Introduction 
|
|
BEATSON, Alexander (1759-1830) - Major
Surveyor-General. Arrived at Madras in June 1776 and carried out local survey work and was present at the siege of Pondicherry in 1777 with the Madras European Regiment. Appointed Engineer at Muslipatam on 10 December 1778 and remained there until 1782 when he joined the army in the field for the 2nd Mysore War. In 1786 Beatson was appointed to the Corps of Guides as senior Captain (under Pringle) and succeeded to the command in 1788. Served with distinction during the 3rd Mysore War. From 1792-1795 he was Town Major at Madras and returned to Britain 1796-1797. Soon after his return to India in February 1798 Beatson was directed by General Harris to proceed to Calcutta to advise the newly-arrived Governor-General, Lord Mornington [Sir Richard Wellesley], regarding the feasibility of a rapid campaign against Tipu Sultan. He made a highly favourable impression and was subsequently appointed ADC to the Governor-General. Beatson returned to Madras as Surveyor-General to the Army and became one of General Harris’ most trusted advisors during the 1799 campaign. Beatson claimed to have been responsible for the selection of the route followed by the Grand Army into Mysore; similarly, he claimed to have opposed the location and direction initially recommended by the Chief Engineers of the Bombay and Madras armies for the bombardment on the fortress of Seringapatam. They had advocated the S.W. angle of the fort, whereas Beatson suggested N.W. angle. General Harris chose the latter and subsequent inspection revealed that Tipu had heavily fortified the S.W. fortifications, whereas the N.W. curtain wall was more vulnerable to sustained bombardment and assault. Colonel Sartorius (Bombay Engineers) later congratulated Beatson on the accuracy of his choice. After the 1799 campaign Beatson (with Major Alexander Allan) requested the privilege of conveying the official despatches home to Britain. Lord Mornington agreed and both men returned to England by sea at the beginning of February 1800. Later that year Beatson published his personal history of the 4th Mysore War: A View of the Origin and Conduct of the War with Tippo Sultaun. The work remains one of the standard published works on the Seringapatam campaign. It is certainly amongst the most fully documented contemporary account. Commissioned: Cadet (HEIC) 1776; Ensign 21 November 1776; Lieutenant; Captain; Major; Lieutenant-Colonel; Colonel 3 February 1808; retired August 1813; Major-General 1814. Died: 15 October 1830. |
|
|
||