In October, the combined fleet was much damaged by a storm; and soon afterwards a British naval force arrived, and the garrison was again relieved; when two regiments, the twenty-fifth and fifty-ninth, landed to take part in the defence of the fortress.

After the garrison was thus relieved and reinforced a third time, the Court of Madrid gave up all hopes of gaining possession of Gibraltar either by force or stratagem: negociations ensued, and in February, 1783, the Spanish army decamped; the preliminary articles for a treaty of peace having been signed in the preceding month. Thus ended the siege of "Gibraltar," which is celebrated in the military annals of the eighteenth century, and the successful defence of that fortress, ranks among the noblest efforts of the British arms: it exceeded in duration the famous siege of Ostend, in the beginning of the seventeenth century.[17]

The Twelfth regiment of foot was rewarded, with the other corps which took part in this long and arduous service, with the thanks of its Sovereign, and of the Houses of Parliament, and with the honour of bearing on its colours the word 'Gibraltar,' with the 'Castle and Key,' and the motto 'Montis Insignia Calpé,' in commemoration of its services during the siege.[18]

The loss of the regiment during the siege of Gibraltar was—

During the period the Twelfth were engaged in the glorious defence of Gibraltar, county-titles were given to the several regiments of infantry, and the communication with England having become free, the Twelfth received directions to assume the title of the 'East Suffolk Regiment,' and to cultivate a connection with that part of the country, in order to facilitate the recruiting of the regiment.

In November, the Twelfth were relieved from duty at the fortress of Gibraltar, which they had so gallantly defended, and returned to England; they landed at Portsmouth, from whence they proceeded to Hilsea barracks, and in December, they marched to Windsor.

King George III. was highly gratified at having a corps, which had distinguished itself during the memorable siege of Gibraltar, employed near his person, and on the 1st and 8th of June, 1784, His Majesty reviewed the Twelfth regiment in Windsor Park, in the presence of the Royal Family, and many distinguished personages, and expressed, in very gracious terms, his high approbation of its appearance and discipline, and of its conduct during the siege of Gibraltar.

The regiment remained at Windsor on the King's duty until November, when it proceeded to Chatham.

During the years 1785, 1786, and 1787, the regiment was stationed successively at Newcastle, Tynemouth, Sunderland, Musselburgh, Ayr, Edinburgh, and Plymouth; on the 10th of January, 1788, it was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, afterwards King George IV., who was then in the seventeenth year of his age, and his person and accomplishments excited the admiration of all who beheld him. In a few days after the review, the regiment proceeded to the islands of Jersey and Guernsey.

The Twelfth were relieved from duty at Jersey and Guernsey in March, 1790, and sailed to Portsmouth. Two months afterwards, orders were received for the regiment to serve on board the fleet as marines, and in the middle of June it embarked on board of His Majesty's ships 'Barfleur,' 'Carnatic,' 'Bellona,' 'Impregnable,' 'Magnificent,' and 'Edgar'; at the same time the staff officers, musicians, and a few soldiers who were not employed on this service, proceeded to Hilsea barracks.

After six months' service as marines the companies landed and joined the head-quarters at Hilsea barracks; towards the end of December the whole embarked for Ireland.

The regiment landed near Cork on the 5th of January, 1791, and marched to Kinsale; in the summer of 1792, it proceeded to Dublin, from whence it was removed in March, 1793, to Drogheda.

In the meantime a revolution had taken place in France; men of violent republican principles had seized on the reins of government, beheaded their Sovereign, and involved Europe in another war. The pernicious doctrines of liberty and equality had been disseminated in the French West India Islands, and the European planters had solicited the protection of the British arms against the fury of the mulattoes and negroes. War was commenced to arrest the tyrannical proceedings of aggression pursued by the French republic;—a British army was sent to Flanders under His Royal Highness the Duke of York; additional forces were sent to the West Indies, and in November the flank companies of the Twelfth foot, commanded by Captains Tweedie and Perryn, Lieutenants Mathews, Leister, Leister junior, and O'Brien, embarked for the West Indies.

