Hijiorical Chronicle, 



f 



day ; while the conftant peals 

 of mufquetry, and roar of the 

 cannon, rendered the fcene 

 truly awful. 



It was found necefTary to 

 efcalade in two places, where 

 fmall trenches had been dug 

 by the enemy. A pafiage over 

 one of thefe, where only one 

 man could go, was fortunately 

 difcovered by fome of the 36th 

 regiment. Many pafled by this, 

 and gained the works, while 

 the efcalade was efFeded by 

 the flank companies, com- 

 manded by Major Skelly, 

 with equal fpirit and fuccefs. 



Nothing could refift or ef- 

 cape the impetuoBty of the 

 troops : — they ruftied along the 

 ramparts, where heaps lay dead 

 and dying, and met near the 

 oppofite gate. Here the crowd, 

 attempting in vain to efcape 

 through what they could not 

 defend, met their promifcuous 

 fate in multitudes. Many fell 

 on the bayonet, many by the 

 bullet, and many were burnt 

 by their cloaths catching fire, 

 and blown up by the explolion 

 of their own cartridge-boxes. 



The {laughter was inevita- 

 bly great — more than 1000, it 

 is apprehended, though its du- 

 ration was Ihort ; and it was as 

 pleafing to humanity, next day, 

 to fee the foldiers binding up 

 the wounds they had indidted, 

 and giving proviiions and aflilt- 

 ance to their prilbners, as it \s 

 diftrefting to contemplate the 

 neceflary calamities of war. 



Some of the enemy appear- 

 ed on the outfide of the fort, 

 but attennpted nothing, and 

 were foon difperfed by a few 

 fliot. The fire of the fort was 



very heavy, but ill diredled ; 

 and all the retiftance on the 

 rampartb being fo rapidly over- 

 powered, our lofs happily was 

 fmall. 



The fort is nearly oval, with 

 two gates covered'by the out- 

 works, but without a draw- 

 bridge, one to the fouth-weft, 

 called the Seringapatam-gate — 

 the other, Qofcottah, to the 

 caftward. It appears to be ir- 

 regularly built, about a mile 

 and three quarters in circum- 

 ference, with fmall round bal'- 

 tions at the diltance of 50 or 

 do yards, incapable of contain- 

 ing more than three guns each. 



Six lofty cavaliers in diffe- 

 rent parts, mounting each eight 

 or ten guns, command the fort 

 and the adj:icer!t country ; the 

 rampait is fufiiciently bi'oad 

 to admit of the heavieft guns 

 being fired from the curtains ; 

 and the ditch, exuept in two 

 places where it is coverf'd by 

 outwoiks, is deep and broad, 

 but with hardly any water in 

 it- — The taiiircbraye wide, and 

 the covert way very judiciouf- 

 ly conftrudtcd ; the glacis, as 

 is ufual in Indian forts, too 

 lieep. 



More than 100 pieces of 

 cannon are taken, with great 

 quantities of ammunition and 

 military ftores ; abundance of 

 grain was found in the fort : 

 and thodgh no public treafure 

 has yet been difcovered, a vaft 

 variety of private property, in 

 the hour of plunder, amply 

 compenfated to the foldiers 

 the danger of the llonn. 



All accounts concur in ad- 

 miring the extent and magni- 

 ficence of the palace, and the 



