BANGALORE TAKEN. 91 



made by Tippoo, it was determined to make the attempt 

 that very night. It was bright moonlight, — eleven was the 

 hour named, — and a whisper along the ranks was the sig- 

 nal appointed for advancing in profound silence. The lad- 

 ders were planted, and a few men had reached the rampart 

 before the alarm extended through the garrison. The 

 killedar or governor hastened to the spot, and fought with 

 the utmost bravery, but he fell ; and the assailants, charg- 

 ing with the bayonet, soon established themselves on the 

 top of the walls. They spread to the right and left ; col- 

 umns descended into the body of the place ; and in an hour 

 they were masters of Bangalore. Tippoo had received the 

 intelligence, and was marchinp- with his whole force to save 

 the place, when crowds of fugitives announced to him the 

 disastrous event ; and he remained the whole night sunk in 

 silence and stupor. According to Wilks, he was aware of 

 the intended attack, and had made preparations to meet it ; 

 but the facts do not seem very consistent! with this state- 

 ment. 



After this triumph, Lord Cornwallis was still in extreme 

 distress for provisions, and especially forage. Before mak- 

 ing his grand movement upon the capital, he proceeded 

 northward, in hopes of obtaining supplies, and of being 

 joined by 10,000 horse which the nizam had promised. Af- 

 ter a long march, the expected contingent made its appear- 

 ance ; but a woful disappointment was felt at the very as- 

 pect of such grotesque auxiliaries. According to Wilks, 

 " It is probable that no national or private collection of an- 

 cient armour in Europe contains any weapon or article of 

 personal equipment which might not be traced in this mot- 

 ley crowd, — the Parthian bow and arrow, the iron club of 

 Scythia, sabres of every age and nation, lances of every 

 length and description, and matchlocks of every form, met 

 tallic helmets of every pattern." This singular equipment 

 was combined with "the total absence of every symptom 

 of order or obedience, excepting groups collected round their 

 respective flags ; every individual an independent warrior, 

 self-impelled, affecting to be the champion whose single 

 arm was to achieve victory." This corps, it was evident, 

 could never be of any use in regular operations ; but hopes 

 were at first cherished that they might relieve the English 

 from some of the harassing duty belonging to light troops. 



