‘Flank companies! On me!’ Around him the crackle of gunfire and the hiss of rockets and the shouts and cries of the men drowned out his order. ‘On me! On me, damn it!’

‘Sir! Watch out!’ Fitzgerald called out as half a dozen shapes suddenly materialised out of the darkness. Arthur drew his sword and raised his pistol, tensing as he prepared to fight.Then, by the dim flare of a rocket passing a short distance away, he saw that they were grenadiers.

‘It’s the colonel!’ one of the men said, in a relieved voice. ‘Thank Christ.’

Arthur waited until they were gathered round him, then issued his orders. ‘We’re going forward. We still have to clear the enemy out of the tope. There’s plenty of our lads out there, and the rest of the 33rd will be here soon, so watch your targets before you use the bayonet.’

‘Yes, sir,’ the men muttered.

‘Follow me then.’

They set off, Arthur leading from the front, followed by

Fitzgerald and then the grenadiers.Arthur made for a small group of Tipoo’s men that he had seen a moment earlier and went forward as quickly as he could through the tangled roots and undergrowth of the dried-out mangrove. It was impossible to make any speed in the pitch black and the men had to hold their weapons carefully for fear of injuring their comrades if they tripped or slipped as they struggled through the tope. Meanwhile sounds of firing and fighting continued on all sides. Arthur was furious. There was no sense in sending men forward into such terrain on a dark night. The disciplined cohesion that had made the 33rd such a deadly weapon on the battlefield was shattered. His men, so carefully trained to stand and fight in ordered ranks, were scattered across the tope. Leaderless and no doubt fearful of the unfamiliar conditions, they had lost any advantage they might have had over Tipoo’s men at Malavalley. Arthur vowed to make a protest to Harris the moment the attack was over.

‘Sir!’ Fitzgerald called out as loudly as he dared. ‘Up ahead. The enemy.’

Arthur stared into the darkness, and thought he saw shapes moving amongst the dark tangle of trees ahead of him. Then there was a flash as one of the enemy fired his musket towards the nullah and in the orange glow Arthur saw another five or six men frozen as they raised their muskets. As the light blinked out one of Tipoo’s men shouted out in alarm. The same light had clearly illuminated Arthur and his men.