Recovery of
Chittur
Tipu inflicted a serious defeat on Colonel Braithwaite at Annagudi near Tanjore on 18 Feb
1782. This army consisted of 100 Europeans 300 cavalry, 1400 sepoys and 10 field pieces.
Tipu seized all the guns and took the entire detachment prisoners. One should remember
that the total force of a few hundred Europeans was the standard size of the colonial
armies that had caused havoc in India prior to Haider and Tipu. In
December 1781 Tipu had successfully seized Chittur from British hands. Thus Tipu had
gained sufficient military experience by the time Haider died in December 1782.
The humbling of the British
The Second Mysore war came to an end by the Treat of Mangalore. It is
an important document in the history of India. It was the last occasion when an Indian
power dictated terms to the English, who were made to play the role of humble supplicants
for peace. Warren Hasting called it a humiliating pacification, and
appealed to the king and Parliament to punish the Madras Government for "the
faith and honor of the British nation have been equally violated." The
English would not reconcile to this humiliation, and worked hard form that day, II March
1784, to subvert Tipu's power. The Treaty redounds great credit to the diplomatic skill of
Tipu. He had honorably concluded a long-drawn war.
He frustrated the Maratha designs to seize his northern possession. The great advantage
was the psychological impact of his victory with the British, the mode of conclusion was
highly satisfactory to him. The march of the Commissioner all the way from Madras to
Mangalore seeking peace made Munnro remark that such indignities were throughout poured
upon the British" that limited efforts seemed necessary to
repudiate the Treaty at the earliest time." Such public opinion
in the country highly gratified Tipu who felt it was his great triumph over the English.
That was the only bright spot in his contest with the English, the only proud event which
had humbled a mighty power. |
