportion between the force of the enemy and that of the British. Hyder, at the head of an army of 25 battalions of infantry, 400 Europeans, from 40,000 to 50,000 horse, and above 100,000 matchlock men, peons and polygars, with forty-seven pieces of cannon, was attacked by General Coote, whose force did not exceed 8,000, of which the 73rd Highlanders was the only British regiment." The road to Cuddalore, which was held by the army of Hyder, lay N.N.W. of the British position, and on its left was the termination of a lagoon. Great bodies of Mysore cavalry, with the latter in rear of their right and centre, covered the plain; while Hyder's more select horse, with a park of light guns, were drawn up beyond the lagoon. With his baggage and camp-followers under a strong guard moving between his right and the sea, Sir Eyre Coote advanced in two lines, the first led by Major-General Sir Hector Munro, and the second by Major-General James Stewart. A mile and a half of marching, in front of Porto Novo, across a level plain, brought them in sight of the enemy, whose position was clearly defined. It extended right across the Cuddalore road, on commanding ground that ran to some sand-hills near the shore, and was strengthened by front and flanking redoubts and batteries. When the lines halted, an hour was spent in careful reconnoitring, during which the enemy maintained an incessant cannonade; to this not a shot was returned; but at nine in the morning Sir Eyre gave orders to wheel, with "left shoulders forward," into open column of battalions, and take ground to the right, eastward of the sand-hills. The latter run parallel to the coast, and are about 1,100 yards from the sea; they thus completely covered the movement. On reaching a gap in the sand-hill range, the first line, still in columns, pushed through and rapidly deployed to the front in order of battle, with its face to the west and its rear to the sea, occupying a height in the movement. Under a heavy cannonade the troops waited with great impatience until the height was planted with artillery by the second line, now forming up to the front; Sir Eyre moved on with the first, his right under cover of a long and dense hedge, and his left protected by guns and a battalion in column. In the meanwhile Hyder had removed the guns from his redoubts to a line at right angles with these works to enfilade the advancing lines by a furious cannonade, and then he made an attempt, by a general charge of his cavalry, to overwhelm them. This failed, and amid terrible carnage, in which fell Kurreem Sahib, the enemy's line was In broken, and a precipitate retreat began. The only ground he had won-lost in this great victory European regiment—the 73rd Highlanders-was only 306 in killed and wounded, while the total on the right of the first line, and led all the attacks, loss of Hyder was estimated at 1,000 men. "to the full approbation of General Coote, whose the unavailing bitterness of his heart he exclaimed, notice was particularly attracted by one of the "The defeat of many Baillies will not destroy these pipers, who always blew his most warlike sounds accursed Feringhees. I may ruin their resources whenever the fire became hotter than ordinary. This by land, but I cannot dry up the sea." so pleased the general that he cried aloud, 'Well done, my brave fellow! You shall have a silver set of pipes for this.' The promise was not forgotten, and a handsome set of pipes was presented to the regiment in testimony of the general's esteem for its conduct and character."* The moral effect of this victory on our troops was great; before it they had been somewhat despondent; now they were full of confidence and ardour. But their resources were no way improved by it, as Coote could not follow it up at once, owing to the deficiency of food and equipage. Meanwhile a strong body of Mysorean infantry, with their guns, supported by a cloud of glittering cavalry in rich flowing dresses, with brilliant appointments, attempted to fall on Coote's rear. Facing about, the second line met this attack with the greatest bravery, and a close and severe contest ensued, in which the enemy were completely foiled, and by sheer dint of the bayonet, were driven-near the coast to draw supplies from the shipping, horse, foot, and guns-over all the heights, and were completely frustrated in an attempt to gain the position they had first occupied. While these operations were in progress, the column from Bengal, pushing on through the territories of the Rajah of Berar, had reached the graingrowing district of Nellore, about 100 miles north of Madras, and for the purpose of facilitating a junction with it and covering Wandiwash, Sir Eyre Coote marched in a northerly direction, keeping At the time the cavalry charge was made on our first line, a similar attack was to have been made on the second; but the horse detailed for this service lost heart, and gave way on the fall of their commander, who was killed by a cannon-ball from a Company's schooner, which opened an effective flank fire from the sea. Hyder viewed all these operations from a gentle eminence in rear of his position, where he sat cross-legged on a stool covered by a rich carpet; and though the near approach of our first line compelled him to withdraw his guns and then his columns, he seemed to have no thought of his own safety, till a favourite groom—an old and privileged servant-ventured a hint on the subject; but he received it with a torrent of obscene abuse, while a fit of madness seemed to seize him, and he raved, blasphemed, and rent his garments. Then he became stupefied with vexation, on which the old groom put on his slippers, saying, "We shall beat them to-morrow; meanwhile, mount your horse." Once in his saddle, he was soon out of the field, and fled with all his cavalry-crestfallen, yet full of savage spirit-to Arcot, from