“Lord Cornwallis thinks himself fortunate, almost beyond example, in having acquired by assault a fortress of so much strength and reputation, and of such inestimable value to the public interest, as Savendroog,[15] without having to regret the loss of a single soldier.”
In the course of a short time afterwards, the following places surrendered, with trifling loss, to detachments of the British army; namely, Outredroog, Ram Gurry, and Sheria Gurry.
The army subsequently moved towards Outredroog, a hill fort about thirty miles west of Bangalore, where a general hospital was established.
On the 31st of January 1792 the army under General the Earl Cornwallis was reviewed by the Poonah and Hyderabad chiefs, and on the following day commenced its march towards _Seringapatam_, passing by Hooleadroog, Tajilly, and Carrycode. The troops came in sight of Tippoo’s capital on the 5th of February, and encamped at the French Rocks. The enemy’s horse showed itself on the 4th and 5th, but attempted nothing hostile.
The entrenched camp of Tippoo was reconnoitred on the 6th of February, and at dark the army was formed in three columns of attack. The right, under Major General Medows, consisting of the thirty-sixth and seventy-sixth King’s regiments. The centre, under the Commander-in-chief, General the Earl Cornwallis, consisting of the fifty-second, SEVENTY-FIRST, and seventy-fourth King’s regiments. The left, under Lieut.-Colonel Maxwell of the seventy-fourth, was composed of the seventy-second regiment. The native troops were divided among the three columns.
By eight o’clock in the evening of the 6th of February the three columns were in motion. The head of the centre column, led by the flank companies of the respective corps, after twice crossing the Lokany river, which covered the enemy’s right wing and front, came in contact with his first line, and immediately forced through it. The British flankers, mixing with the fugitives, crossed the north branch of the Cavery, at the foot of the _glacis_ of the fort of _Seringapatam_. Captain the Honorable John Lindsay collected the grenadiers of the SEVENTY-FIRST upon the _glacis_, and attempted to push into the body of the place, but was prevented by the bridge being raised a few moments before he reached it. He was soon after joined by some of the light company of the fifty-second and grenadiers of the seventy-sixth, with whom he forced his way down to the famous _Llal Baugh_, or “_Garden of Pearls_,” where he was attacked most furiously, but the enemy was repelled in a very spirited style with the bayonet.