As soon as the British could make their way through, or round, the
obstacle to their advance, they pursued the retreating force of
Tippoo, until it took refuge under the guns of the works round
Seringapatam. Their loss had been 2000, that of the British 500.
But the success was of little benefit to the latter. The terrible
state of the roads, and the want of food, had caused the death of
great numbers of draught animals, and the rest were so debilitated as
to be absolutely useless; and during the two days' marches, that were
required to reach the point on the river previously determined upon,
the battering train, and almost the whole of the carts, were dragged
along by the troops.
The position of the army was bad in the extreme. Neither food nor
forage were to be obtained from the country round. The troops were
almost on famine rations, worn out by fatigue, and by the march
through heavy rains, and nights spent on the sodden ground. Tippoo's
horsemen hovered round them. The cavalry of the Nizam, which had been
specially engaged to keep the foe at a distance, never once ventured
to engage them. It was absolutely impossible to communicate with
General Abercrombie, and after remaining but a couple of days in his
new camp, Lord Cornwallis felt that the army could only be saved from
destruction by immediate retreat.
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