Second Anglo-Mysore War Quotes

“Wikipedia: Second Anglo-Mysore War”

“Robson mentions the plunder of Hindu temples in Tanjore: Hyder entered the Tanjore country, plundering and burning every village in their way; spreading desolation everywhere; even the Gentoo [Hindu] temples, which hitherto were held sacred by all castes, were plundered of their swamies, or idols, by his people of the Moorish [Muslim] sect. About this time a Gentoo subidar or captain in his service, requested his permission to bear a Gentoo flag, with the figure of the Swamie Annamoontoo [possibly Hanumanta?] on it. On which, Hyder desired to know who this Annamoontoo was; in the course of the subidar’s narration, he said Annamoontoo was born of a man; Hyder then observed his father was certainly the devil, to which the subidar assenting, Hyder ordered a flag to be made, with the figure of a devil evacuating Annamoontoo from behind, which he shrewdly observed, was the only aperture he could escape at; and obliged that subidar’s company to bear it. The same flag was afterwards taken from them by the English, near Negapatam [Nagapattinam].”

“Innes Munro, an eyewitness and a captain in the late 73rd or Lord Macleod’s Regiment of Highlanders, records the horrors that this invasion of the Carnatic by Haidar brought in its wake: All the villages blazing on every quarter within view of this garrison, and as many of the inhabitants as could escape with their lives flying towards us in immense droves from all parts of the country, whose cries and lamentations were distinctly heard a full mile off, being closely pursued by those inhuman barbarians, who brandished their bloody swords in triumph as they galloped along . . . aged parents borne . . . upon the bleeding shoulders of their offspring, who were wantonly mutilated; mothers bewailing the loss of their helpless infants that had fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the enemy on the first surprise; and innocent virgins clinging for protection to the arms of their lacerated brothers. This was indeed a melancholy spectacle, which made the deepest impression upon our sympathizing minds, as yet unaccustomed to such scenes of brutality and horror; but which a poor soldier must not only learn to behold, but participate in, with calmness and indifference. Such was the extreme terror of those inoffensive and unhappy people, that they never once slackened their pace until they found themselves immersed in the ditch of Pondmalee.”

“Kirmani proudly recounts the manner in which Tanjore was ravaged by the forces of Tipu: Prince Tippoo with seven thousand horse, four thousand regular and irregular foot and five guns, [marched] towards Tujawur [Tanjore] and Nuthurnuggur [Tiruchirapalli]. With this force, the Prince Tippoo boldly advanced into the country of Tujawur. His soldiers, brave as Roostum, in obedience of his orders, plundered and destroyed the environs of that town, which in population and fertility, may be called equal to Kashmere . . . the habitations and idol temples of that country, which threw shame on the best paintings of China, and resembled the beauties of Paradise, they levelled with the ground, and setting fire to most of the houses, shops and bazaars, they laid waste the whole of the country. They set the country in a blaze, they took the lock or latch, and set fire to the door. By the hoofs of the Islam horse, plains and mountains were rendered indistinguishable. Sacks upon sacks of corn, herd upon herd of cattle, flocks of sheep and goats, with other articles considered worthy the notice of Hydur were sent to him . . . and plundered Seerung [Srirangam?] and Jhumgiri [?], ancient temples, seated between the waters of the Kaveri and Kaverum held in great veneration by the Hindoos, and the gaze and delight of the world . . . the young men, fond of beauty and enjoyment, obtained lovely virgins and slave girls, of the Brahmun caste, and Bayaderes, beautiful as the moon, arrayed with ornaments of gold and jewels, to their hearts desire, and warmed themselves thoroughly in the arms of beauty. Of the whole of the plunder taken, one fourth was returned to the Sirkar.30”

“Edmund Burke, the statesman and orator in England, recounts: He [Haidar] became at length so confident of his force, so collected in his might, that he made no secret whatsoever of his dreadful resolution. Having terminated his disputes with every enemy, and every rival, who buried their mutual animosities in their common detestation against the creditors of the Nabob of Arcot, he drew from every quarter whatever a savage ferocity could add to his new rudiments in the arts of destruction; and compounding all the materials of fury, havoc, and desolation, into one black cloud, he hung for a while on the declivities of the mountains. Whilst the authors of all these evils were idly and stupidly gazing on this menacing meteor, which blackened all their horizon, it suddenly burst, and poured down the whole of its contents upon the plains of the Carnatic. Then ensued a scene of woe, the like of which no eye had seen, no heart conceived, and which no tongue can adequately tell. All the horrors of war before known or heard of, were mercy to that new havoc. A storm of universal fire blasted every field, consumed every house, destroyed every temple. The miserable inhabitants flying from their flaming villages, in part were slaughtered; others, without regard to sex, to age, to the respect of rank, or sacredness of function; fathers torn from children, husbands from wives, enveloped in a whirlwind of cavalry, and amidst the goading spears of drivers, and the trampling of pursuing horses, were swept into captivity, in an unknown and hostile land. Those who were able to evade this tempest, fled to the walled cities. But escaping from fire, sword, and exile, they fell into the jaws of famine.”