In the year 1778, a war broke out between the British and the western lahrattas. This occasioned the march of a brigade from Bengal across the continent to the side of Bombay and Surat. By some mismanagement, it was obliged to capitulate with the Mahratta general on the 9th of January, 1779. One of the terms was, that a body of troops, which were advancing- on the other side, should be obliged to return to Bengal ; but this condition was not complied with, and the expedition proceeded. There were not more than 7000 men, all native troops, commanded by European officers; and yet they marched the banks of the Jumnah to the western sea in despite of the Nlah rattas, whose empire they traversed almost the whole way. This war was attended by the conquest, by the English, of the finest parts of the Guzcrat and the Concan, including the important fortresses of Bassein and Ahmedabad ; in short, of the whole country from Ahmedabad to the river Pennar, and inland to the foot of the Ghauts ; and on the side of Oude, the province of Gohud and other districts, together with the celebra:ed fortress of Gwalior, were re duced, and the war was carried into the heart of Malwah. But, in consequence of the war which broke out in the year 1780 with Hyder Ali, peace was made with the Malt rattas, after detaching Scindiah, the principal member of that state, from the confederacy. All the acquisitions made during the war were given up, except Salsette and the small islands situated within the gulf formed by Bom bay, Salsette, and the continent.
nyder Ali, indignant at the refusal of the British to as sist him against the Mahrattas, made peace with them, and prepared for the invasion of the Carnatic. On the 24th of July, 1780, Hyder Ali's cavalry were only nine miles dis tant from .Nladras ; and it was ascertained, that his whole force consisted of 100,000 men, among whom was a large body of European troops, under French officers, and com mandeal by Colonel Lally. In this emergency, Sir II ector Munro ordered the British army to assemble at Conjeve ram, and directed Colonel Baillic, who commanded a de tachment at Gumeropanda, to join him at that place; but this detachment was cut to pieces by Tippoo son. This obliged the Carnatic army to retreat, till Sir Eyre Coote arrived from Bengal with a brigade of 7000 men, r.nd assumed the command. Sir Eyre immediately restored the spirits of the army, and in a very short space of time defeated Ryder in five several battles. In some instances, however, the British were not so successful ; for 'Tippoo entirely defeated a detachment of about 2000 in fantry, and 300 cavalry, under Colonel Braithwaite. In the end of the year 1782 Hydcr died ; and one of the first ob jects of Tippoo, who succeeded him, was to recover Ca nara, which had been conquered by a detachment under General Matthews. It had been supposed by the presi
dency of Bengal, that an attack of Tippoo's provinces on the west of India would, by giving an easy and immediate entry into the most valuable part of his dominions, draw him off from the Carnatic, which he still occupied, notwith standing the defeats which his father had sustained. Ac cordingly, General Matthews was sent into Can-ara, a pro vince which Hyder All had conquered in 1763, and lie suc ceeded in reducing the whole of it. The scheme succeed ed in drawing Tippoo from the Carnat c into C.anara ; but at the dreadful expense of the loss of General Matthews and his army, which was obliged to capitulate, on condi tion of being allowed to go to Bombay. This condition, however, was not fulfilled ; and General Matthews, and 20 of his officers, were poisoned, and most ol his troops were massacred. At last, Tippoo finding that the Mahrattas, his inveterate enemies, were at peace with the English, anti at liberty to attack him, and being deserted by the French in consequence of the peace of 1783, condescended to treat in March 1784. By this treaty, matters were re stored nearly to the condition in which they had been be fore the commencement ol hostilities.
Having given this brief sketch of the wars in which the British were engaged with the Mahrattas, and with Hyder Ali and his son, it will be proper to advert to a general con federacy which seems to have been entered into against the British, of the plan of which these wars formed a part. The Nizam of the Decal) having taken disgust at the conduct of the Madras government towards him in 1779, determined on revenge. Under the influence of this feeling, lie resolved to engage all the principal powers of Hindostan Proper and the Decan against the British. The Poonah Mahrattas were already engaged, and nyder was preparing. There remained the Nizam himself, and the Berar Mahrattas. Each party was to pursue a particular scheme of attack, suited to his local position and means. Hyder was to at tack the Carnatic; the Nizam the Circars; the Poonah Malitattas were to keep the Guzerat army employed; and the Berar Mahrattas were to invade and lay waste the provinces of Bengal and Bahar. But this confederacy, like most others among nations of different habits and interests, did not act in concert, or towards the attainment of a common object : each member of it put-sued its own peculiar plans and interests. The operations of Hyder Ali and of the Poonah Mahrattas have been already detailed: the army of the Berar Mahrattas, though it was put in motion, never arrived at the projected scene of action, and the Nizam speedily made peace.