The deliverance of the French West India Islands from republican domination, was undertaken in January, 1794; the flank companies of the Twelfth joined the expedition under General Sir Charles Grey, K. B. (afterwards Earl Grey), at Barbadoes, and were engaged in the attack of Martinico. A landing was effected at three different points in the early part of February, and after some sharp fighting, in which the companies of the Twelfth signalized themselves, particularly the grenadier company, forming part of the brigade commanded by Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent), which captured Fort Royal by escalade on the 17th of March, and carried Morne Tartisson by storm, the island was captured. In his despatch, Sir Charles Grey stated,—'All the officers and soldiers of this little army merit the greatest praise.' The loss of the Twelfth foot was limited to a few private soldiers killed and wounded.

From Martinico the flank companies of the Twelfth sailed with the expedition against St. Lucia, where the troops arrived on the 1st of April, and the companies of the Twelfth took part in the reduction of that island, which was accomplished in three days without loss.

The flank companies were afterwards engaged in the capture of Guadaloupe and its dependencies, in which service they lost several men. The rapid success with which the British empire was thus extended, by the addition of three valuable islands and their dependencies, excited great admiration; and Sir Charles Grey stated in his despatch, that he 'could not find words to convey an adequate idea, or to express the high sense he entertained, of the extraordinary merit evinced by the officers and soldiers in this service.'

While the flank companies were engaged in the capture of the French West India Islands, the regiment was withdrawn from Ireland to reinforce the troops under the Duke of York in Flanders; it embarked from Drogheda on the 7th of March, landed at Parkgate on the 14th, re-embarked at Greenwich on the 1st of May, and landed at Ostend on the 6th of that month.

On arriving at the seat of war, the regiment was ordered to join the corps under the Austrian General Count Clerfait, who commanded the troops in West Flanders, and it was attached to the division under Major-General Hammerstein, together with the thirty-eighth and fifty-fifth regiments, and the eighth light dragoons.

The Twelfth regiment, commanded by Major Frederick Bowes, consisting of eight hundred and fifteen rank and file, took part in numerous operations, and was engaged in the general attack on the French positions on the 17th and 18th of May. On the latter day, the Twelfth were engaged in driving the enemy from Werwick, and in forcing the passage of the river Lys, on which occasion they highly distinguished themselves; but the operations on the above two days were not successful, from the want of a more perfect combination in the movements of the several divisions, and from the superior numbers of the enemy.

In division orders, dated Camp near Tournay, 20th May, 1794, Major-General Whyte stated 'he had great pleasure in informing the British troops, that General Count Clerfait has highly approved of their spirited conduct in the field, and great exertions in going through such excessive fatigues, as they necessarily have had since their first movement from Ostend. Major-General Whyte laments the loss sustained by the eighth light dragoons, whose spirited and distinguished gallantry, led on by Lieut.-Colonel Hart, has gained them the highest honour; and he desires his thanks may be accepted by the commanding officers, and all the officers and men of the thirty-eighth and fifty-fifth regiments; and also by Major Bowes and the officers and men of the Twelfth regiment, whose conduct has been highly approved of by Major-General Hammerstein, under whose immediate command they served. To Lieut.-Colonel Hart, who led on the squadron of the eighth light dragoons to the attack at Rousbeck, his best and distinguished thanks are due; and also to Lieut.-Colonel M'Donald, who led on the fifty-fifth regiment to support the attack on the front. He is perfectly convinced the same praise would have been due to Lieut.-Colonel Pitcairn of the thirty-eighth, had they been called into action.'

The Twelfth foot continued to serve under General Count Clerfait, and when the French besieged Ypres, with thirty thousand men, with a covering army of twenty-five thousand, the regiment was engaged in the attempt to relieve that fortress. The Austrian advance-guard was repulsed at Olglede on the 7th of June; but the French were defeated in their attempt on Rouselaer. Still entertaining hopes of being able to raise the siege, Count Clerfait attacked the French again on the 13th of June, at Hoogledge, and Major-General Hammerstein engaged a body of the enemy, of very superior numbers, at Kootmarke, and was repulsed. He afterwards retreated to Bruges, detaching the eighth light dragoons, and thirty-eighth and fifty-fifth foot to Ostend.

