Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 71st (Highland Light Infantry)
Immediate success followed the attempt, the fort being carried
without the loss of a man. The troops were thanked in general
orders for their gallant conduct, in which it was stated,--
“Lord Cornwallis thinks himself fortunate, almost beyond example,
in having acquired by assault a fortress of so much strength and
reputation, and of such inestimable value to the public interest,
as Savendroog,[15] without having to regret the loss of a single
soldier.”
In the course of a short time afterwards, the following places
surrendered, with trifling loss, to detachments of the British
army; namely, Outredroog, Ram Gurry, and Sheria Gurry.
The army subsequently moved towards Outredroog, a hill fort about
thirty miles west of Bangalore, where a general hospital was
established.
[Sidenote: 1792.]
On the 31st of January 1792 the army under General the Earl
Cornwallis was reviewed by the Poonah and Hyderabad chiefs, and
on the following day commenced its march towards _Seringapatam_,
passing by Hooleadroog, Tajilly, and Carrycode. The troops came in
sight of Tippoo’s capital on the 5th of February, and encamped at
the French Rocks. The enemy’s horse showed itself on the 4th and
5th, but attempted nothing hostile.
The entrenched camp of Tippoo was reconnoitred on the 6th of
February, and at dark the army was formed in three columns of
attack. The right, under Major General Medows, consisting of the
thirty-sixth and seventy-sixth King’s regiments. The centre,
under the Commander-in-chief, General the Earl Cornwallis,
consisting of the fifty-second, SEVENTY-FIRST, and seventy-fourth
King’s regiments. The left, under Lieut.-Colonel Maxwell of the
seventy-fourth, was composed of the seventy-second regiment. The
native troops were divided among the three columns.
By eight o’clock in the evening of the 6th of February the three
columns were in motion. The head of the centre column, led by the
flank companies of the respective corps, after twice crossing the
Lokany river, which covered the enemy’s right wing and front, came
in contact with his first line, and immediately forced through it.
The British flankers, mixing with the fugitives, crossed the north
branch of the Cavery, at the foot of the _glacis_ of the fort of
_Seringapatam_. Captain the Honorable John Lindsay collected the
grenadiers of the SEVENTY-FIRST upon the _glacis_, and attempted
to push into the body of the place, but was prevented by the
bridge being raised a few moments before he reached it. He was
soon after joined by some of the light company of the fifty-second
and grenadiers of the seventy-sixth, with whom he forced his way
down to the famous _Llal Baugh_, or “_Garden of Pearls_,” where he
was attacked most furiously, but the enemy was repelled in a very
spirited style with the bayonet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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