whence he sent instructions to Tippoo to abandon the investment of Wandiwash, which he had resumed with thirteen siege guns, and where the gallant Flint, now a captain, had completely foiled him in an attempt at an escalade. Coote-who had not sufficient dragoon force wherewith to pursue, halted on the * General Stewart, vol. ii. and daily expecting another action; but Hyder now began to move to the westward. When Coote reached Carangoly, on the 21st of July, he first learned that the blockade of Wandiwash had been abandoned, and that Tippoo, in high hope to repeat the catastrophe that had befallen Colonel Baillie, was hastening to intercept Colonel Pearse's column from Bengal; and to frustrate this idea, Coote, with the experience of Munro's blunder before him, marched by Chingleput to Mount St. Thomas. By this time Colonel Pearse had reached the town and large square fortress of Pulicat, which we had recently, without loss of blood, taken from the Dutch, who established a factory there in 1609. Tippoo had beset the ordinary road to Madras by an ambush and other obstructions, but forgot that there was another route between Lake Pulicat and the sea, towards which it runs northward of the town for forty-eight miles; and by this way Colonel Pearse marched unmolested. But twenty-four more miles remained to St. Thomas, and by making two marches north, Sir Eyre effected a junction with Pearse, thus adding nearly a third to his numerical strength. The colonel was greatly commended for the mode in which he had brought his men on their long march; and in one of the last general orders Hastings issued to the army of Bengal, when five years afterwards Goddard's corps returned, he said truly, "There are no difficulties which the true spirit of military enterprise is not capable of surmounting." Thus reinforced, Sir Eyre turned his attention to Tripassore, a strong fort which stands about of Hyder was about 2,000. General Stewart and thirty miles westward of Madras, covering one of Colonel Brown lost each a leg by the same cannonthe roads to Arcot, and this place, in view of ball. Our losses, it has been said, would have been Hyder's army, he took by unconditional capitula- less, but for some jealousies exhibited by certain tion on the 22nd of August. Hyder now drew off officers. to his old camp at Mooserwauke, where-while cursing French counsels and interests-he began to gather heart enough to risk a battle in defence of Arcot, the siege of which he knew would be one of the chief objects of the campaign. So, near his camp he chose his own battleground-the scene of Baillie's disaster-which he deemed fortunate, and resolved to fight on the eleventh day of the Feast of Ramadan; and he selected his position, after ascertaining all its strategical advantages, and in his choice he was confirmed by his magicians and astrologers, "whose prognostics promised success on any day of the month; but more especially on the eleventh." "Both armies," says the gallant historian of the Highland regiments, were animated by very different motives; the Mysorean army by their superstitious anticipation of success, and the British by a desire to revenge the death of their friends, of whom they found many melancholy relics and marks of remembrance on the ground where they now stood." These were the unburied bones of Colonel Baillie's unfortunate men. Among these grim remains our advanced guard halted at nine o'clock in the morning of the 27th August. South-westward of this fatal spot large columns of the Mysore horse had been seen hovering for some time, but now the whole army of Hyder was found in full force in front and on both flanks, drawn up on strong ground intersected by rough ravines and deep watercourses. Sir Eyre's troops formed in line of battle under a dreadful cannonade, endured with coolness and courage; and now began an action, which lasted for eight hours, yet the details of which are amazingly meagre, though our troops in the field mustered 11,000 men, and those of Mysore 80,000 of all arms. Hyder knew every foot of the ground, and left nothing undone to strengthen it. By a vigorous flank movement Sir Eyre succeeded in seizing and holding the village of Pollilore (which gave its name to the conflict), and thus hurled back the enemy's left by his first line, and his right by the second, compelled him to retreat, just as the sun was setting, and to encamp on the ground he had quitted, at Mooserwauke, a fact which renders our victory somewhat dubious, and certainly nugatory. The rough nature of the ground, and the great cover it afforded to skirmishers, caused our loss to be only 421 in killed, wounded, and missing; while that The British troops now became greatly distressed by the want of provisions-they possessed nothing but their arms and ammunition. Disgusted with a state of matters that bade fair to injure their reputation, General Munro and Sir Eyre went to Madras with the resolution to resign; but the latter was persuaded by Lord Macartney to resume the command, and try the result of one more battle. In the fort of Poloor he deposited his siege guns and everything that might impede swift and active movements. This was on the night of the 26th of September, and Hyder feeling confident, from the wild and tempestuous state of the weather, that the drenched camp and starved cattle of the British would prevent them moving, sent his own cattle some miles away to pasture, and allowed the drivers and many of his troops to scatter in search of food. Early on the morning of the 27th, Sir Eyre rode out to reconnoitre the camp of Hyder near the hill of Sholingur, which he was fortifying for the purpose of preventing any attempt to relieve Vellore, which Colonel Lang, whose garrison was starving, was on the verge of surrendering. On gaining the crest of an eminence, Sir Eyre perceived at a little distance a long ridge