The very superior numbers of the enemy gave them so great an advantage, that the allied army was forced to commence retrograde movements. The Twelfth foot remained with Major-General Hammerstein's division until the 9th of July, when the following paragraph appeared in the division orders issued at the camp at Contiche,—'As the Twelfth British regiment is going to leave Major-General Hammerstein's brigade, he takes this opportunity to assure the regiment of his best acknowledgments for the good and gallant behaviour it has shown during the time the general has had the honour to command it; he likewise thanks it for the readiness and good will with which it has borne so many and great fatigues.'

On its removal from Major-General Hammerstein's command, the regiment was formed in brigade with the thirty-third, forty-second, and forty-fourth foot, under Major-General Balfour. In August it was in position near Breda, and in the beginning of September retired to the vicinity of Bois-le-duc.

In the middle of September the enemy advanced in great force, and attacked all the British posts on the right; the outpost at Boxtel, being most advanced, was forced, and the troops of Hesse D'Armstadt, who occupied it, sustained a severe loss. The post, occupied by a detachment of the Twelfth regiment, was environed and assailed by very superior numbers; it was defended with great gallantry for a short time, but the soldiers were unable to withstand so overwhelming a force as that by which they were assailed. The regiment had a few soldiers killed and wounded, and Lieutenant Eustace, three serjeants, one drummer, and forty-four rank and file taken prisoners. The British troops afterwards retired beyond the river Maese.

In the meantime, the flank companies had been engaged in the defence of the island of Guadaloupe, where about two thousand French troops had arrived from Europe, and being joined by a multitude of mulattoes and blacks, among whom the doctrines of liberty and equality were disseminated, they gained possession of part of the island, and frightful outrages were perpetrated. The companies of the Twelfth were engaged in an attempt to regain possession of Grand-Terre; but the troops employed in this service were not sufficiently numerous. The Twelfth had Lieutenant John Leister and several soldiers killed, and others wounded.

The companies of the Twelfth were employed in the defence of Guadaloupe under great disadvantages, and they were nearly annihilated. The island was given up in October, and the few remaining officers and soldiers proceeded to St. Domingo.

Meanwhile the Twelfth regiment, serving under the Duke of York, in Holland, was exposed to much suffering and privation. The Dutch, having imbibed the revolutionary doctrines of equality, beheld the advance of the French without alarm, and surrendered their fortresses without much resistance. The British troops had no chance of ultimate success, yet they held their positions with firmness, and they did not fail to impress the enemy with a just idea of British valour. The Twelfth were in position near Nimeguen in September, and afterwards attempted to defend the passage of the Waal.

During the winter the river Waal became frozen, so as to admit the immense masses of the enemy to pass on the ice, and the British were obliged to retreat through Holland to Germany. The sufferings of the soldiers during this retrograde movement were very great; long marches, exposed to snow-storms and tempests, along roads choked with ice and snow, and a deficiency of provisions, put to a severe test the strength of the officers and soldiers. In March, 1795, they arrived at Bremen, where the hardships they had endured were ended. The Twelfth regiment lost so many men during the campaign and retreat through Holland, that its numbers were reduced from eight hundred and fifteen to four hundred and twenty-five rank and file.

The regiment embarked from Bremenlee on the 11th of April, landed at Gosport on the 12th of May, and marched from thence to Portchester, where it was joined by Lieutenant O'Brien, one serjeant, and one private soldier from the West Indies; being the only surviving individuals of the two fine flank companies which proceeded to the West Indies in 1793.

Every effort was made to recruit the regiment as speedily as possible, and on the 2nd of July, it was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, who expressed his approbation of its appearance.

On the 19th of October, the regiment embarked from Southampton, and sailed to Spithead, where it remained a few days, and afterwards put to sea. On the 5th of October, it landed on the Isle de Dieu, in conjunction with a small force under Major-General Needham, and a body of French emigrants, accompanied by the Count D'Artois, brother of the King of France. No circumstances occurred to favour any further attempts connected with this enterprise, and in December the regiment left the island; it was exposed to several violent storms at sea, but arrived safely at Southampton in ten days, and marched from thence to Iron-hill barracks.

