Fighting the Mysore Tigers

Men of a British Army county regiment in the Napoleonic era



This Leonaur Original contains first hand accounts by Richard Bayly and George Elers, officers serving in H. M 12th Regiment of Foot-then the East Suffolk Regiment-at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, supplemented by a concise history of the regiment at that time. By the end of the Seven Years War in the mid 18th century it was Great Britain and not France that would dominate the world stage as a military power. However, before the close of that century a revolution in France swept away the old order and ushered in a new zeal for conquest and eventually the Napoleonic era. This led to renewed enmity between Britain and France. At this time part of the 12th Regiment was engaged in battles to gain control of the French West Indies and with the Duke of York's infamous and ultimately disastrous campaign in the Low Countries, of which Wellington remarked that its principal value was 'that it taught what not to do.' Under the duke's command the 12th suffered every privation of that severe campaign. By the summer of 1796 the regiment was bound for Southern India. There it took part, against formidable forces, in the siege, assault and taking of Tippoo Sultan's-the Tiger of Mysore-stronghold at Seringapatam. Members of the regiment were credited with firing the volley that killed the Mysorean leader. This is a vitally interesting book which covers the activities of the men of a British infantry regiment as they campaigned against the far flung colonies of the French and engaged in the conquering of what would become 'the finest jewel in the Imperial crown'-India.

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.