Colonel Macleod, of the second battalion of the _Forty-second_ regiment, having arrived at _Paniané_ from Madras, the command of the forces devolved upon him, and the place was immediately invested by Tippoo Saib and Monsieur Lally, with an army amounting to eight thousand infantry, including some hundreds of French and Europeans; ten thousand cavalry, and above six thousand polygars. The enemy kept up a considerable but ineffectual cannonade for some days; the British commander at length endeavoured to surprise the enemy’s camp, but after forcing an outpost or two, and taking a few prisoners, the colonel found it necessary to relinquish the design. This sally was returned by Tippoo in a few days, who made a vigorous attack with his combined army on the 28th of November, being led by Monsieur Lally at the head of his Europeans. Tippoo’s forces were everywhere repulsed with the greatest gallantry, and the victors profited by their success as much as their disparity in numbers would admit. About two hundred of the dead of the enemy, whom he was not able to carry off, were buried by the British; and a French officer, who led one of the columns to the attack, was taken prisoner. Colonel Macleod and the troops under his command acquired great praise for their gallantry at _Paniané_. Tippoo acknowledged his defeat by repassing the river Paniané, and placing it as a barrier against the British. A state of inaction succeeded on both sides for several days: but in the night between the 11th and 12th of December, Tippoo suddenly broke up his camp, and returned by rapid marches to Palacatcherry, from whence he proceeded directly back to the Carnatic. In December 1782, occurred the decease of Hyder Ali, and he left a kingdom of his own acquisition to his son Tippoo Saib, who now became one of the most powerful princes in India. [Sidenote: 1783] Brigadier-General Mathews having determined to besiege the city of _Onore_, situated midway between Paniané and Bombay, Colonel Macleod embarked as many troops as the ships were capable of receiving, but the place was taken in January 1783, before their arrival. The President and Council of Bombay had despatched orders to Brigadier-General Mathews, that he should penetrate through the Ghauts, (as the passes in the mountains on both sides of the Indian Peninsula are termed,) into the Bednore or Canara country, and particularly to gain possession of the capital, which along with a strong fort on a small mountain that joins the city, were the great depositories of the treasures collected by the late Hyder Ali, as well as the grand magazines of his arms and military stores.