Timeline[1]

March 9, 1783: Mangalore fort surrenders to Brig. General Mathews. 

May 5: A detachment under Hussain Ali Khan sent from Bednur to recapture Mangalore fort defeated 12 miles from the fort with the loss of all its guns.[2]

May 9-13, 1783: Sepoys from Bednur bring news of its capitulation on April 28.

May 18: Tipu’s troops numbering 5,000 occupy a hill about two miles from fort. The garrison guarding the Circular (Octagon) fort, sited on Bengre and commanding the entrance to the harbour, strengthened to 100.

May 19: Tipu’s army arrives through the day and occupies a stretch extending three miles. The fort’s outpost, situated on a hill a cannon-shot distance away from the fort, was once part of an extensive defence structure with a trench around it. It commanded the two main roads leading to the fort from the north, and was guarded by two battalions of sepoys with light guns, and nearly half the strength of the European artillerymen.[3]

A European soldier deserting from Tipu’s army gives details of Mathews’s surrender and the circumstances under which Bednur’s defenders were taken prisoners of war. Tipu was now at Mangalore with Muhammad Ali, Haidar’s favourite commander. The army’s strength was 60,000 cavalry, 30,000 sepoys, 600 French infantry commanded by Col Cossigny, Lally’s corps of Europeans and Indians, and Budenot’s French cavalry. The army had 100 pieces of artillery from 4 to 24 pounders, and also irregulars. The total fighting strength was 140,000 men.

May 20: 3,000 infantry with cavalry and 3 guns reach the banks of the Gurpur north of the fort and begin constructing trenches.[4]

May 21: continuous musket fire

May 22: much damage to bazaar defences by Tipu’s 24 pounders. Small contingents of Tipu’s cavalry camp near a temple south of fort.[5] Heavy fighting at bazaar. Guns and rockets brought up all around the outpost where an attack was expected; reinforced with 60 sepoys.

May 23: Outpost attacked. English abandon post and retreat to fort in panic. Casualties: killed 1, wounded 44, prisoners 230, deserters 87 (370 since May 19).

May 24: Tipu’s demand for surrender rejected. Monsoon breaks.[6] Garrison fit for duty: artillery 152, King’s infantry 264, Bombay infantry 61, Bombay sepoys 1396.

May 25: heavy fighting, heavy rain.

May 31: one-third of garrison constantly employed in repairing fort under the direction of Captain Sartorius, the chief engineer. Large stones thrown by mortars damage shelters.

June 3: another surrender demand rejected.

June 4: King’s birthday; royal salute fired from fort.

June 8: hospital overcrowded, poor shelter. Tipu’s troops almost at the fort walls.

June 10-11: rotting offal thrown around fort creates stench and disease.

June 12: About 150 Frenchmen occupy the temple 500 yards south of the fort.

June 13: Frenchmen open fire with 3 guns sited 450 yards to the southeast, near temple. Heavy damage from stones thrown by mortars. Beef allowance halved.

June 14: Mortar fire from 300 yards northeast, and also from marine yard.

June 15: mortars spiked by two parties sent from fort, but repaired and begin firing again.

June 19-21: heavy gun fire damage northern side; centre and northeast bastions destroyed.

June 21-22: surrender demands rejected

June 23-24: Bombardment continues. Tipu’s army reaches within 30 yards on durbar (north) side.[7]

July 1: Circular fort attacked. Tipu’s batteries move closer to fort.

July 3: Heavy fire at east gate. A small contingent of Tipu’s army reaches fort at night but driven off.

July 4-11: More troops, including 60 Frenchmen, penetrate towers adjacent to east gate; hand to hand fighting; repulsed.

July 12-17: attack on Circular fort repulsed; heavy firing at east gate and durbar; great damage to east gate, south west bastion of upper fort, and other places; covert-way occupied.

July 18: Two boats arrive from Tellicherry with dated news of war in Coimbatore/ Palghat

July 19: Piveron du Morlay, French envoy to Tipu’s court, brings news of peace in Europe between England and France.

July 20: Morlay gives Sadlier’s letter regarding treaty of peace in Europe to Campbell in fort. Tipu demands fort in return for peace. Campbell refuses.

July 21: fresh attack on circular fort; surrenders. Negotiations for armistice commence.

July 25: European deserter from Tipu’s army brings news that the French have left and were camped two miles from the fort.

July 26: heavy gun fire on south side

July 28: hostilities cease

August 2: armistice signed

August 9: Campbell discontinues bazaar due to poor quality, high prices, and limited supplies.

