"Nothing took place during the winter, except that Sir Eyre Coote
again advanced and revictualled Vellore. In March a French fleet
arrived off the coast, landed a force of three thousand men to assist
Hyder, and informed him that a much larger division was on its way.
Fortunately, this did not arrive, many of the ships being captured by
the English on their way out. In the course of the year there were
several fights, but none of any consequence, and things remained in
the same state until the end of the year, when, on the 7th of
December, Hyder died, and Tippoo was proclaimed his successor.
"Bussy arrived with fresh reinforcements from France in April, and
took the command of Hyder's French contingent, and in June there was a
battle between him and a force commanded by General Stuart, the
successor to Sir Eyre Coote, who had been obliged to resign from ill
health, and who had died in the spring.
"The French position was a very strong one, and was protected by
numerous field works. The battle was the most sanguinary fought during
the war, considering the numbers engaged. The English carried a
portion of the works, and captured fourteen guns, and, as the French
retired during the night, were able to claim a victory.
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