The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1782-02-13 00:00:00, page 1

From aLO NDO N paper of O&obcr 12.
To the P RINTER,
8 I R,
AS I do not find that the publick have yet
been informed of the particulars of that
unfortunate action near Madras, in which
the flower of the Englilh army was cut
off, I imagine the following account will not be un
acceptable to many of your readers:
It is literally translated from a journal of Hyder
Ally's campaign in the Carnatick, kept by a foreign
officer of rank, who, during that period, attended
the Mysore army as envoy from his nation, and was
an eye witness of most of the occurrences which he
relates, and could not possibly have any interest in
being partial.
Certain circumstances in my own Situation, un
necessary here to explain, afforded me an opportu
nity of procuring a copy of such part of the jour
nal as relates to the condud of our gallant country
men.
I am Sir,
Your obedient servant, A. B.
October io, 1781.
An account of the action fought on the loth of
September, between the army of Hyder Ally
Kahn, and a detachment from the English array,
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William Bail
lie, near Conjeveram, with some other particu
lars, previous to that engagement.
SO early as the siege of Pondicherry, Hyder Al
ly meditated an attack upon the Carnatick, and
openly negotiated with the Suban of the Decan,
and the Marattos, an alliance founded on general
hostility to the Englifn. Since the commencement
of the year 1779, an invasion of the Carnatick was
positively determined on, and became the common
talk in Hyder's durbar, 1 however fufped, that Hy
der would not have ventured on a war with the En
glish, had he not been promised a powerful diversi
on from the Mauritius, on the coast of Malabar, and
assured by the Poonah administration, that they
would not hearken to any terms of peace with the
Englilh. When Hyder approached the gauts, or pas
ses, he halted and held many councils, whether he
ffiould enter the Carnatick, or wait another season,
they all dissuaded him from war, except his son
Tippoo Saheb, who urged the defencclefs Rate of
the country, and the difficulties which the govern
ment of Madras would find in assembling their army.
Hyder was rather inclined to poftpene his intended
invasion, until convinced by his fon's arguments
and assured by his vackeel at Madras, that the go
vernment of that place were taking no measures to
oppose him. nor thought of assembling the army,
he determined to commence hostilities, and gave or
ders to his cavalry to enter the Carnatick.
Mheer Saheb, the brother in-law of Hyder Ally,
with 8000 horse, and afterwards Tippoo, with 6000
regular infantry. 12 guns and 18,000 cavalry, made
two attacks upon a detachment of the Englilh
troops, marching from the northward to join their
main body near Madras, under the command of
Lieut. Col. Baillie, an officer of great experience
and reputation; each time the troops of Mysore
were repulsed with great loss, especially on the 6th
of September, when the a&ion lasted for several
hours; and although Col. Baillie was obliged to
relinquish the baggage of his detachment, yet he
gained a complete victory over the best troops in
his army.
The main body of the Englilh had advanced to
Conjeveram, avowedly to fuccour Arcot, while Hy
der raised the siege. and moved towards the Englilh
General, with an intention, as was given out, to
offer him battle, but rather I imagine, to prevent,
if possible, the junction of Col. Baillie's detachment.
We found the Englilh army in post under Conjeve
ram, where they could not be attacked with a pro
bability of success, and as their General did not
chufe to hazard an action upon the plain, nothing
palled but the usual manoeuvres of forming the
lines and retiring to their refpedive camps. Hyder
Ally had exact and constant intelligence of every
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
[Vol. V.]
Vv ED N ESDA Y, February 13, 1782.
thing that passed in the enemy's army; he knew
the hour that Lieut. Col. Fletcher was to march
with a reinforcement to join Colonel Baillie; the
Strength of his detachment, and that he had no can
non, and accordingly determined to intercept him,
which he inevitably would have done had not Flet
cher, as I have since learned, fufpeding his guides,
changed his route, and by making a sweep to the
right, joined Col. Baillie without opposition. As
soon as this was known, Lieut. Colonel Lalle, and
most of Hyder's principal officers advised him stre
nuously to retreat, and re-cross the I'alaar, left the
Englilh General fliould advance upon his rear, while
he might be attacked by Baillie's reinforced detach
ment in front. I thought Hyder's position most
dangerous, and that he had fallen into the snare,
which had been prepared for him. Hyder was un
determined how to ass, when two of his spies came
in from Conjeveram, and allured him that tl^ En
glilh army was in camp, and making no preparati
ons to move. This appeared so extraordinary to
us all, that Lalle told me, Hyder was betrayed by
his spies, and went once more to him, to urge the
necessity of carrying off his guns and infantry; but
the near approach of Col. Baillie being known, it
was resolved to await his detachment in ambufeade,
and to place the artillery so as to infilade his route,
while a body of irregular cavalry was lent to amuse
the Englilh army at Conjeveram. At day light we
difcovei ed the enemy's detachment, marching in
columns nearly towards the centre of our position,
which was tirlt announced to Col. Baillie by twelve
pieces of cannon, which opened upon his tight flank,
and by half past 6 o'clock 57 cannon were brought
to bear upon every part of the Englilh line. About
seven this unequal action became general. Too
great encomiums cannot be bestowed on the Eng
lish commander and his troops, for in the whole
course of this trying conflict, they preserved a face
and coolness in manoeuvre, which would have done
credit to any troops in the world; raked by the fire
of an immense artillery, the greatest part of the
action within grape distance, attacked on all sides
by not less than 25,00 c horse, and go battalions of
Seapoys, besides Hyder's European corps; the Eng
lilh Rood firm, and reputing every charge with
great daughter; the horse driven back upon the
infantry, the right of our line began to give way,
although composed of the best troops in the Mysore
army. Col. Baillie had only ten guns, but these
were incomparably well worked, and kept up an
unremitting fire during the whole of the engage
ment.
