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May
May 1.
May 4. The Commander in chief having order'd a Committee of Field Officers, Captains and Subalterns to be elected by the Army Present at the Capture of Cananore, I was elected along with Capt. Oakes by [by] the Captains; and assembled this day agreeable to Orders at Lt. Col. Balfour's Tent: The Committee consisted of Col. Balfour Presidg., Majors Dow & Stirling, Capts. Oakes & Macquarie, and Lieuts. Budden & Weston Members; the object of this Committee was to inspect the Accounts of the Prize Agents, and to determine on the mode of sharing the Prize Money; The Accts. were accordingly inspected; and it was determined, that, all Commissioned Officers shall share according to their daily rate of Batta, and all others according to their daily rate of Pay. —
May 5.
May 8. I sent off Letters of date 7th. Inst. for Messrs. Bruce, Fawcett & Co. enclosing Bills &c.
May 10.
May 12. Capt. Whitelocke returned this Evening from Tellicherry where he had been for the recovery of his health, now much restored. — I am now completely equip'd [sic] for the Field, being provided with a Horse for Riding: – a Dooly for Sleeping in, or for carrying me in case of being either sick or wounded; a very good Tent; and Four very Good Bullocks for carrying my Tent and Baggage; – I have a Head Servant, a Cook, a Massaljee, a Horse-Keeper, and Four Coolies. —
May 13. On our march to the Travancore Camp about halfway, I observed Two of the Iron Eighteen Pounders that went with the Advanced Brigade, left behind: – One was overset into a gully on the right side of the Road, and the other lay on the middle of the Road a little farther on. — We moved on very slowly indeed during this whole days march: — frequent Halts, and Fatigue Parties from the Line, to drag on the Guns, was the occasion, and was extremely tiresome to us. — We reached our Ground of Encampment at Ahmutna about Five OClock: — distant only from our last Ground Ten Miles. — The Advanced Brigade were Encamped at this place, a little in our Front. —
May 14.
May 15. I took a very pleasant Walk in the forenoon as far as the Advanced Post or Pass of Seedasur; from whence I ascended a very high Steep Hill on the left side of the Road, on the Top of which there is a very large elegant Gentoo Pagoda. — I have had many fine views and Prospects; but the One I was gratified with today from the top of this Hill surpasses in beauty and variety every thing of the kind I ever yet beheld. — The Fort and Town of Periapatam; and the rich luxurious fertile Plains of Mysore; clothed with the most beautiful verdure; with the fine large Tanks or large Ponds of Water and elegant Gardens interspersed thro these extensive Plains as far as the Eye could reach; formed in my opinion, the most beautiful Landscape, and the most ravishing and enchanting Sights in the World. — I was so pleased with the delightful Prospect, that I feasted my Eyes with it a full hour, and would have staid [sic] much longer, were I not afraid of being benighted. — The Fort of Periapatam I could very plainly distinguish, to be a large Fortification, but could not see any of the Enemy moving about it.
May 16. Nothing of much consequence was found in the Fort, excepting some Grain and Cattle; two or three Prisoners were taken in hiding places who were left for the purpose of setting fire to the Trains communicating to the Mines under the Works. There was one very fine Iron Eighteen Pounder taken, ready Limbered; but, which, they were obliged to quit, in their precipitate retreat. — Soon after our descending into the Plains of Mysore, it came on extreme heavy Rain, which continued to fall with great violence for at least Two hours; we all got wet to the Skin, and I confess I never felt greater cold from rain in all my life: – what made it doubly disagreeable was that we were obliged to stand still under Arms during the whole rain while the Advanced Guard moved on in front and took Possession of Periapatam Fort, where they were Quartered; the Right and Left Brigades and the Park of Artillery, encamped in an open Jungle and very pretty Ground tho' wet, about Two Miles from Periapatam Fort. — We arrived on our Ground about Two OClock and Pitched Tents. —
May 17.
May 19.
May 20. I had a very pleasant Ride today as far as a couple of Miles in front of the Line, to see the Country – Pettah (alias Town) and Fort of Periapatam, which is a very extensive Square Fortification with Four Cavalier Bastions; and a number of Tower Bastions in each of the Curtains: – these are only for Musquetry: – the Cavalier ones have each Four Embrasures: Each Face of the Fort is about Six Hundred and Fifty yards – it is surrounded with a dry Ditch; but, is upon the whole, a very weak Work. — There is a large Town and an old Earthen or Mud Fort within the Large One: in the Town within the Fort there is a very elegant Pagoda which I visited. — The Pettah or Great Town of Periapatam is about a quarter of a Mile East of the Fort; – it is large and regular; – the Houses all tiled; but, small and meanly built. — In the Fort I saw what they call the Malabar Cannon; a very curious kind of Gun, but which can only be pointed one way on account of its being on a fixed clumsy Carriage. — The Inhabitants of Periapatam begin to return to their Houses and Habitations and put themselves under our Protection. —
May 22.
