d, making a wide sweep, came
down to it again opposite the other end of the island.

It was within the shelter of this formidable obstacle that Tippoo's
army was encamped. Within the enclosed space were seven or eight
eminences, on which strong redoubts had been erected. Fearing that
Tippoo might, as soon as he saw the position taken up by the
assailants, sally out with his army, take the field, and, as before,
cut all his communications, Lord Cornwallis determined to strike a
blow at once.

At sunset, orders were accordingly issued for the forces to move, in
three columns, at three o'clock; by which time the moon would be high
enough to light up, thoroughly, the ground to be traversed. The centre
column, consisting of 3,700 men, under Lord Cornwallis himself, was to
burst through the hedge at the centre of the enemy's position, to
drive the enemy before them, and, if possible, to cross the ford to
the island with the fugitives.

This, however, was not to be done until the centre column was
reinforced by that under General Meadows, which was to avoid a strong
redoubt at the northwest extremity of the hedge, and, entering the
fence at a point between the redoubt and the river, drive the enemy
before it, until it joined the centre column. Colonel Meadows had
3,300 under his command. The left column, consisting of 1,700 men
under Colonel Maxwell, was first to carry a redoubt on Carrygut Hill,
just outside the fence; and, having captured this, to cut its way
through the hedge, and to cross the river at once, with a portion of
the centre column.

Unfortunately, owing to a misunderstanding as to the order, the
officer guiding General Meadow's column, instead of taking it to a
point between the northwestern redoubt and the river, led it directly
at the fort. This was stoutly defended, and cost the British eighty
men and eleven officers. Leaving a strong garrison here, the column
advanced, but came upon another redoubt, of even greater strength and
magnitude; and the general, fearing that the delay that would take
place in capturing it would entirely disarrange the plan of the
attack, thought he had better make his way out through the hedge,
march round it to the point where the centre column had entered it,
and so give Lord Cornwallis the support he must need, opposed as he
was to the whole army of Tippoo.

In the meantime, Colonel Maxwell's force had stormed the work on
Carrygut Hill, and had made its way through the h