He had with him a half company of Europeans, and three companies of Sepoys.
On looking through the official papers at the time, he had found Captain Mansfield's report, in which he stated that, on the night after leaving the fort, the troops, which had been reduced to half their original strength, had been attacked by a party either of dacoits or irregular troops.

Fearing that some such act of treachery might be attempted, he had told his men to conceal a few cartridges under their clothes, when they marched out with empty cartridge pouches.

They had, on arriving at their halting place, loaded; and, when the dacoits fell upon them, had opened fire.
The robbers doubtless expected to find them defenceless, and speedily fled.

In the confusion, some of them had penetrated far into the camp, and had carried off the captain's daughter, a child of six years old.
When peace was signed with Tippoo, three weeks afterwards, the commissioners were ordered to make special inquiries as to this child, and to demand her restoration.

They reported that Tippoo denied all knowledge of the affair, and neither she, nor any of the other girls there, were ever given up.