Native { Infantry 3,250 { Dragoons 30 ----- Total 4,610 Attached to these were 30 field pieces and howitzers, and four battering 24-pounders. On the 25th August this corps marched to Conjeveram, about 50 miles west of Madras on the Arcot road, where it was to be met by a body of men under Colonel Baillie, from the Gunton Circar, the joint force proceeding to raise the siege of Arcot, invested by Hyder Ali on the 21st August. Sir Hector Munro’s army arrived at Conjeveram on the 29th August, being followed the whole way by the enemy’s horse. The country here was found to be entirely under water, so that no provisions of any kind were to be procured, and the force was consequently dependent upon the four day’s provisions in its possession. Hyder Ali now raised the siege of Arcot, and detached Tippoo Saïb with a force of 40,000 horse and foot and 12 guns to intercept Colonel Baillie and prevent his junction with the main army. This junction had been expected to take place on the 30th August, but Baillie being delayed some days by the sudden rising of a small river, this time was utilised by the enemy to intercept him. Colonel Baillie reached Perambaucum, 15 miles from General Munro’s position, on the 6th September, where he was attacked by Tippoo Saïb, whom after a contest of several hours he repulsed. Strange to say, however, the forces of Munro and Baillie, though within a few hours’ march of each other, made no effort to unite. Two days after the battle, Colonel Baillie sent notice to General Munro to push forward with the main body, as, from the loss he had lately sustained and from want of provisions, he was unable to advance in the face of an enemy so superior in numbers. After this unaccountable delay, the General sent forward a detachment under Colonel Fletcher consisting of the flank companies Seventy-third (now Seventy-first), two companies of European grenadiers, and 11 companies of Sepoys, in all 1,000 men. Of the flank companies, Seventy-third, the grenadier company was commanded by Lieutenant the Hon. John Lindsay, and the light company by Captain, afterwards General the Right Hon. Sir David Baird, G.C.B. Colonel Fletcher joined Colonel Baillie’s force on the 9th September. Reinforced by this detachment, Colonel Baillie set out to join Munro on the same evening, but had not proceeded beyond a mile when he fell in with the pickets of Hyder Ali’s army. An irregular fire commenced, which was kept up by both parties for several miles, until Colonel Baillie halted about midnight, when he lay on his arms all night without being disturbed by the enemy.