For several days the Spaniards appeared confounded at their disgrace. The smoke of the burning batteries continued to rise, and no attempt was made to extinguish the flames; but several executions took place in their camp, probably of persons who fled so precipitately from the batteries. In the beginning of December they began to arouse themselves, and a thousand workmen commenced labouring to restore the batteries, in which they were retarded by the fire of the garrison. While the besiegers were thus employed, the gallant defenders of the fortress were equally indefatigable; every serjeant, drummer, musician, officer’s servant, and private soldier, used the musket, shovel, and pick-axe, as his services were necessary. [Sidenote: 1782.] [Sidenote: 1st bat.] At the opening of the campaign in India, in the beginning of 1782, the army did not muster a larger force than at the commencement of the former year. The first and most important object in view was the relief of _Vellore_, kept in strict blockade by the enemy. The safety of this fortress was of paramount consequence, being the only key the British possessed to the Passes of the Ghauts, through which an invasion of the enemy’s country could be accomplished; and the army being put in movement, pushed through the Sholingur Pass, and by the 11th of January the relief of _Vellore_, with a supply of rice for six months, was fully effected. After the accomplishment of this object the army retired, and on the 20th of January arrived at Poonamallee, having lost upon this expedition six officers and about thirty Europeans, with one hundred sepoys, killed and wounded. The following anecdote is extracted from the narrative of Captain Munro, relating to the fall of John Mackay, a corporal of the battalion, in one of the skirmishes with the enemy, when the army was on the march to Vellore:--“For the satisfaction of my Highland friends, I take this opportunity of commemorating the fall of John Mackay, _alias_ Donn, a corporal in the _Seventy-third_ (now SEVENTY-FIRST) regiment, son of Robert Donn, the famous Highland bard, whose singular talent for the beautiful and extemporaneous composition of Gaelic poetry was held in such esteem by the Highland Society. This son of the bard has frequently revived the drooping spirits of his countrymen upon the march, by singing in a pleasant manner the humorous and lively productions of his father. He was killed by a cannon ball on the 13th of January, and on the same evening was interred by his disconsolate comrades with all the honors of war.”