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An autograph letter from Lord Cornwallis to Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm comprising instructions given in the field during the Third Anglo-Mysore War South India, March 27th 1791 image 1
An autograph letter from Lord Cornwallis to Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm comprising instructions given in the field during the Third Anglo-Mysore War South India, March 27th 1791 image 2
Lot 146*

An autograph letter from Lord Cornwallis to Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm comprising instructions given in the field during the Third Anglo-Mysore War
South India, March 27th 1791

22 May 2025, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £16,640 inc. premium

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An autograph letter from Lord Cornwallis to Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm comprising instructions given in the field during the Third Anglo-Mysore War
South India, March 27th 1791

pen and ink on watermarked paper, one sheet with blank second sheet attached, one side of text
225 x 185 mm.

Footnotes

Provenance
Private collection, USA.

The text reads:
Dear Sir//We must ascertain the possibility of our marching before twelve o'clock, for if Captn. [S...] marches, we must follow. Be so kind as to send the Countersign for Captn [S...], and to let the Field Officer of the day know that he is to march.//Yrs Faithfully, Cornwallis.

This letter was written six days after the culmination of the Siege of Bangalore (5 February - 21 March 1791), when Cornwallis elected to attack secretly on the night of the 21st of March. The fort was captured and secured against Tipu Sultan, though it only remained in British hands for one year as it was returned to Tipu following the Treaty of Seringapatam (18 March 1792).

Additional information