The army was immediately divided into brigades and wings; Lieut.-Colonel James Stuart, of the Seventy-second Highlanders, was appointed to command the left wing, and Colonel Brydges, of the East India Company’s service, the right; the SEVENTY-FIRST and seventy-second regiments, and first East India Company’s European battalion, formed the second European brigade, under Lieut.-Colonel Clarke, of the Company’s service.
The whole of the cavalry and the advance were commanded by Lieut.-Colonel, afterwards General Sir John Floyd, of the nineteenth light dragoons, since disbanded.
On the 24th of May, Major-General (afterwards Sir William) Medows assumed the command, and reviewed the army, which on the 26th of that month was put in movement towards the Coimbatore country.
The army reached Caroor, a fortified place, on the 15th of June, which the enemy abandoned on the approach of the British, who remained in this position, strengthening Caroor, and collecting grain, until the 2d of July, when they moved for Arrivacourchy, arriving there on the 5th, and continuing their route by Tooramboddy, arrived on the 10th of July at Daraporam. At this latter place was found a large supply of grain and other necessaries, which had been left by the enemy.
During the march to Coimbatore, where the British arrived on the 22d of July, Tippoo’s irregular horse were very active in hovering around, for the purpose of picking up stragglers and baggage.
The army halted at Coimbatore, and detachments were sent off to reduce Dindigul, Errode, and _Palghautcherry_. The flank companies of the SEVENTY-FIRST regiment, commanded by Captains Phineas M^cIntosh and James Robertson, were employed upon the latter service. In August the whole of the cavalry and the advance had been pushed forward to the Boovany, near to the Gudzelhetty Pass. Tippoo Saib, profiting by the divided state of the British force, descended with his whole army, and after a very severe conflict obliged Lieut.-Colonel Floyd to fall back. The troops from Coimbatore had marched to his support, and on the junction being effected, Tippoo retired. The British returned to Coimbatore on the 23d of September.
Upon the march of the main body, the flank companies of the SEVENTY-FIRST and Seventy-second were withdrawn from the siege of _Palghautcherry_, and ordered to take post in the fort of Coimbatore; and on the return of the army they rejoined the regiment.