Early in 1790, hostilities having commenced by Tippoo Sultan attacking and capturing the lines of Travancore, the British Government in India determined to support the Rajah of that country. On the 18th of March an encampment was formed for that purpose in the neighbourhood of Conjeveram under the command of Colonel Musgrave. The force assembled there consisted of the Nineteenth British Dragoons, the Fifty-second and Seventy-first Highlanders, the Third and Fourth Regiments of native Cavalry, the first Battalion of Coast Artillery, and five of Coast Infantry. On the 29th of March this force moved to Trichinopoly, where Colonel Musgrave effected a junction on the 29th April, with the division assembled there under Colonel Brydges. This comprised the Thirty-sixth and Seventy-second Regiments, the Second and Fifth Native Cavalry, and seven battalions of Coast Sepoys. On the 24th of May General Meadows arrived at Trichinopoly, and assumed the command: the army consisted of 15,000 men, forming two European and four native brigades. These were divided into wings. Lieut.-Colonel James Stuart, Seventy-second Highlanders, being appointed to command the left wing, and Colonel Brydges of the East India Company’s Service, the right; the Seventy-first and Seventy-second Highlanders, and First East India Company’s European battalion, formed the Second European brigade, under Lieut.-Colonel Clarke of the Company’s Service. The whole of the cavalry in the advance was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Sir John Floyd of the Nineteenth Light Dragoons.