New Spalding Club > House of Gordon > Gordons under arms

& HOUSE OF GORDON.
of the Begum having saved Capt. Gordon life, they all three swear to the circumstance of the
delay of Shumsheer Khan, in sending over the boat for the rescue of Capt. Gordon ; they all
stated that as a suspicious circumstance, and they all three suppress the fact of the Begum
having saved their lives and of their having returned their thanks in this letter of gratitude to
her.
44. [•••]• 1783, Jul. 6, Brig. Maj., A', at the siege of Mangalore
(Jul. 83-Jan. 84) by combined forces of the French and the Nabob, Tippoo
Sultan; garrison consisted of detachments of H.E.I.C. and H.M.'s troops
under Col. John Campbell, 42nd Ft. {Account of Siege of Mangalore, by a
British Officer, 6^).
45- [•••]• 1783, Dec, Col. and Q.M.G. : served under Brig. Gen.
Macleod in the war by the H.E.I.C. and H.M. troops and the combined forces
of Tippoo Sultan and the French 1783-4. Macleod, advancing from Telli-
cherry against Cannanoire, wrote (Bombay State Papers, Home Ser., 11. 295-
8):-
Colonel Gordon took the proper means to construct and place at each of the four deep
rivers that had to be crossed by the troops a sufficient number of tonies jungudores to ferry
over troops. Col. Gordon, who was in command of advanced guard, Dec. 1783, three miles
from Cannanore on the way to the sea, resolved to have a view of the colours on the enemy's
flagstaff, accompanied by Lt. Fraser and two companies of Grenadier Sepoys. These colours
seemed very near after an advance the following day, but a thick wood of cocoanut trees still
hid the walls. Col. Gordon advanced, and, arriving at the skirt of the wood, found himself on
the esplanade, 300 yards from the wall, finding houses, banks, trees and complete cover for
troops and batteries. I soon joined him with the Chief Engineer and Commanding Officer of
Artillery ; the fort was taken by storm next day. I sent Col. Gordon and the Chief Engineer
to find out most vulnerable place, which they soon did with happy judgment, when attacking
the town from the beach side next day.
1784, Jan. 27, "Col. Gordon, commanding in Brig. Gen. Macleod's ab-
sence, arrived at Mangalore, on board the ' Sulivan ' East Indiaman " {Account
of the six months Siege of Mangalore, by a British Officer, 144-5, 211) which
states that " his intention was to throw another month's provision into the
fort, but under the articles of capitulation, Tippoo Sultan would not allow the
admission of any provisions. Col. Gordon immediately despatched expresses
to Cannanore and Tellicherry, for all shipping and small craft that could be
collected, in order to prevent any part of the garrison being necessitated to go
by land to either of these places." Feb. 4, Col. Gordon arrived at Onore,
on the " Batilla " in the evening, with an account of the garrison at Manga-
lore, . . . Tippoo Sultan having agreed to their marching out with military
honours upon surrendering the fort . . . the troops embarked for Tellicherry
(Mr. Edward Ravenscroft's letter, dated Feb. 6 on board the " Harriet "
armed ship, off Onore, to the resident at Carvvar, rec. Feb. 19 by Bombay