Key Facts
- Siege start
- 20 May 1783
- Garrison capitulation
- 30 January 1784
- Duration
- ~8 months
- Original garrison strength
- ~2,700 (700 British, 2,000 Indian)
- Survivors
- 850
- Treaty signed
- March 1784, Mangalore
Strategic Narrative Overview
Tipu Sultan's forces besieged the Mangalore garrison beginning 20 May 1783. The British garrison, commanded by Colonel John Campbell and numbering roughly 700 British and 2,000 Indian troops, withstood the siege for over eight months. Supplies were progressively exhausted, reducing defenders to starvation. Despite efforts to hold the position, the deteriorating condition of the garrison made continued resistance untenable as provisions ran out entirely.
01 / The Origins
The Second Anglo-Mysore War arose from ongoing conflict between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company over dominance in southern India. Tipu Sultan, commanding Mysorean forces, pursued aggressive operations against British positions on the western coast. Mangalore, a strategically important port, became a focal point as Tipu sought to expel the Company from the region and consolidate Mysorean control over coastal trade routes.
03 / The Outcome
Colonel Campbell capitulated on 30 January 1784, with only 850 survivors from the original force of approximately 2,700. The fall of Mangalore was one of the final significant engagements of the Second Anglo-Mysore War. The Treaty of Mangalore was subsequently signed in March 1784 at the same city, ending the war and restoring the pre-war status quo between Mysore and the East India Company.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Tipu Sultan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Colonel John Campbell.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.