Historical Record of the Thirty-ninth, or the Dorsetshire Regiment of Foot: containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1702, and of its subsequent services to 1853.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Thirty-ninth, or the Dorsetshire Regiment of Foot: containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1702, and of its subsequent services to 1853.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Dorset Regiment -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 39th (Dorsetshire) -- History
The regiment was halted there until the 21st, during the greater
part of which time it rained heavily, but the men were very
healthy. On the 27th it reached Coodamoor, where the whole force
was assembled, consisting, in addition to the THIRTY-NINTH, of two
squadrons of the Thirteenth light dragoons, the Seventh regiment of
Native cavalry, the Third, Sixteenth, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-ninth,
and Fifty-first regiments of Native infantry. The head-quarters
of the Sappers and Miners, a troop of horse and two companies of
foot artillery, with four eighteen-pounders, four twelve-pounders,
several mortars, howitzers, and a large and well equipped park. A
formidable resistance was, therefore, expected by the Government;
and subsequent inquiries proved that the intended antagonist was
supplied with most numerous and well constructed implements of
destruction, and that a part of his force consisted of brave and
determined soldiers.
At Coodamoor the regiment remained halted for many days; and on the
1st of October the cholera unfortunately broke out, and lasted with
considerable violence for about ten days, during which time Lieut.
Samuel Philips, Assistant Surgeon Robert Martin Davis, M.D., of
the THIRTY-NINTH regiment (a most valuable and excellent medical
officer), and six men died therefrom.
On the 3rd of October, an order was received from the Commissioners
for the affairs of _Kurnool_ to detach a portion of the force in
advance; two companies of the THIRTY-NINTH, under the command of
Captain Henry Clarence Scarman (who died of cholera in the Fort
of Kurnool on the 12th of the same month), with a detachment of
the artillery, and the Fifty-first Native infantry, marched on
the 4th of October. This force was led into the Fort of _Kurnool_
by the Nuwaub’s head minister, Numder Cawn, who subsequently was
proved to have been a traitor to both parties. The Nuwaub and
his party vacated the fort by an opposite gate. This apparent
surrender turned out to be a _ruse de guerre_, as the Nuwaub,
it is believed, fully expected to re-occupy the fort; for there
were no visible symptoms of preparations, all munitions of war
being buried or built up, and the whole wore a peaceful aspect;
subsequent discoveries proved that peace was not his object, but
that he contemplated lulling the Company into security, until he
was prepared for active operations. On the 9th of October, the
Commissioners applied for a reinforcement; and two companies of the
THIRTY-NINTH, the whole of the Thirty-fourth Native infantry, with
a detachment of cavalry and artillery, were despatched under the
orders of Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Edward Wright. These two companies
were encamped outside the Fort of _Kurnool_ for some days; but
on the morning of the 18th, Lieut.-Colonel Wright was privately
informed that his two companies would be required to assist in
endeavouring to force the Nuwaub to surrender, and to make his
followers, principally composed of Arabs, Rohillahs, and Patans,
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