The regiment was stationed in the neighbourhood of Southampton, and in the Isle of Wight, until the 8th of June, 1796, when it embarked in the 'Rockingham,' 'Hawksbury,' 'Airly castle,' and 'Melville castle' Indiamen, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Henry Harvey Aston, in order to transfer its services to the East Indies. The regiment sailed from St. Helens on the 27th of June, and on the 19th of September anchored in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope; that colony having been captured from the Dutch a short time previously. The regiment remained on board, but small parties landed daily for the benefit of their health. While the Indiamen were in Table Bay, a dreadful hurricane threatened the destruction of every ship, and they all sustained some injury, several losing their anchors. Serious apprehensions were entertained for the safety of the regiment; but providentially it did not sustain any loss, and it sailed from the Cape of Good Hope on the 10th of November.

On the 10th of January, 1797, the Indiamen anchored in Madras roads; the regiment landed on the following day at Fort St George, and mustered eight hundred and seventy rank and file, whose appearance excited admiration.

The regiment was employed on garrison duty at Fort St. George until the middle of August, when it embarked for Manilla, the capital of the Spanish settlements in the Philippine Islands, situate on the banks of a bay, at the mouth of the river Pasig, in the island of Luconan. On the 23rd of August six companies proceeded on the voyage; the other four companies were embarked on board of men-of-war, and were about to follow, when orders were received for their disembarking, in consequence of intelligence from the Mysore country, indicating a projected irruption into the British territory by the celebrated Tippoo Saib.

The six companies continued the voyage, and arrived in September at the Prince of Wales's Island, called also Penang, or Betel Nut Island, situated off the west coast of the Malay peninsula, from which it is separated by a narrow strait. At this place a large fleet was assembled, with a numerous body of troops, from the Presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay, for the expedition against Luconan and the other Philippine islands; the Prince of Wales's Island having been selected for the rendezvous of the forces to be employed in this enterprise. The prospect of the services of the troops being speedily required in more important military operations on the continent of India, occasioned orders to be issued for their immediate return. Towards the end of September, the 'Express' sloop arrived with despatches from Madras, and in a few days afterwards the six companies of the Twelfth sailed from the Prince of Wales's Island. They encountered contrary winds, and it being found impossible for the transports to contend against the north-west monsoon, the Twelfth returned to the island in October. They again sailed for Madras on the 15th of November, and landed at Fort George on the 12th of December; during their absence the other four companies of the regiment had exchanged a few shots with a French squadron, which had appeared in Madras-roads, and succeeded in driving an Indiaman on shore under the works of the fort.

Among the various schemes of aggrandizement entertained by the republican government of France, was the wild and extravagant idea of being able to gain possession of the British territory in the East Indies. To strike an effectual blow at the naval, commercial, and colonial greatness of the British nation, was an object of primary consideration with the French directory, and to excite the jealousy of the native princes of India, and induce them to take up arms against the English, was one of the means used to accomplish this object. In the ruler of the fruitful province of Mysore, the celebrated Tippoo Sultan, the French found a chieftain eager to seize on the first opportunity for being revenged on the British, who had punished his former aggressions by depriving him of a considerable portion of territory, and inflicting a fine equal to three and a half millions sterling. This chief entered zealously into the design to drive the English out of India, and endeavoured to induce other princes to join in the enterprise. After the discovery of the designs of the enemy, hostilities were delayed some time, and the Twelfth regiment marched for Tanjore, the capital of a well-cultivated province in the Carnatic, where it arrived on the 1st of March, 1798.

The regiment was reviewed at Tanjore, by Major-General Floyd, who expressed in orders to Colonel Aston, the officers, and soldiers, 'the satisfaction he received on inspecting the eight companies of the Twelfth regiment of infantry at the station;' and added—'In the masterly hands of their commanding officer, there is every reason to expect that His Majesty's Twelfth regiment of infantry will, whenever called upon, be ready and disposed to renew in the east the glories of Minden and Gibraltar.'

