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190 CHAPTER XI.

Sufferings of the Anglo-Indian Army – Romantic Gallantry of the Rajah of Coorg – Lord Cornwallis retires on Bangalore – Junction of the Mahrattas – Their singular Siege of Darwar – They furnish the Army with abundant Supplies – Graphic Description of their Camp Bazaar – The Brinjarries – Capture of Hooleadroog – Plundering Habits of the Mahrattas – Deplorable State of Tippoo's Prisoners – Arrangements for the ensuing Campaign – Murder of Prisoners at Oussoor – Nundidroog stormed and taken – Noble Defence of Fort Coimbatore – Storming Party repulsed – Both Parties reinforced – Surrender of Coimbatore on favourable Terms – Infraction of the Treaty – Savindroop invested – Description of that remarkable Fortress – Difficult and laborious Operations – Savindroog breached and successfully stormed – Ootradroog invested – Treachery of the Killadar – Carried by Escalade.

At the expense of five hundred men, killed and wounded, Lord Cornwallis had gained the honour of the day; but he was in such a situation that only a decisive victory, and scarcely even that, could have enabled him to achieve his object. "As a mere evidence of superiority," says Colonel Wilks, "the victory was complete, and, had there been no movement of cavalry, would probably have been very decisive. But the observation of Sir Eyre Coote, on a parallel occasion, was applied by an old officer to the present: 'I would gladly exchange all these trophies and the reputation of victory for a few days' rice!'" The Anglo-Indian Army, as we before observed, had marched through a desert, and was now suffering most deeply from famine, disease, and all those evils which, in a campaign, are often more fatal than the sword; while their means of conveyance were so deficient that the men were compelled, in view of the enemy, to drag the baggage, and even the heavy cannon, as if they had been beasts of burden. In short, after several