Shortly after the investment of Seringapatam, Colonel Wellesley, who commanded the Nizam's detachment, was ordered to dislodge the enemy from the ground intended as the scene of operations during the siege. The night appointed for this duty was particularly dark. Pushing on rather too eagerly with the light company of the 33rd regiment, which had, by these means, got separated from the main body, he came suddenly on a work of the enemy's, who opened a heavy fire; when the light company finding themselves unsupported, retreated rather precipitately, leaving Colonel Wellesley and Captain Mackenzie by themselves. In this predicament, they endeavoured to regain their division; but in the attempt, owing to the darkness of the night, they quite loss their way, and it was not till after groping about for some hours, that they succeeded in rejoining the British camp, but without their division. Having proceeded to head quarters, to report the state of affairs, Colonel Wellesley, hearing that General Harris was asleep, threw himself on the table of the dining tent, and being much fatigued with the night's labour, fell fast asleep. The next in command had, in the interim, after the repulse of the head of the column, and the loss of the commander, thought it prudent to proceed no further, and made the best of his way back to the camp with the rest of his division. Arriving at the tent of the Commander-in-Chief, to make his report, he was surprised to find his missing superior asleep, as above described. This affair, of course, made considerable noise, and things were whispered about not at all to the advantage of Colonel Wellesley; while it is supposed the Commander must have partaken of this feeling towards the Colonel, otherwise he would not have ordered General Baird to undertake the attack which had failed the preceding night. General Baird, however, most handsomely requested that Colonel Wellesley might again be appointed to he duty, as he was convinced that the circumstances which had caused his failure were purely accidental. Colonel Wellesley was, accordingly, directed to make an attempt the night following, and succeeded; yet so poisonous is the breath of slander, that it required years of victory entirely to wipe away the impressions then received, from the minds of those who are more ready to listen to evil than to good report.
Quoted from Wellingtoniana: Anecdotes, Maxims, and Characteristics, of the Duke of Wellington. Selected by John Timbs; London: Ingram, Cooke and Co., 1852; p. 13 et seq.