Preparatory to the grand enterprise of driving the English out of India, General Bonaparte was sent with a French army to Egypt; many French officers and men were introduced into the army of Tippoo Sultan, and other measures were adopted calculated to forward the design. Under these circumstances the Governor-General of India, Lord Mornington, deemed it necessary to assemble a body of troops on the coast of Coromandel, and to engage the Nizam of the Deccan to furnish an auxiliary force. The Twelfth regiment marched from the fortress of Tanjore, on the 22nd of July, to join the army assembling under the orders of Lieut.-General Harris.

On the 1st of January, 1799, the regiment joined the camp of the army advancing towards Mysore, and negociations having failed, the troops penetrated the territory of Tippoo Sultan in the beginning of March. The Twelfth, seventy-fourth, and Scots brigade, formed the first brigade of infantry under Major-General Baird.

During the night of the 7th of March, the regiment was employed, under Major-General Baird, in an attempt to surprise the camp of a body of the enemy's cavalry, but the Mysoreans obtained information of the design and made a precipitate retreat.

On the following day, the light company of the Twelfth, commanded by Captain Woodhall, took possession of Neldroog without opposition.

The British advanced direct upon the capital of the Mysore country, Seringapatam,[19] and Tippoo endeavoured to harass the march by skirmishes, and impede the progress of the troops by burning villages and laying waste the country. The regiment having entered upon active warfare, the Commanding Officer issued the following order:—'As the Twelfth regiment, from having the honour to be the eldest King's regiment with the army, is more liable to be called on for immediate service than other corps, the Commanding Officer expects the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Private Men, will be ready, night or day, to turn out at the shortest notice, and to parade under arms without noise or confusion. On all sudden alarms the light infantry is instantly to accoutre without waiting for orders, and to be in readiness to march whenever their services may be required.'

On the 27th of March, as the Lascars were pitching the tents of the army on a fine plain beyond the fort of Malleville, they were suddenly assailed by a heavy cannonade from an eminence in front; at the same time the advance-piquet, under Captain McPherson of the Twelfth regiment, was attacked by a force of very superior numbers, but repulsed its assailants with distinguished bravery. The army arriving on the plain, advanced in close column of regiments towards the eminence, upon which large bodies of Mysorean cavalry and infantry were formed, who withdrew their heavy guns, but annoyed the advancing columns with rockets.

As the British columns approached the height, they formed line, and ascended to the summit, which was abandoned by the enemy, but a short distance beyond the eminence appeared the army of Mysore in order of battle. As the Twelfth moved forward, a large body of Mysorean cavalry formed in the shape of a wedge, having an elephant with a howdah on his back in front, appeared advancing to charge the regiment, and the British line halted to receive the attack. Immediately afterwards two other very large bodies of the enemy were discovered in two topes, or woods, preparing to support the first charge. Lieut.-General Harris, seeing the danger which menaced the regiment, placed himself in its rear, frequently repeating the words, 'Steady, Twelfth!' 'Steady, old Twelfth!' and when the wedge approached within a hundred yards of the line, the Mysoreans discharged their carbines and pistols, but without doing execution. The Twelfth remained steady, with their muskets at the recover, until the enemy arrived within about thirty yards, when a well-directed volley, followed by a rapid file firing, carried destruction into the enemy's ranks; a rampart of killed and wounded men and horses lying along the front of the regiment. The rear of the wedge was embarrassed by the killed and wounded in front, and could not continue their charge. The elephant was severely wounded, his conductor killed, the chiefs on his back had fallen, and he turned round and directed all his fury upon the Mysoreans, overturning everything in his retrograde movement, and producing great havoc with a prodigious chain, which he swayed. A few Mysorean horsemen broke through the regiment, but they were instantly shot in its rear, and the British artillery arriving, and opening its fire, the enemy's cavalry fell back; at the same time the British line advanced, and decided the fate of the day at that part of the field; a distant cannonade, however, indicated that the battle was raging elsewhere.

