554 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
Seringapatam was carried by storm at mid-day of the 4th instant ; Tippoo Sul- 
taun killed, with many of his principal officers, and thousands of his adherents: 
his family, with the families of his chief sirdars, are in our possession. 
My attention is now directed to secure my position, and maintain our advan¬ 
tages, until I can receive further instructions from the Right Hon. the Governor-, 
general. 
I have the honour to be. Sir, &c. &c. 
GEORGE HARRIS. 
Head Quarters, Seringapatam, 6th May, 1799. 
Capture of Seringapatam—Death of Tippoo—Conduct of his Sons—Interment 
of the Sultaun—British Commander's Attention to the Sultana—Her Cha¬ 
racter—Cursory Remarks , &c. 
The capture of Seringpatam and death of Tippoo, being but slightly mentioned 
in the British Commander’s letters, it is necessary here to resume the history, and 
give a full detail of this interesting business. The papers of Lord Mornington 
sufficiently evinced the necessity of crushing Tippoo’s power, and disappointing 
his ambitious views. 
General Harris, according to orders, proceeded for Seringapatam where he 
arrived April 4, 1799. The English troops were, during the first few days after 
their arrival, employed in collecting the necessary materials : after which they had 
repeated skirmishes, when they took some out-posts. See. so that their breaching 
batteries did not open till about the termination of the month. Several Polygars 
and Zemandars of Mysore, had now attached themselves to our allies, and ren¬ 
dered considerable service. 
The fire of the batteries, which began to batter in breach on the thirtieth of 
April, had on the evening of May 2, so greatly injured the walls, against which it 
was directed, that the arrangement was then made for assaulting the place on the 
following day, when the breach was reported practicable. 
May 3. Early this morning the troops intended to be employed, were stationed 
in the trenches, that no extraordinary movement might lead the enemy to suspect 
the assault, which was determined to be made in the heat of the day. These flank 
companies of Europeans, taken from those regiments necessarily left to guard the 
camps and out-posts, followed by the 12th, 33d, 73d, and 74th regiments; and 
