Mss Eur Orme OV.10

pp. [i-vi]. Table of Contents.

1, pp. 1-4 (22.7 x 18.3 cm.). Letter, dated Masulipatam, 15 December 1766, from General Joseph Smith to Orme. Original. Promises to forward him material for his History, as has hitherto been done by Caillaud.

2, pp. 5-28 (38 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Fort St. George, 5 November 1767, from General Joseph Smith to Orme. Original. Narrates the events of the campaign against Haidar just concluded. Smith refers to a letter which he wrote from Tangabadra in March 1766 (i.e., 1767), but which Orme says he cannot find and does not recollect; probably it is the letter which has been copied in XI. 13 (p. 3039), so I presume that Orme found it later.

3, pp. 29-32 (37.7 x 23.7 cm.). Letter, dated Tirriapagudda, 8 October 1767, from Joseph Smith to Colonel John Call. Copy without signature. Protests indignantly against Call's remarks regarding the conduct of the army under his command.

4, pp. 33-39 (38.5 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Camp near Tirpitoor, 8 January 1768, from General Joseph Smith to Governor Charles Bourchier and Council. Copy. Duplicate of 64. 1. Gives some details of the campaign against Haidar, and says that the army is sufficiently strong for all requirements as regards numbers, but that the absence of any arrangements for the supply of provisions renders it helpless.

5, pp. 41-47 (38.5 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Camp at Kistmagurry, 13 March 1768, from General Joseph Smith to Governor Charles Bourchier and Council. Copy. Gives details of the campaign against Haidar Ali.

6, pp. 51-62 (22.5 x 18 cm.). Letter, dated Camp near Ouscotah, in the Maisore Country, 8 August 1768, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. gives details of the campaign, and especially of Captain Mathews's clever Surprise of Mulbagal; complains of the behaviour of the Madras Government, and mentions the growing power of the Marathas:- "I hate Frenchmen from the same reason that they don't love us. Our interests are incompatible, and it's as much impossible for a Monsieur to have views of Honor towards the English nation as it is for a Dutch man to give up the Spice Islands"; mentions the disgraceful evacuation of Mangalore.

7, pp. 63-64c (22.5 x 18 cm.). Letter, dated Camp near Chittaputt, 21 February 1768, from General J. Smith to, Orme. Original. To introduce Mr. Sadleir.

8, pp. 65-80 (38.5 x 24 cm.). Letter undated, from General. J. Smith to the Court of Directors. Copy. Gives some account of Haidar Ali, eulogizes the military genius of Muhammad Yusuf Khan, and details the chief military events from the time of his own arrival on the Coast (September 1766) to 9 October 1768.

9, pp. 81-86c (38.5 x 24 cm.), Letter, dated Camp near Mulleavakul, 9 October 1768, from General J. Smith to Council of Madras. Copy. Gives details of' the campaign against Haidar Ali.

10, pp. 87-90 (38 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Camp at Vencatagerhy, 19 November 1768, from General J. Smith to the Council, Madras. Copy. Gives details of the campaign against Haidar Ali.

11, pp. 91-110 (38 x 24 cm.). Letter from General J. Smith to the Council of Madras, --. Copy. With remarks on their Minutes of Consultation, 28 November and 31 December. Discusses his conduct of the campaign against Haidar, the Council’s mistake in placing Colonel Wood in command, and their many other faults. See 64. 6.

12, pp. 111-153 (38 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Camp near Chittiput, 24 February 1769, from General J. Smith to the Council of Madras. Copy. Duplicate of 64. 7. Forwards the opinions, of thirty two officers concerning draught and carriage bullocks. This letter, as do others, shows pretty plainly how intolerable was the interference of Colonel Call, as the favoured adviser of the Council, in the affairs of the army in the field. It is also useful, as it gives the Christian names of a number of somewhat junior officers.

13, pp. 155-156c (22.5 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Camp near Chittiput, 1 March 1769, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. To recommend Captain Adair.

14, pp. 157-168 (22.5 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras 26 June 1769, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. Sends a number of papers; says that the Council have found out the folly of the plans devised by "the wise and all able politicians John Call and the Chevalier St. Lubin," and have tried to place the burden of their failure on Smith himself. Gives certain details of Haidar's advance on Madras, and the disgraceful manner and terms of the Peace which the Council had concluded with him; "Hastings is coming and bears a good character. The Lord send amongst us some men of spirit, for they were never more wanted than at this juncture."

15, pp. 169-179 (22 x 18 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 2 February 1770, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. Saying that Haidar has, under the late Treaty, asked the Council's assistance against the Marathas; "the Governor (Charles Bourchier) resigned two days ago. Under that man's government I suffered much, and to the last moment."

16, p. 181 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 5 October 1770, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. To recommend Captain Capper.

17, pp. 185-192 (32 x 19.5). Letter, dated --, 12 October, 1770, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. Mentions the infamous action of the Madras Council in keeping back his own letters defending his conduct in the field, so that the Court of Directors had condemned him unheard; Eyre Coote has threatened, in disgust with the Council, to leave the country; Sir John Lindsay's arrival has caused much confusion, and he and the Nawab are constantly together.

18, pp. 193-220 (23.5 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Vipery Garden, 29 January 1771, with Postscript of 6 February, from General J. Smith to Orme. Original. Says that the Nawab encouraged by Sir John Lindsay, behaves as if he were Independent of the Council, and is openly on bad terms with Governor Du Pré; Council undetermined whether or no to assist Haidar Ali against the Marathas; great power of the latter. "No man was ever more disposed to be on a friendly footing with Du Pré than myself, but as every line of the General Letter was written with his own hand, surely the sentiments must be his own, and was he to swear the Sun stood still his Council would also swear it did not move."

19, pp. 221-228 (23.5 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 20 March 1771, from General Joseph Smith to Brigadier General Richard Smith. Original. Chiefly private, but with some reference to the attack made by the King of Tanjore on the Maravans.

20, pp. 229-238c (38 x 23.5 cm.) (f. 239). A sketch of Hyder Ally's Life. Copy. Duplicate of 72. 18 below, which is stated to be by Thomas Parkinson.

21, pp. 239-241 (37 x 23.5 cm.). Letter, dated Fort St. George, 2 August 1771, from Colonel Patrick Ross to Governor Du Pré. Copy. As Chief Engineer offers his services in the field.

22, pp. 243-252c (37 x 23.5 cm.). Letter from Colonel Ross to a friend with his Journal of the Siege of Tanjore. Copy.

23, pp. 273-274 (37.7 x 22 cm.). Extract of a letter from Trichinopoly, dated 16 February 1772. Gives an account of the explosion of the Powder Magazine.

24, pp. 275-284 (37 x 22.5 cm.). Correspondence between Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Ross and Captain Henry Montresor. Copy. From 11 February to 15 March 1772, regarding certain military plans supposed to have been left at Madras by Colonel Call, which would have been useful in the siege of Tanjore.