Had the two Mahratta armies arrived a couple of days earlier, the
destruction of the siege train would have been avoided, Seringapatam
would have been besieged, Abercrombie's army of eight thousand men
have joined, and the war brought at once to a conclusion. It was now,
however, too late. The means for prosecuting the siege of so powerful
a fortress were altogether wanting, and the united armies returned, by
easy marches, to Bangalore.
On the march, the future plan of operations was decided upon. Lord
Cornwallis sent orders for the sum of 1,500,000 rupees, that had been
intended for China, to be at once despatched to Bangalore for the use
of the army, and the allies. The larger of the Mahratta forces, under
Purseram Bhow, with a detachment of Bombay troops that had accompanied
it, were to march to the northwest, and reduce some of the forts and
towns still held by the troops of Mysore. The other Mahratta force,
consisting chiefly of cavalry, under Hurry Punt, were to remain at
Bangalore.
The cause of the long delay, on the part of the Nizam and the
Mahrattis, was now explained. The Nizam's troops had spent six months
in the siege of the fortress of Capool, while an equal time had been
occupied, by Purseram Bhow, in the siege of Durwar, a very strong
place, garrisoned by ten thousand men.
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