The troops began
next morning to erect batteries.
The position was a singular one. A small army was undertaking the
siege of a strong fortress, while an army vastly outnumbering it was
watching them; and was able, at any moment, to throw large
reinforcements into the fort through the Mysore gate, which was at the
opposite end of the fort to that attacked, the efforts of the British
being directed against the Delhi gate, which faced the town.
The advantage which had been gained, by the employment of the great
train carrying the provisions for the troops, was now manifest; for,
unless the army had been so provided, it would have been forced to
retreat; as, in the face of Tippoo's army, with its great host of
cavalry, it would have been impossible to gather provisions.
The first batteries erected by the engineers proved to be too far
distant from the wall of the fort to effect any material damage, and
others were commenced at a much shorter range. The work was performed
with great difficulty, for the guns of the defenders were well served,
and a storm of missiles were poured, night and day, into the town and
against the batteries. The garrison, which consisted of eight thousand
men, were frequently relieved by fresh troops from the sultan's army,
and were thus able to maintain their fire with great vigour.
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