governor, a brave old soldier, and
a great favourite of the sultan, died fighting gallantly to the last.
Six hundred of the garrison fell, and three hundred, for the most part
wounded, were taken prisoners. The British loss was only fifty
officers and men, killed and wounded.

The body of the governor was found, next morning, among the slain; and
Lord Cornwallis sent a message to Tippoo, with an offer to have the
body carried to his camp for burial. Tippoo, however, replied that the
proper place for a soldier to be buried was where he fell, and
accordingly the brave old soldier was laid to rest, in the fort, by
the Mohammedan troops in the Sepoy regiments; with all military
honours.

While the assault was going on, Tippoo--who, in spite of the
precautions taken, had received news of the intention of the general,
and had warned the garrison of the fort to be prepared--despatched two
heavy columns, as soon as the fire opened, to attack the British camp
on its flank. The movement had been foreseen and prepared against, and
the attacks were both repulsed with heavy loss.

The capture of the fort was effected but just in time, for the
provisions were almost entirely consumed, and the scanty rations were
eked out by digging up the roots of grasses and vegetables within the
circuit of our pickets. The draught and carriage cattle were dying
daily, by hundreds. The few remaining, intended for food, were in so
emaciated a state that the flesh was scarcely eatable. And, worst of
all, the supply of ammunition was almost exhausted.

The news of the fall of the fortress, considered by the natives to be
almost impregnable, under the very eyes of the sultan himself and his
great army, produced a widespread effect; greatly depressing the
spirit of Tippoo's adherents, while it proportionately raised those of
the British troops, and excited the hopes of the peoples conquered by
Tippoo and his father. One result was that the polagars, or chiefs, of
a tribe that had but recently fallen under the yoke of Mysore, were at
once emboldened to bring in provisions to the town. As great stores
were found in the magazines in the fort, the starving animals regained
some of their condition during the ten days that the troops were
occupied in repairing the breaches, burying the dead, and placing the
fort in a condition to stand a siege, should Tippoo return during the
absence of the army.

When this was done, and the stores of ammunition repleni