T he action had continued three hours with doubt
ful success. when about half past nine, victory be
gan to declare for the English. Foiled in every
attack, the flower of the Mysore cavalry, repulsed
with great loss; the infantry with great difficulty
kept in the field; Hyder determined to retreat,
and a rapid movement, which Col. Baillie made
from the right to the centre, appeared to have deci
ded the fate of the day. Orders were given to
Col Lalle to draw off his guns, and to the cavalry
to cover the retreat, when on that instant, two ex
plosions were perceived in the Englilh line, which
laid open one entire face of their column, destroyed
their artillery, and threw the whole into irreparable
confulion. Tippoo Saheb, with that celerity which
distinguishes every operation of this gallant Prince,
saw the moment of advantage, and without waiting
for orders, made a rapid charge with the Mogul
and Carnatick horse, penetrated the broken square
and being followed by the French corps, with the
infantry of the firft line, completed the overthrow
of that gallant band. The Seapoys, amounting to
upwards of four battalions, were mostly cut to pie
ces, while Col. Baillie, although much wounded,
rallied his Europeans and once more formed them
in square under the fire of all our cannon. With
this handful of men, he gained a small eminence
on the plain, where, without ammunition, and most
of his men grievously wounded, he refilled and re
pulsed thirteen separate attacks, but frefli bodies of
horse continually pouring in, they were bore down
THE ,
by numbers without giving way, and trod under
foot by the elephants and horse.
This vidory coif the Mysore army very dear.
The daughter of their best troops was immense,
and nothing but the accident of the tumbrils could
have saved Hyder from a total defeat, had the good
genius of the Englilh brought up their troops nom
Conjeveram, during the battle, the Mysore army
must have been inevitably ruined; not one battali
on of foot or a single gun, would probably have
escaped. Although victorious Hyder did not re
main on the field of battle; the report that General
Munro was advancing made him retreat precipi
tately and in confulion to the Round Wells, leav
ing all the wounded and a great part of his baggage
behind; but on his arrival there, hearing that the
Englilh were retreating towards Chirgleput, after
having spiked up their guns, he dispatched all his
cavalry in pursuit, who returned the next day load
ed with plunder and with many prifoneis, moll of
them desperately bounded.
Nothing could surpass the hardy desperate valour
displayed by this handful of Englishmen, and their
Seapoys, in this general mallacre; officers and men
seemed determined to fell their lives as dear as pos
sible: And although left without a single gun, their
ammunition expended, the officers with their swords,
and the privates with their bayonets, atchieved pro
digies of valour, which the Mysore army speak of
with afteniihment. lam informed by some of Hy
der's officers, that many of the Englilh, after they
were cut down and miserably wounded, refufed
quarters, and raised themselves from the ground to
push with their bayonets to the very last. If the
Englilh fuffer in their military reputation, by the
issue of this campaign, in return, the heroilm of
Baillie's detachment will ever stand high in the
annals of this country. Their dilaller was occasi
oned by the quantity of loose ammunition, which
had been sent by Col. Fletcher's reinforcement,
blowing up and communicating to the tumbrils in
the line.
Hyder Ally has sullied his victory by the treat
ment of his prisoners. Col. Baillie was Shipped
and brought before him, wounded in three places.
Intoxicated with success, Hyder exulted over him
in the imperious tone of a conqueror, which Baillie
retorted with the true spirit of a soldier, and boldly
appealed to Hyder's own officers, if the victory was
not his, but for an accident which no human fore
fight could prevent. His detachment being chiefly
grenadiers, was the flower of the Madras army, a
title which they have dearly purchased, for 1 sup
pose few of them, from wounds and hardships, will
survive their captivity; officers and men appear to
support their misfortunes with that haughty, fuller
fortitude, which is the chara&eriftic of their coun
try. I
L O N DO N, October 15.
The Dutch Eaft-Tndiamen, captured by Commo
dore Johnftone, mentioned in the Gazette extraor
dinary, were fafe arrived at St. Helena, when the
East-India fleet left that place.
Commodore Johnftone is soon expelled in the
channel. He was to leave St. Helena with his priz
es about the end of August, on his way home. It
now appears that it never was intended he Should
go to India. His inftrutions were to take the Cape
of Good-Hope, but if that was impracticable, to
fend forward the line of battle ships and troops to
Madras. Finding SufFrein's fleet had reached the
Cape before him, which rendered its capture im
possible, he sent forward the line of battle ships and
troops to India, agreeable to his intrusions.
If the above prizes arrive fafe in port, as they
are said to be the richest ships sent from their set
tlements for some years, it is supposed the Com
modore's share of them will be worth 200,c001.
Commodore Johnftone is expected in England
the latter end of next month, with all the company's
homeward-bound ships due this year; also his valu
able prizes. Col. Fullerton's regiment has loft up
wards of 130 men by sickness, tc, Upon a 11
[Numb.