Subbiah: There is a connection between that war and the US national anthem. I had written about it on my blog: http://quizfan.blogspot.com/2005/06/star-spangled-indian-connection.html

Arun : Yes...I remember. Your post on Congreve's rockets and Tipu Sultan. Interesting, as always.

I don't know how you get hold of these paintings and books. Astounding. You Sir, are amazing!

This is starting to appear like a mutual admiration society. But then Arun, you must remember that there are people who are atleast half as interesting as you are. : )

@Arun....read the blog...very interesting:)....glad u posted it here...

Beautiful painting and the interesting historical tidbit. Let me add to that: I find it amusing that Cornwallis after losing to Americans during the Revolutionary war at Yorktown in 1781, went on to become the First Governor General of India in the early 19th century. It's fascinating to know that after losing to Americans, British concentrated the bulk of their forces in, you guessed it, India to ser the platform for the next 200yrs. So America won it's freedom and India lost out

Hello Manish, It is a fascinating outcome of the American War of Independence that led the British Parliamentary establishment to move their focus towards India. They needed a new location for patronage, and where to send surplus people. They were very concerned that the East India Company officials and soldiers in India might establish themselves in India and then become "Indian" having carved out territories in India strong enough to withstand the English from Britain. This is why Cornwallis was appointed as the Governor, precisely because he was not a long time East India Company official. From that point on, no East India Company official could ever expect to get to the most senior posts. Sir Thomas Munro, was more or less the only exception. The British establishment was concerned at the possibility of family dynasties forming in India, and a consequence of that was that it became increasingly rare for sons of East India Company officials to get good positions. This was especially true of families like the Skinner's who had become part Indian by marriage. This is why the establishment in Britain sent instructions to India to stop Brits having relationships with Indian's. In the 1790's most officials in Bombay had overt or covert Indian mistresses. Many were becoming Indianised. Within a generation or so, these families would have become "Indian" like Baber's Central Asian supporters had been in the 16th & 17th Century. The White Mutiny in 1809 is a demonstration of just how strongly some Anglo Indian families felt about the changes that had occurred to their prospects in 1776. If they had had a bit more support, then India might have gone down a route a bit like Rhodesia in 1960. The East India Company officials in 1776 were very puzzled why the American's had been so stupid as to want to lose out on the trade with Britain, that would be the consequence of the war. In Warren Hasting's private correspondence in the British Library there are several letters from senior and recently retired EIC officials in Britain who comment on the war with America. At that time America was a much smaller economic power than either India or even the Danish Island St Eustace in the West Indies. How the World changes. Several of the most effective British officers in the Wars against Tipu including Lord Harris had previously fought in America as junior or Regimental Officers. In America they had learned through defeat that considerable reforms were needed in the British Army Doctrine, including things like logistics, marksmen ship and the use of light infantry. These improved tactics tipped the balance away from Indian Armies just enough to allow the EIC to beat Tipu. Wellington learnt his successful tactics under these men, and took them to combat Napoleons forces in Spain. Of much greater significance to most Indian's of any of the above however was the growing of much stronger and better fibre quality of cotton in America, which displaced Indian grown cotton, which was far more often infected with pathogens and disease, which made it much poor quality than American grow cotton which had not had time to build up pathogen's in the way the far older Indian growing areas had. By 1824 the textile mills in Britain had largely changed over to using American cotton, plunging India into recession. Huge American slave plantations had replaced peasant farms in India. Globalism is much older than many people realise. Nick Balmer

Manish and Nick :Thanks for this excellent little discussion. The historical twist of fate, not many of us are aware....brilliantly explained here by Nick.

This is why Rare Books has to be one of the best pages I've joined on FB.

Truly Deepika....RBSI is so fortunate to have such brilliant and erudite members who actively participate on the posts here. Thanks to all of you.

Thanks Nick :)

Bangalore Fort was originally built by Kempe Gowda I in 1537.It was a strong mud fort. But Ranadulla Khan of Adilshahi Kingdom from Bijapur invested the fort in 1638 and Shahji Bhonsle (father of Shivaji Maharaj) who was part of this campaign got bangalore as a Jahgir. His son Venkoji succeeded to the jahgir in 1644. After a very brief interlude of Moghuls, Mysore King Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar purchased Bangalore for 3 lakhs rupees in 1690. He built a new extensive oval fort. It was not a renovation of the old fort of Kempe Gowda but an entirely new one. Hyder Ali who started at the lowest rungs under Krishna Raja Wodeyar II rose to great heights due to his bravery and success he achieved in Mysore's military campaigns. By 1761 as a Regent he became de-facto ruler of Mysore. As a matter of fact Bangalore was given to him as a Jahgir in 1759. After 1761 he renovated the oval fort with dressed stone as you see above. It fell to British hands in 1791 during Mysore war III under Lord Cornwallis. But after the treaty in 1792 it was handed back to Tipu. But stragely Tipu is said to have dismantled the fort ! After his fall in 1799 and a partition treay was effecetd and a new Kingdom was carved out of the conquest and the the same was restored to young Krishna Raja Wodeyar III. His Diwan Purnayya rebuilt the fort once again! One can still see parts of the fort near the city market. An ancient Venkataramana Swamy temple built by Chikka Deva raja Wodeyar survives the wars and ravages of time !

If I am not wrong the only surviving gate is called Delhi Gate of Bangalore ? James Hunters views of Bangalore shows many differnt gates of Bangalore Fort.

Raja Chandra : Thanks for the brilliant and concise note on the Bangalore Fort. What more does one need to know after this I wonder. But the nagging question remains....why did a genius like Tipu dismantle the Fort?? What could have been his perceived strategic advantage in this?

