'The Defender of the Faith, and the Sovereign of the World,
hath departed.'[1]
Al Hegira, 1213."
On the evening when Tippoo was committed to his kindred dust, the sky became overcast, and a storm broke forth, by which several persons were killed and many more severely hurt.[2] The rain poured in torrents, while heaven seemed in a blaze; and peal after peal of thunder appeared to shake the city to its very foundations. Seringapatam is subject to such visitations; and there was nothing remarkable in this storm except its extraordinary violence. Yet the imagination cannot fail to be impressed by the fact that the consignment of Tippoo's body to its resting-place was followed by a desolating convulsion not incongruous with his perturbed and mischievous life.
The conquest of Seringapatam was not achieved without a considerable sacrifice; but the loss of the British army was less severe than might have been expected. The total amount of killed, wounded, and missing, in the whole of the operations throughout the siege, fell short of fifteen hundred. The loss of the enemy cannot be ascertained with precision; but it has been estimated that, in the assault alone, eight thousand fell. It is gratifying, however, to know that scarcely any of the unarmed inhabitants were injured. A few unavoidably suffered from random shots; but the assault being made by daylight, insured the power of discrimination, and it was exercised to the utmost practicable extent.
This splendid capture placed in possession of the victors guns, stores, and treasure to a large amount. Nine hundred and twenty-nine pieces of ordnance of various descriptions were found within the fort; two hundred and eighty-seven of them being mounted on the fortifications.