The left of the right wing was opposed to Tippoo's infantry, and gained a complete victory; between seven and eight thousand Mysoreans being put hors de combat: the loss of the British did not amount to so many hundreds.

In general orders issued on the same evening, it was stated, 'The Commander-in-Chief congratulates the army on the happy result of this day's action, during which he had various opportunities of witnessing its gallantry, coolness, and attention to orders:' and in brigade orders, 'Major-General Baird, with the most heartfelt satisfaction, congratulates the brigade on the victory obtained this day over the enemy; it is sufficient for him to say, that the valour of the corps fully answered his expectation.'

On the following morning, the army continued its advance upon the capital of Mysore, and the enemy used various stratagems to retard the movement until the approach of the rainy season should render the siege of Seringapatam impracticable. The water was found impregnated with poison; many men were taken seriously ill, and several horses fell down dead while in the act of drinking; the smoking ruins of villages, and other scenes of devastation presented themselves; at the same time large bodies of hostile cavalry hovered round the army, and the camp was often annoyed by rockets; but the British forces moved steadily forward, and on the 3rd of April they arrived within four miles of Seringapatam,—a city and fortress, which had attained considerable strength and splendour under Hyder Ali and his son Tippoo Sultan: it is situate at the upper end of an island, four miles long, and a mile and a half broad, in the river Cavery.

About six o'clock on the evening of the 3rd of April, the Twelfth regiment, with the flank companies of the seventy-fourth and Scots brigade, assembled under Major-General Baird, to beat up the enemy's cavalry encampments: they were out all night without effecting the surprise of any of the enemy's detachments; but about three o'clock on the following morning they came suddenly upon a numerous body of Mysorean cavalry, when they rushed forward and bayoneted nearly every man before the Mysoreans could mount their horses, which were led into the British camp at six o'clock, at the moment the army was about to commence its march.

On the 4th of April, the army arrived in sight of Seringapatam; the soldiers had skirmished with the enemy's cavalry and rocket men, during the march, and in the evening a general order was issued, in which it was stated,—'The Commander-in-Chief takes this opportunity of noticing the high sense he has of the general exertion of the troops throughout the long and tedious march, with the largest encampment ever known to move with any army in India; and in congratulating them on a sight of Seringapatam, he has every confidence that a continuance of the same exertions will very shortly put an end to their labours, and place the British colours on its walls!'

The army took up a new position on the 5th of April, and in the evening the Twelfth regiment was ordered to advance, supported by two battalions of Sepoys, and take possession of a nullah, or bed of a river or aqueduct, about a mile and a half in front of the camp. The night was very dark, but the regiment had scarcely cleared the outposts, when the air was illuminated by hundreds of fire-balls thrown up by the enemy, who thus detected the advance of the British troops, and immediately commenced a heavy fire of musketry and rockets, under which the Twelfth continued to advance in open column of companies. Suddenly, regular platoon firing was heard in front, and showers of bullets assailed the regiment on both flanks and in front, when it formed line. The trampling sound of approaching troops occasioned the regiment to prepare to charge with the bayonet, which was about to be executed, when it was discovered that the approaching troops were one of the battalions of Sepoys which had been ordered to support the Twelfth. This battalion had lost its road, moved to the front, and become exposed to the attack of very superior numbers of the enemy, whom it had engaged upwards of an hour, which accounted for the platoon firing heard in front; it was retreating, bringing off its killed and wounded, under Major Colin Campbell, and being pursued, formed in the rear of the Twelfth regiment. When the pursuing Mysoreans discovered, by their fire-balls, the line of Europeans before them, they fell back to a greater distance, but without any relaxation in their fire, and so many spent balls struck the officers and soldiers of the Twelfth, that they were ordered to sit down to await the approach of day for the completion of the enterprise; the nullah was at some distance, and it could only be approached by a road of difficult access. The regiment did not fire a shot, but large quantities of ammunition were sent from the camp; the incessant firing having given rise to the expectation that the soldiers must have expended their cartridges.

