This celebrated commander commenced his military career as an ensign in the second foot, his commission being dated the 14th of December 1772. He joined the regiment at Gibraltar in April 1773, and in 1775 returned with it to England. In February 1778 he was promoted lieutenant in the second foot, and on the 16th of December 1777 was promoted to a company in the seventy third regiment, then being raised by Colonel Lord Macleod, which was afterwards numbered the SEVENTY-FIRST regiment. This corps Captain Baird joined at Elgin, from whence he marched to Fort George, and embarked for Guernsey. In January 1779 he embarked with his regiment for India, and arrived at Madras in January 1780. The regiment, shortly after its arrival in India, was called upon to take part in the war against Hyder Ali, the powerful sovereign of the Mysore, whose army exceeded eighty thousand, besides a strong body under a general of the name of Meer Saib, who had entered the Company’s territories on the north. This force was rendered still more formidable and effective by the aid of Monsieur Lally’s troops, and a great number of French officers who served his artillery, and even directed all his marches and operations. The British army ready to oppose this invasion did not consist of five thousand men. These were commanded by Major-General Sir Hector Munro, K.B., and were stationed at St. Thomas’s Mount, in the immediate neighbourhood of Madras, in order to cover that city. Here they were joined by Colonel Lord Macleod and the seventy-third regiment. Hyder Ali, after a march across the country, which he marked by fire and sword, suddenly turned upon Arcot, and on the 21st of August 1780 sat down before that city, as the first operation of the war. Arcot was the capital town of the territory of the nabob of that name, the only prince in India who was friendly and in alliance with the Company. It contained immense stores of provisions, and, what was equally wanted, a vast treasure of money. There was another important reason, which required on the part of the British an immediate attention to this movement. Lieut.-Colonel Baillie, with a body of troops, was in the Northern Circars; and Hyder Ali, by besieging Arcot, had interposed himself between this detachment and the main army under Major-General Sir Hector Munro. Orders were immediately sent to Lieut.-Colonel Baillie to hasten to the Mount, to join the main army; and Sir Hector Munro, at once to meet Lieut.-Colonel Baillie and to raise the siege of Arcot, marched on the 25th of August with his army for Conjeveram, a place forty miles distant from Madras, in the Arcot road.