SIEGE OF MANGALORE. 75 



public property. Upon this discovery he considered him- 

 self absolved from all that he had stipulated ; the prisoners 

 were thrown into irons, and committed to the most rigorous 

 durance in the different fortresses of Mysore. 



The sultan immediately marched down to the coast, and 

 laid siege to Mangalore, which, though a fortress of very 

 secondary strength, was defended in the most gallant man- 

 ner by Colonel Campbell. Having stood a siege of fifty-sis 

 days, it was reduced almost to a heap of ruins, when tidings 

 arrived of the peace concluded between France and Eng- 

 land. The French officers, Cossigny, Lally, and Boudenot, 

 then separated with their troops from the army of Tippoo, 

 — a measure viewed with great indignation by that prince, 

 who considered them as personally united in alliance with 

 himself during the present war; indeed they with difficulty 

 escaped the effects of his resentment. Having made some 

 vain attempts to prosecute the siege alone, he agreed to an 

 armistice, which was to extend over the whole coast of 

 Malabar. One condition was, that a certain supply of pro- 

 visions, sufficient to keep up the present stock, should be 

 allowed to enter Mangalore every month. But, although 

 this stipulation was nominally observed, its spirit was com- 

 pletely violated, — the provisions supplied being so defective, 

 and of such bad quality, that the health of the garrison 

 rapidly sank ; while General M'Leod, with a very ill-timed 

 scrupulosity, declined taking any effective means for intro- 

 ducing proper food. The consequence was, that Colonel 

 Campbell, after sustaining a siege of nearly nine months, 

 was obliged to surrender, and was so overpowered by the 

 fatigues of the service that he soon afterward died. 



Meantime in the south, under the able direction of Mr. 

 Sullivan the civil resident, and through the military talents 

 of Colonels Lang and Fullerton, very important advantages 

 were gained. First Caroor and Dindigul, and afterward 

 Palgaut and Coimbetoor, were reduced. The last of these 

 officers was even preparing to ascend the Ghauts and 

 march upon Seringapatam, when he was arrested by orders, 

 and directed to restore all his recent conquests. Tippoo 

 had applied for two English commissioners to proceed to 

 his camp and treat for peace; and, with a courtesy which 

 Colonel Wilks considers blamcable, the Madras govern- 

 ment had complied. These envoys, on discovering the 