About two o'clock on the following morning the enemy's firing ceased, and at four the Twelfth advanced. When the morning light appeared, the regiment found itself in the rear of a long mud wall and fragments of a ruined village, three hundred yards from the nullah, which was occupied by thousands of Mysoreans and French, with large masses of infantry on both flanks. Under these circumstances, the regiment halted, and the pioneers threw up an embankment on both flanks, to preserve it from enfilade. This work was scarcely completed, when day-light enabled the Mysoreans to discover the position and insignificant numbers of the regiment, compared with their host, and they endeavoured to destroy it by a storm of bullets, but the soldiers were sheltered by the mud walls, and very few cannon-balls from the fort took effect, on account of the distance. Lieut.-General Harris, observing the unequal contest, ordered the artillery to fire on the enemy's ranks, the balls passing over the heads of the Twelfth, and the British line advanced. The commanding officer of the detachment, Lieut.-Colonel Shaw, saw the line moving steadily forward to his support, and having entire confidence in the valour of the Twelfth, he resolved to attack the opposing legions with the bayonet; he cautioned the soldiers to prepare, and giving the word 'Charge, Twelfth,' they sprang from behind the mud wall, raised a loud shout, and rushed forward towards the nullah. The Mysoreans were confounded by the suddenness of the attack; they saw the sparkling steel bayonets of the Twelfth approach, and abandoned their post in a panic. As the Twelfth rushed forward, several lines of Mysoreans fired volleys at them, but the balls struck the sand many yards from the regiment, and in five minutes the nullah was captured. The enemy rallied behind a high bank, and made a show of a design to retake the post, but the Twelfth and Sepoys ascended the bank, and kept up a well-directed file firing, which occasioned the Mysoreans to retreat: a party of French were also driven from a post on the left of the regiment. The nullah being thus carried, the artillery of Seringapatam opened a heavy fire, which obliged the soldiers to take shelter in the bed of the river. The post thus captured, was designated 'Shaw's Post,' in honour of the commanding officer of the detachment, Lieut.-Colonel Shaw of the seventy-fourth foot.

When the Twelfth rushed forward to storm the post, the army suspended its advance, awaiting the result, and a brigade afterwards drove a body of the enemy from a wood on the right of Shaw's Post. A breast-work was subsequently made to cover the troops from the guns of Seringapatam, and the Twelfth had the honour to break ground before that important fortress. About seven o'clock in the evening, the regiment was relieved by the seventy-fourth foot: its loss was Lieutenants George Nixon and T. Falla, and ten rank and file killed; Captain Whitler, Lieutenants R. Nixon, Percival, King, and Neville, and a considerable number of non-commissioned officers and soldiers, wounded.

The siege of Seringapatam was prosecuted with vigour; and in the early part of May, a practicable breach was ready, when the Twelfth were selected to take part in storming this important fortress. For this service, the flank companies of the European corps left in the camp, the Twelfth, thirty-third, seventy-third, and seventy-fourth regiments, three corps of grenadier Sepoys, two hundred of the Nizam's troops, a hundred of the artillery, and the corps of pioneers, the whole under the orders of Major-General Baird, took post in the trenches, to make the attack during the heat of the day on the 4th of May, when the Mysoreans were likely to be surprised. At one o'clock the signal was given, when the forlorn hope sprang forward; six flank companies, and the Twelfth regiment, also issued from the trenches at a running pace, and were followed by the remainder of the storming party; they passed the rocky bed of the Cavery river under a heavy fire, crossed the glacis and ditch, ascended the breaches in the fausse braye and rampart in gallant style, and overcame all resistance, with a resolution and valour which proved the innate bravery of the officers and soldiers. The Mysoreans were unable to withstand the prowess of the British troops, and they were overpowered at all points.

