Seringapatam 1799: Storming The Tigers Fortress

Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.

WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT MY CHANNEL

1)Become A Patron
https://www.thehistorychap.com/Supporters-club
or
2)Join My YouTube membership
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyTGpFsD0AJkQ6KSCW8d_Ug/join
or
3) Make a one-off donation
https://buymeacoffee.com/thehistorychap
or
4) Join my Free weekly newsletter
https://www.thehistorychap.com/Newsletter

On 4th May 1799, four thousand British and sepoy troops stormed Seringapatam, the fortress capital of Tipu Sultan - the Tiger of Mysore. In four brutal hours, over 1,500 British and sepoys were killed or wounded in one of the bloodiest assaults in the history of the British army in India.

This is the story of the Battle of Seringapatam 1799, the climactic battle of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.

Tipu Sultan was possibly the most formidable opponent the British ever faced in India. Unlike other Indian rulers, he understood that British expansion was fundamentally different - every treaty, every alliance was a step toward total control. After the humiliation of the Third Anglo-Mysore War, Tipu rebuilt his forces and sought allies, even corresponding with Napoleon in Egypt. When the British intercepted that correspondence, Governor-General Richard Wellesley had his pretext for war.

The assault was spearheaded by the forlorn hope - a near-suicidal charge led by Sergeant Graham, who was shot dead as he crested the breach calling out his promised promotion: "Lieutenant Graham!" Behind him came Major-General David Baird, a man bent on revenge after spending 44 months in Tipu's dungeons, and a young Colonel Arthur Wellesley - the future Duke of Wellington.

The breach wasn't a convenient gateway - it was a steep mound of rubble where men climbed over their own dead. British regiments including the 73rd and 74th Highlanders, the 12th Foot, and Swiss mercenaries of the de Meuron Regiment stormed the walls in the hottest part of the day. Tipu Sultan himself fought to the end with dual hunting rifles before falling near the Water Gate.

Bernard Cornwell fans will recognize this as the climax of Sharpe's Tiger, though our story sticks to the historical facts.

From Tipu's mechanical tiger (now in the V&A Museum) to the rockets that inspired "the rockets' red glare" in the American national anthem, discover how the storming of the Tiger's fortress changed the course of British India forever.

#britishempire #militaryhistory #britishhistory

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:57 Tipu Sultan
3:40 The French
5:31 Richard Wellesley
6:53 4th Anglo-Mysore War
9:18 Seringapatam
11:17 Siege begins
11:56 Arthur Wellesley's Defeat
13:13 Tipu's Rockets
14:48 British Bombardment
16:10 A Bold Plan
17:27 General David Baird
19:24 Assault Plan
20:24 The Forlorn Hope
21:47 Battle of Seringapatam
25:18 Death of Tipu Sultan
27:16 Looting
28:35 Congreve Rockets
29:36 Aftermath

Follow me at:
www.thehistorychap.com
Podcast: https://www.thehistorychappodcast.com
Facebook:https://bit.ly/37IUfkH
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChap

My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.

My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"

Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham and am a member of the Royal Historical Society.
I am also a member of the Victorian Military Society, the Anglo Zulu War Society and the Military Historical Society.

Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.

The History Chap is a trading name of Chris Green Communication Ltd, a company registered in England & Wales (Co No: 05025587)