vented Sir Eyre Coote from taking the offensive, and he
was obliged to confine himself to capturing a few forts near the
coast.

"On the 27th of August the armies met again, Hyder having chosen the
scene of his victory over Baillie's force to give battle, believing
the position to be a fortunate one for himself. Hyder had now been
joined by Tippoo, who had not been present at the last battle, and his
force numbered 80,000 men, while the English were 11,000 strong.

"I did not see the battle, as we were, at the time, occupied in
escorting a convoy of provisions from Madras. The fight was much
better contested than the previous battle had been. Hyder was well
acquainted with the ground, and made skilful use of his opportunities,
by fortifying all the points at which he could be attacked. The fight
lasted eight hours. At last Sir Eyre Coote's first division turned the
enemy's left flank, by the capture of the village of Pillalore; while
his second turned their right, and Hyder was obliged to fall back. But
this was done in good order, and the enemy claimed that it was a drawn
battle. This, however, was not the case, as the English, at night,
encamped on the position occupied by Hyder in the morning.

"Still, the scandalous mismanagement at Madras continued to cripple
us. But, learning from the commandant at Vellore that, unless he were
relieved, he would be driven to surrender for want of provisions, Sir
Eyre Coote marched to his help. He met the enemy on the way. Hyder was
taken by surprise, and was moving off when the English arrived. In
order to give his infantry time to march away, he hurled the whole of
his cavalry against the English. Again and again they charged down,
with the greatest bravery, and although the batteries swept their
ranks with grape, and the squares received them with deadly volleys,
they persevered until Tippoo had carried off his infantry and guns;
and then, having lost five thousand men, followed him. The English
then moved on towards Vellore. Hyder avoided another encounter, and
Vellore was relieved. Sir Eyre Coote handed over, to its commandant,
almost the whole of the provisions carried by the army, and, having
thus supplied the garrison with sufficient food for six weeks, marched
back to Madras, his troops suffering greatly from famine on the way.

"Nothing took place during the winter, except that Sir Eyre Coote
again advanced and revictualled Vellore. In March a French fleet
arrived off