The Nawaub now despatched four Risalas or bat­talions of regular infantry, and a thousand irregular foot, with this order. The officer who was second in command no sooner saw the writing of his superior, than he without hesitation gave a return of the troops, composing the garrison, and the guns, and stores, with the keys of the fort, to the Nawaub’s officer, and quitted the fort, of which the Nawaub’s troops took possession, and all the valuable stores were appropriated by the Khodadad government. The servants or troops of the Ram Raja, and the Kullers, who formed a part of the garrison, the Nawaub marched three times round his camp, as an offering, or sacrifice, for the safety of his troops, and they were then dismissed. A few prisoners,* of the English garrison, were sent to be confined in dif­ferent forts of the kingdom; and thus, victorious, crossing by forced marches the Ghaut or pass of Gujul Hutti, the Nawaub returned to make head once more against the English army.

At that period the General, who had returned from Huskote, and had pitched his tents in the neighbourhood of Kolar, despatched two battalions and four hundred Europeans, to fetch supplies, which had been collected and deposited in the small fort of Hussoor, and when the escort for these supplies had proceeded by night to Hussoor, and had taken charge of the cattle and provisions, they marched with them the next night on their return. The Nawaub at the same time, marched from Ani­kul, in pursuit of this convoy and escort, and detached Muhammad Alí, commandant, with four thousand regular infantry, and guns, to attack the fort of Hussoor; while he himself, in the vicinity of Nidra Mungul, fell in with the convoy, and, sur­rounding them, raised the clamour of the Resurrec­tion* and the tempest of destruction around them. The fearless Kuzzaks now gallantly exercised their predatory calling; for, notwithstanding they lost some of their best men in the attack, they drove off the whole of the bullocks, with their loads, even to the bullocks of the artillery; and, moreover relieved the shoulders of (many of) the escort of the heavy burthen of their heads. On all sides, the field of battle was straightened by bitter enmity,* and it went near that a great loss had fallen on the detachment. Their commanding officer, however, withdrew his men into a ruined fort, which was hard by; and, by a continual fire of cannon and musketry, repelled his assailants.

While matters were in this state, Muhammad Alí, commandant, after having placed a garrison in the fort of Hussoor, returned to the camp with the stores and prisoners, which he had taken; and, being now appointed to the plunder and destruction of this detachment, he attacked them like a raging lion, and, battering one side of the fort, soon breached the walls, while he kept his men ready for the assault. At this time, the General of the English troops, who was encamped at Kolar, hearing the report of the guns and musketry, knew that his convoy had been vigorously attacked, and, in con­sequence, despatched a body of troops to reinforce them. When, therefore, after great difficulties and trouble, these detachments of English troops joined, the power of the besiegers became much contracted, and the English marched at night and joined their own camp. A single bag of grain or stores, however, never arrived in the English camp.

The Nawaub, after this, marched and besieged Huskote, in which was an English garrison, and attacked it on all sides. The officer who commanded in the fort, however, repelled several assaults with the greatest gallantry, and made known his situation to the general, who instantly marched from Kolar towards Huskote. The Nawaub’s scouts or out­posts immediately apprised him of the General’s advance, and he, therefore, despatching the whole of his cavalry, under the orders of his son Tippoo and Meer Alí Ruza Khan, towards the English army to amuse them, he himself remained with his regular and irregular infantry, to take the fort. He now ordered the brave commandant, Muham­mad Alí, to plant ladders* against the towers and gates; and with great exertion and bravery, the assailants by their aid mounted the walls. The gar­rison of the fort being few in number, they had not power to repel the assault of such a multitude; and, therefore, threw away their shields, i. e. surrendered. The merciful Nawaub gave the garrison, who had defended themselves with great bravery, the surety of their lives and property, and brought them out of the fort, in which he placed a garrison of his own. He was preparing, with his artillery, and regular and irregular infantry, to repel the English army, when the general himself, with his best troops, arrived in front of the town of Huskote, under the impression that the fort still remained in possession of his Killadár or officer.

The Nawaub, who had now no choice but to light up the flames of battle, arranged his artillery as quickly as possible, in the plain of the Eedgah,* and fired away with such vivacity, that the concussions of the guns shook the breast of the earth to her centre, and thousands of men were slain. The General, meanwhile, prevented his men from throw­ing away their lives or limbs uselessly, by making them shelter themselves in the low grounds, and then calmly resigned himself to the will of God. The Nawaub now signified to the officers of the guards on the prisoners who had been taken, of the garrisons of Nuthur Nuggur, Huskote, &c. that they should release two or three men; and this being done, these persons soon reached the General, and detailed to him the circumstances which had occurred at Huskote, and the present condition of the garrisons of Hydur Nuggur, Nuthur Nuggur, and Hurroor. On hearing these statements the General hesitated, and having halted during the day, from anxiety, he, in the evening, returned to Kolar, leaving the heavy baggage of his army, with two or three pieces of artillery; one of which, with its muzzle broken, still lies there, as a remembrance.

Having taken possession of the abandoned bag­gage, the Nawaub now advanced and encamped at Nursing-poorum, where Hurkaras brought intelli­gence, that a convoy of provisions was advancing by the Ghaut of Tubul Pulli, to join the English camp, under the escort of two thousand regular infantry, a thousand Poligar foot, and a thousand horse. On hearing this, the Nawaub himself with his light artillery, and regular and irregular infantry, marched and took post in ambuscade in front of the Pass. The next day, the convoy having passed the Ghaut, and arrived at Pudnainchuro, the Gha­ziaun, (the Nawaub’s troops,) sallied forth from their ambush, and, commanded by the Nawaub, attacked it on every side, and, like the famished at a table laden with dainties, they put forth the hand of plunder, and with the pitiless sword slew, and then trampled many men of the escort under the hoofs of their horses; and the whole of the property and stores taken being appropriated to the Nawaub’s provision and store departments, he then returned.