During the heat of the conflict, Captain Woodhall was detached with the light company of the Twelfth, and a few men of the battalion companies, to reinforce the troops fighting upon the inner rampart; this party proceeded by a narrow path, passed a deep ditch to the inward wall, and flanked and took in reverse the enemy's traverses, which were defended by the Sultan in person, who was forced to retire. As Tippoo and his suite were passing the small gate on the northern face, into the body of the town, the light infantry of the Twelfth arrived at the inner side of the gate, and fired upon him and his followers with such effect, that the gateway was choked with killed and wounded, and the body of the Sultan was afterwards found among the slain. After the firing had ceased at all other points, resistance continued to be made at the palace; but upon assurance of safety to the sons of Tippoo, the enemy surrendered, and the capture of this important city and fortress was achieved.

The regiment had seventeen men killed, and forty-nine wounded during the siege, and Lieutenant Shawe was shot through the leg in the assault; the following officers died during the siege from extraordinary fatigue and the effects of the climate; Major Allen, Captain Buckeridge, Lieutenants Percival and Gahan, and Assistant Surgeon Bacot.

On the following day it was stated in orders:—'The Commander-in-Chief congratulates the gallant army he has the honor to command on the conquest of yesterday; the effects arising from the attainment of such an acquisition as far exceed the present limits of detail, as the unremitting zeal, labour, and unparalleled valour of the troops surpass the power of praise for services so incalculable in their consequences: he must consider the troops well entitled to the gratitude of their country.'

The Governor-General stated in a letter to Lieut.-General Harris, 'With the warmest sensation of admiration, affection, and attachment, I offer my cordial thanks, and zealous congratulations to you and all the officers and privates composing the gallant army, which has achieved this glorious and decisive victory, with a degree of energy, rapidity, and of skill, unparalleled in this quarter of the globe, and seldom equalled in any part of the world.'

In general orders by Government, it was stated—'The Right Honorable the Governor-General in Council, having this day received from the Commander-in-Chief of the allied army in the field, the official detail of the glorious and decisive victory obtained at Seringapatam, on the 4th May, offers his cordial thanks and sincere congratulations to the Commander-in-Chief and all the officers and men composing the gallant army which achieved the capture of the capital of Mysore on that memorable day.

'His Lordship views with admiration, the consummate judgment with which the assault was planned, the unequalled rapidity, animation, and skill, with which it was executed, and the humanity which distinguished its success.

'Under the favour of Providence and the justice of our cause, the established character of the army had inspired an early confidence that the war, in which we were engaged, would be brought to a speedy, prosperous, and honorable issue; but the events of the 4th of May, while they even surpassed the sanguine expectation of the Governor-General in Council, have raised the reputation of the British arms in India to a degree of splendour and glory, unrivalled in the military history of this quarter of the globe, and seldom approached in any part of the world.

'The lustre of the victory can be equalled only by the substantial advantages which it promises to establish, by restoring the peace and safety of the British possessions in India, and a durable foundation of genuine security.

'The Governor-General in Council reflects with pride, satisfaction, and gratitude, that in this arduous crisis, the spirit and exertions of our Indian army have kept pace with those of our countrymen at home; and that in India, as in Europe, Great Britain has found in the malevolent designs of her enemies, an increasing source of her own prosperity, fame, and power.'

The territory subject to the late Tippoo Sultan was divided: to Great Britain was allotted the capital and several extensive districts; another portion was given to the Nizam; and a third to the Mahratta power; the remainder continued to form an independent state under a descendant of the ancient rulers of Mysore. Thus was the hostile combination against England confounded, British territory extended, and its power and revenue increased. The Twelfth regiment was afterwards rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word Seringapatam on its colours, to commemorate its gallant conduct during this war, and the officers received medals from the East India Company.[20] The regiment captured eight stand of colours from the troops of Tippoo Sultan at the storming of the capital.

After encamping a short time near Seringapatam, and afterwards near Yarriagoranelly, the regiment marched into garrison at the captured fortress; but while it was stationed there, a partisan, named Dhoondia, excited the Mysoreans to take arms in opposition to the allied powers, which occasioned orders to be issued for the Twelfth foot again to take the field. This partisan assembled an irregular force, and gained possession of several fortified places. When a small body of troops was sent against him, he fled, and was pursued to the frontiers of the Mysore country.