Plan of the Position of the Confederate Armies under the direction of Earl Cornwallis before Seringapatam from the 5th to the 24th February 1792 when the Cessation of Hostilities took place - 1792

This pen and ink and watercolour plan was drawn by Robert Home (1752-1834) in 1792. It is one of a series which includes twenty-two loose drawings together with a map and three plans completed by Home when he accompanied the British army under Cornwallis during the 3rd Mysore War 1791-1792. Inscribed: 'Plan of the Position of the Confederate Armies under the direction of Earl Cornwallis before Seringapatam from the 5th to the 24th February 1792 when the Cessation of Hostilities took place, including the Position of Tippoo Sultauns Army previous to the Action of the Night of the 6th and the Subsequent Operations of the Siege.'

Seringapatam, situated close to Mysore, is an island fortress surrounded Kaveri River. In the late 18th century, the Mysore rulers Haidar Ali (r.1761-1782) and his son Tipu Sultan (r.1782-1799) fought numerous wars against the British over the control of Southern India. Seringapatam was the site of the two most famous sieges in this conflict. This plan shows the British route of attack in 1792. The siege of 1799 concluded the wars and the life of Tipu Sultan.

Source : British Library