August 13: Campbell visits Tipu at Durbar; Tipu presents him with a shawl and horse.

August 15: Two boats arrive with letters; Campbell meets Tipu again.

August 17: Brigadier General Macleod arrives. Campbell visits him with Tipu’s consent.

August 20: Macleod takes up residence in Mangalore with his family in two houses provided by Tipu.

August 22: Macleod informs garrison that he intends to accompany Tipu to Srirangapatna to mediate a peace and return with prisoners.

August 25: Purchases from bazaar at exorbitant rates.

September 18: Tipu allows purchase of provisions from Tellicherry, but prevents their entry into fort. Fresh meat and arrack available in bazaar, but no rice, dhal, or ghee for sepoys.

October 9: Macleod, frustrated, sails for Tellicherry for reinforcements; garrison on reduced rations.

November 5: Violent storm, heavy damage to fort; news that commissioners have left for Mangalore.[8]

November 24: Two fleets, from north and south, anchor in Mangalore roads. Garrison believes they would be relieved soon: “Even the poor, weak, emaciated convalescent, tottering under the weight of his firelock, boldly stood forth to offer what feeble aid his melancholy state admitted of.”

The mood soon changes when it does not happen: “Every officer spoke mutiny; every soldier was outrageous. The poor feeble convalescent in silence crawled back to his hospital, to breathe its putrid air, and join his unfortunate expiring comrades in uttering curses against those in power who occasioned their deplorable situation, and who were the cause of their untimely deaths.”

Provisions down to 20 days rice and one month’s beef, arrack, and biscuit, no dhal, ghee, or salt, firewood scarce.

Exchange of letters between Tipu and Macleod. Macleod complains of truce violations, and lack of proper bazaar. Tipu denies allegations, saying it is a lie. Macleod strongly objects to being called a liar, and challenges Tipu to a fight on the beach with 100 men on each side.[9]

December 1: Ships sail away even as garrison signals it can hold out no longer. Macloed signals “speedy succours arriving”

December 20: Rations down to two-thirds allowance. Scurvy causes great havoc; daily deaths; half sepoy numbers in hospital

December 27: Macleod brings some supplies, allowed in on 31st.

January 1: Macleod sails away; Europeans trade last of putrefying salt meat and vermin-ridden biscuit for rice with low caste sepoys.

January 23: Council of war between Campbell and senior officers, including Wolseley.

January 26: “The moment seemed now to have arrived; our provisions nearly at an end...no room to hope for the least relief from any quarter...the troops eating horses, frogs, dogs, crows, cat-fish, black gram, etc in the utmost distress for every necessity of life...”

At 5 o’clock that evening Campbell, Wolseley, and Dunn surrender at Tipu’s durbar. Agreed that garrison would march out with full honours of war and sail to Tellicherry. Tipu would provide boats, and labour to load them with guns, mortars, and military stores, and four days provisions. Tipu would also provide all necessities, including tents, doolies (litters), and bullocks, if some were forced to march by land.

January 30: Garrison embarks on boats arrived from Cannanore. Fit for duty: artillery 88, King’s infantry 159, Bombay infantry 23, Bombay sepoys 584.

Article 10 of surrender terms signed by Tipu and Campbell in Mangalore, January 30, 1784: “The former inhabitants of this place who have put themselves under the Honourable East India Company’s protection, and wish to go along with the troops, to be considered as followers of the army, and therefore not to be in the smallest respect molested.”

February 4: arrive in Tellicherry.

February 19: Campbell resigns from army due to ill health, arrives in Bombay on March 13, and dies of consumption on March 23.

[1] Compiled from An Account of the Gallant Defence made at Mangalore… London. 1786;  Wilks vol 2 page 463 Vol 2 page 481-2; Vol 1

[2] Ravenshaw’s letter to Board

[3] Kadri Hill. Both the French and Spanish maps should this defensive wall with bastions for gun emplacements. The Spanish map has a note that it was built by the English occupying force in 1768.

[4] Gurpur River

[5] Towards Rosario Cathedral

[6] Tipu’s cavalry suffered heavy losses while being sent upghat to avoid the rain

[7] Durbar situated about 100 yards from and immediately opposite inner sea gate

[8] November 28: Fullarton told by commissioners to retreat to positions held on July 26.

[9] Wilks, Mark. 1869. Historical Sketches of the South of India, Vol I, 2nd edition. Madras: Higginbotham and Co: xvii