It was not to be supposed that a person, possessed of the ambitious and restless disposition which characterised Tippoo, would long remain at peace with such an im mense force at his disposal, or that he would find any dif ficulty in raising pretences for commencing hostilities. Accordingly, towards the end of the year 1789, he ap proached the country of Travancore for the avowed pur pose of recovering two places which the rajah of that district had purchased from the Dutch, but which Tippoo alleged were dependent upon hint, as forming part of the possessions of his tributary the Rajah of Cochin. On the 29th of December, he stormed the lines of the Rajah of Travancore, who was nut disposed to accede to his de mands; but without success. As this Rajah had put him. self under the protection of the British government, and was acknowledged to be so, by the treaty concluded with Tippoo in 1784, war between the latter and the British seemed unavoidable. Lord Cornwallis at this time was Governor General of India. His first object was to enter into a treaty offensive and defensive with the Nizam. This was accordingly concluded on the 4th of July 1790. A treaty was also formed with the Paishwah of the Mah rattas. The provisions of these treaties were, that mea sures should be instantly taken to punish Tippoo, and to deprive him of the means of disturbing the general tran quillity, and that the Nizam and the Paishwah should both vigorously prosecute the war.
The British Madras army was assembled on the plain of Trichinopoly, and on the 24th of May 1790, General 1Iea dows, who was to take the command, joined it. On the 12th of June, he entered the territories of the Sultan. His first object was to relieve the Rajah of Travancore ; and, before the end of the year, he was completely suc cessful. In the mean time, the Bombay troops under ge neral Abercrombie conquered the valuable districts below the Ghauts on the west and the north, as far as the river Baliapatam. The next campaign was carried on by Lord Cornwallis himself in the centre of Tippoo's kingdom. The important fortress of Bangalore was conquered. A successful battle was fought near Seringapatam ; but the Unfavourable season of the year, which now began, and the delay of the Mahrattas, prevented his Lordship from at tacking that city, which had been his principal design when he commenced the campaign. In the mean time, the Bombay army was marching to join his Lordship ; but being unable to effect the junction, from the badness of the roads, and the swelling of the rivers, they were compelled to retrace their steps over those mountains, which form an almost impassable barrier between Mysore and the Alala bar coast. In this march and retreat, the troops suffered dreadfully ; but the sufferings were mild compared to those which the Madras army underwent while obliged to remain inactive in the heart of Tippoo's dominions on ac count of the rains. They were infected with an epidemic disorder, the ravages of which were greatly increased by a scarcity of provisionsand, to add to these calamities, the small-pox raged in ;he camp. Fortunately, they were
soon joined by the allied force of the AIahrattas, amounting to 32,000 cavalry; and soon afterwards, the troops of the Nizam joined them : but from neither of these allies could Lord Cornwallis expect much efficient assistance, espe cially in the moment of danger, as their equipment and discipline were excessively defective. In the month of June 1791, his Lordship set out towards Bangalore. His first object was to secure an easy and regular communica tion between the Mysore and Carnatic, as from the latter the supplies of the army were chiefly to be drawn: but this communication would be impracticable, so long as the various hill forts which commanded the passes were in the possession of Tippoo. They were uncommonly strong, both by nature and art. Of these, Savendroog, Chittle droog, and Kistnaghury, were the most remarkable for na tural strength. The first is surrounded by a forest of na tural wood, or jungle, several miles in depth, thickened with clumps of planted bamboos, to render it as impenetra ble as possible. It is impossible to invest or blockade it closely, the rock forming a base of 8 or 10 miles in cir cumference, which, with the jungle and lesser hills that surround it, includes a circle of 20 miles. From this base, it is reckoned to rise above half a mile in perpendicular height. This huge mountain is further rendered strong by being divided above by a chasm that separates the upper part into two hills, each, with their defences, forming two citadels, and capable of being maintained independent of the lower works. This stupendous fortress, so difficult of approach, is no less remarkable for its occasioned by the surrounding hills and wod , wonderful size and strength..
The right wing of the main army, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, was ordered to the siege of this tremendous fortress. In three days, a practicable breach was effected, and the troops advanced to the storm, Lord Cornwallis in person superintending the attack. On the appearance of the Europeans advancing, the garrison were seized with a panic and fled, and the breach was The ried without meeting or even overtaking the enemy. I he i main body endeavoured to gain the western hill, and if they had done so, the siege must have recommenced ; but they were closely pursued by a small party of the British, who entered the different barriers along with them, and gained possession of the top of the mountain. Thus, in less than an hour, in open clay, this fortress, hitherto deemed impreg nable, was stormed without the loss of a man, only one pri vate soldier having been wounded in the assault. Other fortresses were also taken, so that the convoys reached the army without the least delay or opposition.