43§ 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS, 
The late alliance which Haider had formed with the French had contributed, in 
some degree, to the check which the English had received near Conjeveram; but 
the signal victory that was gained by Sir Eyre Coote, near Porto Novo, on the 
30th of June in this same year, changed the posture of affairs. 
This battle enabled the English to undertake, with their Admiral, Sir Edward 
Hughes, the siege of Negapatnam, which surrendered to their united forces on the 
12th of November. 
In the month of December Haider Aly undertook the siege of Tellicherry, but 
was obliged to retreat from that enterprize with considerable loss. 
In the mean time, the English army being reinforced by troops from Bengal, 
Sir Eyre Coote proceeded to Wandewash, which was besieged by Tippoo Saib, 
who, on the first intelligence of the approach, retreated towards Gingi, which he 
took with little opposition. 
On the 20th of August Sir Eyre Coote appeared before Tripassore, which capi¬ 
tulated, very fortunately for him, on the 23d, as the advanced guard of Haider Aly’s. 
army appeared at the moment when the town surrendered, and the English had no 
more provisions remaining than for one day: as there was plenty in the town, Sir 
Eyre Coote immediately resolved to attack Haider, who retreated to the very place 
where he had defeated the small army of Colonel Baily; and, contrary to his usual 
practice, determined to wait for the English army, being influenced by a superstitious 
belief, that this situation would be fortunate to him: he did not, however, leave 
every thing to fortune, as he availed himself of every advantage which his position 
afforded him. 
The battle, which continued from nine in the morning to sunset, was vigorously 
contested, but Sir Eyre Coote gained the victory. The English commander now 
determined to relieve Vellore, which was in a state of the utmost distress, as it had 
been for some time prevented by Haider Aly’s cavalry from receiving the least 
supply of provisions. Haider, not altogether discouraged by his last defeat, hazarded 
another battle before that place, when his army was entirely put to the route, and 
Vellore effectually relieved. 
While these events were taking place in the north, Colonel Braithwaite was not 
equally successful in the south: on the contrary, in an engagement with Tippoo 
Saib, near the village of Walletoole, in the Tanjour country, he suffered the same 
fate as Colonel Baily in the preceding year. 