of rocks manned by the troops of Mysore, and he sent forward a brigade to dislodge them. In doing so and surmounting the ridge, the brigade saw the whole army of Hyder at the distance of only three miles. The bugles were sounded, the troops got under arms with all haste, and a very short time sufficed to bring them face to face with Hyder's main body, at the very time his campfollowers had begun to strike the tents. The tyrant of Mysore was completely taken by surprise his cattle were far in the rear, and many stragglers were absent from the colours; yet he gave all his orders with prudence and judgment, intending only to act on the defensive till his forces recovered their confusion, and the sound of the cannon should recall all absentees. On the other hand, Sir Eyre Coote was resolved that not a moment should be lost in coming to blows, and after a few rapidly-executed arrangements, ordered a general advance of the whole line. Formed in two great columns, the Mysorean cavalry, by repeated charges, strove to impede the advance of our people, who poured into them biting and searching showers of grape and musketry. These charges availed Hyder only so far that they gave him time to get out of the field all his guns, 1781.] THE GARRISON OF VELLORE. save one field-piece. After this, his whole troops gave way, and with the loss of 100 men the victory was ours. On the field lay 5,000 of the enemy killed and wounded, with three cavalry standards; but these and the glory of the battle, Sir Eyre Coote says in his despatch, he would gladly have exchanged for seven days' food for his famishing troops. He now dispatched, under a Colonel Owen, five battalions with some guns, and two companies of Europeans, towards Vellore, with orders to intercept some of those convoys of grain which often came to Hyder down the Damaracherla Pass. The Mysoreans soon came in sight of this small force, to the support of which Sir Eyre was hastening, when by some of our irregular horse, whom he met in full flight, he was informed that Owen's column had been cut to pieces. He still pushed on, discrediting such a terrible result, and was soon relieved by a despatch from the colonel, intimating that he was quite safe and in a strong position, after repulsing Hyder in a sharp conflict. The garrison of Vellore, a fortress on the right bank of the Palar, fifteen miles distant from Arcot, and deemed one of the keys of the Carnatic, was now in a state of desperation. Scarcely a meal of rice was in store, and the troops had been precariously subsisting on grain obtained in remote villages, and brought in by stealth, when the nights were dark and stormy. The season of bright moonlight that was approaching now, would render this resource impossible, and Colonel Lang and Sir Eyre were aware that but two alternatives remained-to throw in supplies, or enable the garrison to escape. Having obtained a little supply of rice from the Polygars of Calastry, Sir Eyre determined on the former plan, and made three forced marches from the hills, while Hyder, dreading another battle, retired beyond the Palar; thus Lang's garrison obtained supplies adequate to six weeks' provision, or thereabouts. And now for his own bare subsistence, Sir Eyre fell back upon the Pollams, a district of which Chittore (or Chittoor) is the capital, twenty miles distant from Vellore. As this place was alleged to be the halting-place for convoys of provisions sent to Hyder through the Damaracherla Pass, Sir Eyre, at the head of his starving soldiers, resolved to capture it, in the hope to find food, though one. of the most important forts in Hindostan-at least 225 in the province of Rajpootana. The town is still "what would be called in England a tolerably large market town, with a good many pagodas, and a meanly built but busy bazaar." * Above this rose the fortress on a high rock, scarped by art all round the summit to the height of 100 feet, and surmounted by a wall patched and strengthened at several periods, for the Mohammedans captured Chittoor in 1303; it was long besieged by Ackbar, and stormed by Aurungzebe in 1680; and now it was taken by Coote after a four days' siege; but bitter was the disappointment of his hungry soldiers. No grain was found; the monsoon was at hand, and a retreat was unavoidable to Tripassore, where the troops arrived on the 22nd November, after forced marches through a literal inundation. It was a dreadful time for our poor soldiers. So scant was the food, that each day half the army went without it in succession; and the camp-followers perished in uncounted numbers amid the swamps through which the route lay, after the monsoon burst. Cattle perished too; stores were abandoned, and Mohammed Ali's horse, originally numbering 680 sabres, were decimated, like the rest, by famine or drowning. Southwards from Tripassore the shattered army continued its weary march, till it reached its cantonments near Madras; and thus ended the campaign of 1781 with Hyder-a campaign which, though full of triumph, was also full of misery and of death. Lord Macartney, that truly great man, when he arrived at Madras on the 22nd of June of that year, brought the first intelligence of the war between Britain and Holland, and thus his first object now was to make himself master of all the Dutch factories and settlements along the coast. Sir Hector Munro who, after the battle of Pollilore had proceeded to Madras with the view of returning home to Scotland (offended, some say, by a blunt response made to a remark to Sir Eyre Coote), but who was still fit for duty, was now persuaded by Lord Macartney to undertake the direction of the siege of Negapatam. On the 10th of April, 1782, La Fine, one of Suffren's squadron, took a Trincomalee vessel, on board of which was "the Sieur Boyd (a Scotsman), whom Lord Macartney was sending as ambassador to the King of Candy." + |