May 23. The General was on Horse-back most part of the day reconnoitring the Enemy and observing their motions, but, the want of proper Cavalry, on this occasion, prevented him from going out immediatly [sic] to feel their Force and punish them for their temerity: for, at this time, every one supposed that they were only a Body of Looties that we had nothing to fear from; but, the sequel proved, how much mistaken we were in imagining them to be only Plunderers. — It rained very hard all this day – the weather was cold and very uncomfortable; which, indeed, has been pretty much the case ever since we came into the Mysore Country: – so much so, that the floors of our Tents are constantly wet, and often quite covered over with water, notwithstanding all our precautions of digging Trenches &c. round our Tents. The usual Picquets of the Line were doubled this Evening, and the Men were directed, to turn out with their Arms at a moments warning. About Eight OClock at Night, we received Orders 'to strike Tents immediately, and send all the Sick and Baggage, to a Spot pitched upon, in rear of the left of the Line; and there, be put under charge of the Baggage-Master, Lt. Baird.' When this Order was received, no one doubted, but we were going out under cover of the Night to surprise the enemy, or at all events to fight them; and the thoughts of giving them a handsome Drubbing before or, by Day-break, put us all in the highest spirits. — From entertaining an idea of this nature, many Officers neglected a strict compliance with the General Order; in not sending their Baggage &c. to the spot pointed out in orders and at the time directed, by which means much Baggage was lost. — After the Tents were Struck the Men, for a considerable time lay by their Arms or walked about waiting for further orders; during which time I took about an Hour's Nap in my Dooly. At Twelve OClock at Night, the whole Line were order'd to fall in under Arms; – the Picquets were called in and immediately joined their Corps, and the whole wheeled to the left in columns of Companies ready to march. —
May 24. On our advancing as far as the Fort of Periapatam, we were not a little surprised and astonished, when in place of wheeling to the right, and advancing towards the Enemy, it was observed that the Corps in front had wheeled to the left and were retreating as fast, as very bad deep Roads would admit, towards the Ghauts whence we came: – this was a most sensible mortification to the whole Army; and most completely damped, all our fond and sanguine hopes of acquiring Laurels, fame, honor, Riches and Promotion at the Siege of Seringapatam this campaign; where, a few hours before we had no doubt of arriving at, in a very few days more, to participate with the Grand Army commanded by Earl Cornwallis, in the Glorious Siege of Tippoo's great Capital; – but all these dreams of Fame, riches and Promotion, must for the present, give way, to gloomy and desponding thoughts on our being obliged to retreat or fall back (as it is called) from an Enemy at Periapatam, that a few hours before, we were in full hopes of fighting and conquering by the dawn of day; – this, it appeared afterwards, was really our Generals intention to have done; having after reconnoitring their Force, situation &c. &c. &c., formed his plans and Disposition for attacking with the Bayonet only ere the break of Day: – but, unfortunately he was prevented from putting his intentions in execution, by the arrival of a Harcarrah (or Messenger Express) from Earl Cornwallis, with positive orders, to fall back to the Ghauts and make the best of his way to Cantonments on the Malabar Coast, immediately on receipt of his letter; which left no alternative or discretionary power to general Abercromby; especially as His Lordships letter contained certain information, that Tippoo had detached Cumer-ul-deen Chawn, one of his best and favorite Generals with Ten thousand choice Horse and Ten-Thousand of his best Infantry, against us; the letter also added, that in consequence of the Monsoon setting in so very early and swelling the Cavery River, His Lordship had given over all thoughts of laying Siege to Seringapatam this Season, and that he meant soon to fall back with the Army to Canton at Bangalore: – this information, in some measure, alleviated our present sorrows; but, was not sufficient to make up for our disappointment and extreme mortification, at being obliged to retreat in the face of an Enemy that we so much despise; – we were however, now well convinced, that this was no trifling Force, that appeared in our front on the preceeding [sic] day, as they must be the Advanced Corps of Cumer-ul-deen Chawn's whole Force, which, it is to be supposed, could not be at any great distance from those we saw, and would have given us a pretty warm reception in all probability, had we advanced to attack them as was intended before the arrival of the Harcarrah from Lord Cornwallis. — I am sorry to say, I cannot here, pay any great Compliment to our General, for the Judgment and Coolness he ought to have shewed, in conducting our Retreat; altho' to do him justice, I do believe, that if his orders had been strictly complied with, no private Property would have been lost or left behind; but, from, not attending to the Orders, and every one supposing that we were only going out to fight the enemy, a vast deal of Baggage was lost; and what was worse, the most part of the Sick belonging to the different Corps, were left on the Ground for want of Doolies to carry them, and fell into the hands of the Enemy — I believe in the whole, about One Hundred Men; among which number, Ensign Mackey, One Serjeant and Eleven Men of the 77th. Regiment were taken; Ensign Mackey was unfortunately in Sick Quarters in the Fort of Periapatam, and did not know that the Army were retreating, untill [sic] a party of the Enemy's Horse entered the Fort and took him Prisoner; — Three of the Men of those of the 77th. Sick taken, upon this occasion, belonged to Colonel Marsh's Company which I command – vizt. Archibald McDonald, (who had been for some time past attached to the Artillery) Compton and Williams. There were left behind in the Fort, and of course fell into the Hands of the Enemy Four Iron Eighteen Pounders; a great quantity of Ammunition, and Ordnance Stores; Engineers Tools; and Fifteen Days Provisions for the whole Army. Our Retreat was so precipitate and so ill conducted, that there was not time even given to destroy these things; which, it is presumed might have been done with great safety, by not moving off for a few hours longer from our Ground of Encampment, which was a very strong and commanding one, and where the enemy would hardly venture to attack us with their Horse. The Roads between Periapatam and the Ghauts were so exceedingly bad and deep, owing to the late heavy rains, that the Army moved very slowly indeed; and at day break, had not marched above two Miles from the Fort; which was still in Sight and the Enemy never made an attempt or a shew [sic] even, to attack or molest us in our Retreat, which they had fine opportunity of doing had they been so inclined. — It was a most laborious and fatiguing business bringing on our Guns during the whole of this day's march; there were constant Fatigue Parties out from the different Corps to assist in dragging the Guns on: for the Roads were so deep that the Cattle were quite knocked up. — when the Army entered the Jungle, a few of the Enemy's Horse, (or Looties most probably) had the audacity to appear on the Flanks of some of the Corps, for the purpose of cutting off our Followers and Baggage, which some of them effected. — I was for some time in great pain and anxiety about my Baggage; having received information on the Line of march, from my Cook, who came up to me, puffing and blowing and terribly frightened, saying, that he was obliged to quit the Bullock he led which carried my Tent, in order to save his life from a Looty that attacked him, and that he saw my Head Servt. Francis run away from an other Looty; and as he was with, and had charge of all, my Bullocks and Baggage, I, of course, concluded, that I had lost every thing belonging to me; what distressed me, above all, was the idea of losing all my Paymaster's Books and Papers, which would occasion great perplexity and doubts in the settlement of accts. with the Regiment: – but, I was happily relieved from all my fears and anxiety on this score, in the course of an hour, by the agreeable appearance of my Head Servant Francis with the part of my Baggage: – having only lost One Bullock with my Tent, my Table, and some Baskets with Wine and Liquors and sundry small articles for Messing; – in all amounting to about Two Hundred Rupees in value; but, as I had saved my Money Books and Papers, these articles I lost, comparatively speaking, I reckoned trifling and of no consequence. About Six OClock in the Evening, after the most fatiguing, and most unpleasant day's march, (tho' the distance was not great) I ever had, we arrived and pitched Tents on our old Ground, at the side of the Tank near Seedasur. — After coming to our Ground this Evening, I found myself very unwell indeed, with a fever and Bowel Complaint; which I attribute to my having got wet two nights lately upon out-lying Picquet, and not taking proper care of myself afterwards; — for, I must here, remark, that in all my life, I never enjoyed or had better health than I have been blessed with, since I came upon Service from Bombay in the month of November last.
May 25.
May 26.
May 27.
May 28.
May 29. I was under the necessity of making use of a strong Pole to prevent my falling and sliding down the steep part of the Ghauts. — I met strong Working Parties from all the different Corps coming up, (some of them to very near the Top of the Ghaut) for their Guns; which were, in many parts of the Ghaut, sticking in the mud up to the Axletrees; – the labour of the poor Soldiers, in dragging down these Guns, after marching about Six Miles in heavy Rains, before they could reach their respective Guns, was exceedingly severe indeed; but was borne wonderfully well by the whole Army. — It was truly a most horrid and melancholly [sic] sight, to behold the Road down the Ghaut this day: – Bullocks and horses lay in heaps groaning under their heavy Loads, whilst their Drivers were unable to raise or render them any sort of assistance: — Great numbers of Cattle (Publick [sic] and Private Property) lay dead all along the road from the top to the foot of the Ghaut; and immense quantities of various kinds of Baggage and Stores lay sticking in the Mud; — in short, it was a distressing scene to look at, and I made the best of my way through it. — All my Bullocks and Baggage came safe down the Ghaut; and I arrived with the Regiment about five OClock in the afternoon at Stoney River; – and being without a Tent, I took up my Quarters with Col: Balfour, who made me very welcome to share his. —
May 30. The Tents of our Regiment, owing to the badness of the Roads and some carelessness, were left in the Ghauts, so that the poor soldiers were without any cover whatever, tho' it rained most violently the greater part of the time: – in this very cruel and miserable Situation, they were obliged to remain for several days, going every day up the Ghauts, on very Severe fatigue, untill [sic] all the Guns and Stores were brought to Camp at Stoney River: – the natural consequences of these hardships, were, that the whole Army became very Sickly; and Men were sent off every day in scores from the different Corps, to the General Hospital at Iliacour.
May 31.
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