@RBSI: Islamic Traditions !

Maher Dadha : Nice to see your learned update. You are right...the Delhi Gate is the only surviving gate : http://www.flickr.com/photos/18249957@N00/346084123/in/set-72157594460104089/ I have also bought James Hunter's prints of the South Gate and North gate from your amazing store Dukan. Still cherish them.

@ RBSI: Thanks ! May be what Francis Buchanan says in his book : “A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar” clarifies your question rather obliquely: Near Muduru are the ruins of a stone fort, containing a temple of Vishnu, and the houses of several Brahmans. This fort was built by the grandfather of the present... See more Raja of Mysore, and destroyed by the late Sultan with great propriety; for it could make no resistance against a European army, but might serve as a protection to their convoys; at the same time, it was burdensome, by being much stronger than was necessary for protecting the town against plundering parties of native cavalry.

Raja Chandra : Thank you Sir...for highlighting the oblique yet revelatory admission by Dr.Francis Buchanan. Such a wonderful set of books. Thanks for the tip...will post them tomorrow.

About Rockets & Tipu: It is a Historical fallacy to attribute design and origin of Rockets in Mysore to Tipu. I think it is mainly due to the fact that it was known by a different kannada or Persian word among Mysoreans and the word Rocket was used by British subsequently. Some excerpts from “Annals of The Mysore Royal Family” throws some light on the use of gun powder in various forms and various names used then: Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (AD1673-1704) enlarged the buildings and departments (called jAnasAle, maddinamane, alaginacAvaDi) by Ranadhira Kanteeerva Narasaraja Wodeyar (1638-1659). Many of these powered arrows (AkAshakoLavi, nakShatrabANa) were used during festivities like Dasara. He is also credited storing in great numbers war material like tupAki, maddu, guMDu…. Again during Dodda Krishna Raja Wodeyar in 1725, Mahrata’s under Baji Rao attacked the fort of Srirangapatna. Mysore army from the ramparts of the fort attacked the Maharata army with kOvi PiraMgi guMDu, jaMjAlu tupAka makaraDibbi jabarajaMgi bANa etc and caused havoc on the attackers.Baji Rao seeing the devastation and death brought in by this unexpected attack made a hasty retreat saying they are accustomed to wage war with traditional weapon like sword etc and this is not srirangapatna but Firangipatna ! The East India Company historian Orme has recorded that Moors (Muslims) generally used rockets to frighten enemy's cavalry. The rockets falling at the feet of the horses emitted a flame resembling that of a forge furnace. This blaze was sufficient to scare the horses. French army of Dupleix suffered damages by the explosion of rockets in a battle in 1750 against the army of Muhammad Ali of Arcot. According to Stephen Oliver Fought and John F. Guilmartin, Jr. in Encyclopedia Britannica (2008): "Hyder Ali, prince of Mysore, developed war rockets with an important change: the use of metal cylinders to contain the combustion powder! According to Mir Hussain Ali Kahn Kirmani this wing of the army were called as Bandars! Obviously these native weapons came in to prominence during Mysore War III and IV and was noticed by the such eminent personalities like Col. Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington) as he stayed in Mysore for quite some time in Mysore after 1799 before he achieved much glory in the Battle of waterloo later. Thus Rocket science evolved by the native Mysore army for over a century was adopted by the British.Soon rocket groups were formed as part of the Royal Artillery in 1813. They were used at the battle of Leipzig against Napolean.

Raja Chandra : Thats amazing information overturning our newly learnt bit-of-history yet once again. This means, rocketry existed almost a century before Tipu and the credit probably goes the 17th century Wodeyars. I think most of us are absolutely unaware of this fact. Thank you Sir. Its always interesting to read your scholarly posts...especially your indomitable knowledge of the Mysore history.

Great info by Raja Chandra. Incidentally, they re-created a version of Tipu's rockets on the History Channel. The Mysore army used to attach swords and sickles to the rockets. When the rockets exhausted their fuel, they would drop from a great height on the enemy. The psychological impact of huge numbers of falling weapons over an army in tight formation can only be imagined.

Here's the definitive word from Encyclopedia Britannica online: "A revival commenced late in the 18th century in India. There Hyder Ali, prince of Mysore, developed war rockets with an important change: the use of metal cylinders to contain the combustion powder. Although the hammered soft iron he used was crude, the bursting strength of the container of black powder was much higher than the earlier paper construction. Thus a greater internal pressure was possible, with a resultant greater thrust of the propulsive jet. The rocket body was lashed with leather thongs to a long bamboo stick. Range was perhaps up to three-quarters of a mile (more than a kilometre). Although individually these rockets were not accurate, dispersion error became less important when large numbers were fired rapidly in mass attacks. They were particularly effective against cavalry and were hurled into the air, after lighting, or skimmed along the hard dry ground. Hyder Ali's son, Tippu Sultan, continued to develop and expand the use of rocket weapons, reportedly increasing the number of rocket troops from 1,200 to a corps of 5,000. In battles at Seringapatam in 1792 and 1799 these rockets were used with considerable effect against the British. The news of the successful use of rockets spread through Europe. In England Sir William Congreve began to experiment privately. First, he experimented with a number of black-powder formulas and set down standard specifications of composition. He also standardized construction details and used improved production techniques. Also, his designs made it possible to choose either an explosive (ball charge) or incendiary warhead. The explosive warhead was separately ignited and could be timed by trimming the fuse length before launching. Thus, air bursts of the warheads were feasible at different ranges. "

Geez, Youtube has the video of the History Channel docu. See from 1.23 onwards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHnjq4-Ixck