As the advance brigade,
consisting of three native battalions, under Colonel Montresor,
reached Sedaseer; Tippoo, with 12,000 of his best troops, fell upon it
suddenly. His force had moved through the jungle, and attacked the
brigade in front and rear.
Although thus surprised, by an enemy nearly six times their superior
in force, the Sepoys behaved with a calmness and bravery that could
not have been surpassed by veteran troops. Maintaining a steady front,
they repulsed every attack, until a brigade, encamped eight miles in
their rear, came up to their assistance; and Tippoo was then forced to
retreat, having suffered a loss of 1,500 men, including many of his
best officers.
This proof of the inferiority of his troops, even when enormously
outnumbering the English, and fighting with all the advantages of
surprise, profoundly impressed Tippoo, and from this time he appeared
to regard the struggle as hopeless, and displayed no signs whatever of
the dash and energy that had distinguished him, when leading one of
the divisions of his father's army. He marched with his troops
straight to Seringapatam, and then moved out with his whole force, to
give battle to the main body of the invaders.
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