Battle of Mallavelly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mallavelly
Part of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Date 27 March 1799 Location Malavalli, Karnataka, India 12°20′50″N 77°03′52″E / 12.347139°N 77.064333°E / 12.347139; 77.064333 Result British victory
Belligerents
British East India Company	Mysore
Commanders and leaders
George Harris Arthur Wellesley	Tipu Sultan
Casualties and losses
66–69 men	1,000–2,000

The Battle of Mallavelly was a fight that happened on March 27, 1799. It was part of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. This battle was between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore. The British army was led by General George Harris and Colonel Arthur Wellesley. They pushed back the army of Tipu Sultan from Mysore. Tipu's soldiers were trying to stop the British from reaching Seringapatam. This was the capital city of Mysore.

Why the Battle Happened

After the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792, Tipu Sultan's power was reduced. But the British East India Company still saw him as a threat. Tipu Sultan had tried to get help from other countries.

He talked with the leader of the Isle of France (Mauritius) in 1798. He also sent a message to Zaman Shah, the ruler of Kabul. Tipu wanted them to attack the British in India.

He was also encouraged by Napoleon's success in Egypt. Napoleon planned to attack British areas in India. So, Tipu started making his army bigger. His plans against the British became clearer.

The British Governor-General, Richard, Earl of Mornington, saw that a war was coming. He decided to attack first. He ordered the army to march into Tipu's territory.

Major-General George Harris led the British army. He started marching on February 11, 1799. His army entered Mysore on March 5.

The Battle of Mallavelly

On March 27, 1799, the British troops reached Mallavelly. As they got closer to their camp, they saw Tipu's army. Tipu's soldiers were lined up on a hill a few miles away.

The enemy attacked the British advance guards. A big fight then began. The 33rd Regiment of Foot fought very well in this battle. About two thousand of Tipu's men moved towards the regiment.

The British soldiers waited to fire until the enemy was very close. Then, Colonel Arthur Wellesley led a bayonet charge. This forced the enemy to retreat. Major-General Floyd supported this move with a fast cavalry charge. This made the enemy's army fall apart. They retreated as the whole British line moved forward.

While Colonel Wellesley's group was fighting, Lieutenant-General Harris and the right side of the British army were also busy.

As the 12th Foot regiment moved forward, a large group of Mysorean cavalry charged them. An elephant with a howdah (a seat on its back) was at the front. The British line stopped to meet the attack.

Soon, two more large groups of enemy soldiers were seen. They were in two woods, ready to support the first charge. Lieutenant-General Harris saw the danger. He stood behind the regiment, repeating, "Steady, Twelfth!" "Steady, old Twelfth!"

When the enemy cavalry got very close, they fired their guns. But it didn't do much damage. When they were about 30 yards away, the British regiment fired a strong volley of musket shots. They kept firing quickly. This caused many enemy soldiers and horses to fall. A pile of dead and wounded lay in front of the regiment.

The back of the enemy's charge was blocked by the fallen soldiers. They could not continue their attack. The elephant was badly hurt, and its rider was dead. The chiefs on its back had fallen. The elephant turned around and attacked the Mysorean soldiers. It caused a lot of damage with a heavy chain it was swinging.

A few Mysorean horsemen broke through the British line. But they were quickly shot down. The British cannons arrived and started firing. The enemy cavalry fell back. At the same time, the British line moved forward. This decided the battle in that area. However, distant cannon fire showed that fighting was still happening elsewhere.

What Happened Next

The next morning, the British army continued to advance. They arrived at Seringapatam on April 5, 1799. They then began to lay siege to the city.