HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
555 
'three corps of grenadier seapoys, taken from the troops of three presidencies, with 
200 of his Highness the Nizam’s troops, formed the party for the assault, accom¬ 
panied by 100 of he artillery, and the corps of pioneers, and supported in the 
trenches by the battalion companies of the regiment de Meuron, and four batta¬ 
lions of Madras sepoys. Colonel Sherbrooke, and Lieutenant-colonels Dunlop, 
Dalrymple, Gardiner, and Mignanj commanded the several flank troops, and 
Major-general Baird was entrusted with the direction of this important service. 
The troops moved at one o’clock from the trenches, recrossed the rocky bed of 
the Cavery, under an extremely heavy fire, passed the glacis and ditch, and 
ascended the breaches in the fausse braye, and rampart of the fort, surmounting 
in the most gallant manner, every obstacle which the difficulty of the passage, and 
the resistance of the enemy, presented, to oppose their progress. Major-general 
Baird had divided his force, for the purpose of clearing the ramparts to the right 
and left. One division was commanded by Colonel Sherbrooke, the other by 
Lieutenant-colonel Dunlop; the latter was disabled in the breach, but both corps, 
though strongly opposed, were completely successful. Resistance had been made 
from the palace of Tippoo, some time after all firing had ceased from the works. 
General Harris only gave Tippoo twenty-four hours to consider the propositions 
which it was deemed expedient to make to him, respecting our operations against 
the fort of Seringpatam. These were transmitted by a vakeel, April 28, but Tip¬ 
poo returned no answer, obstinately persevering in his determination of defending 
his capital to the last. 
May 4. The breach being now practicable, it was resolved to commence the 
attack, and at three o’clock in the morning, the flank companies of every corps in 
the field, besides two or three European regiments complete, moved down to the 
trenches, where they sat for some time, in anxious expectation of the signal; 
during which time they kept up an incessant fire. The storming party, under the 
command of General Baird, began to move on, covered by a constant fire from 
the batteries, and suffering a very galling one of grape from the fort. Great anxiety 
pervaded the English troops for a quarter of an hour, till they saw their colours 
hoisted on the ramparts. Loud acclamations of joy then resounded from all parts, 
and the breast of every British soldier was fired with enthusiasm. The enemy soon 
abandoned the ramparts, after the English had reached them; in about half an 
4 B 2 
