Today & Yesterday – 4th May
A devoted foodie with keen interest in wild life, music,…
This series brings to you the history of the day and today’s history is about the fourth Anglo-Mysore War: The Battle of Seringapatam and the first recording device.
With the upcoming elections, the state of Karnataka is witnessing lots of political drama lately. You will find all the details on any news channel. But what you may not find is the history of the day. So I bring to you Today & Yesterday – 4th May with my first story from the year 1799.
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War: The Battle of Seringapatam
Tipu Sultan has been a topic of discussion lately. Some consider him a hero, while others criticize him. Irrespective of such contradiction I share with you the event which happened today from yesterday that is on 4th May 1799. This day had seen one of the most significant battles in Indian history, the Battle of Seringapatam on this day. This was a crucial event in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, which was fought between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore under the leadership of Tipu Sultan.
The city of Seringapatam, located in present-day Karnataka, was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore and the stronghold of Tipu Sultan, who was known for his military prowess and technological innovations. The British had been engaged in a series of wars with the Kingdom of Mysore over the control of South India since the late 18th century. The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War began in 1798 when Tipu Sultan, in an attempt to drive the British out of India, allied with the French.
The siege of Seringapatam began in April 1799 when the British army, under the command of General George Harris, surrounded the city. The British army consisted of around 26,000 soldiers, while the Mysorean army had around 40,000 soldiers. However, the British had the advantage of superior firepower and technology.
The siege of Seringapatam lasted for several weeks, during which time the British army faced stiff resistance from the Mysorean defenders. However, on 4th May 1799, the British finally launched a full-scale assault on the city. The attack was led by General Baird, who led a column of soldiers over the walls of the city. At the same time, General Harris launched a frontal assault on the city’s main gate.
The Mysorean defenders fought valiantly, but they were ultimately overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the British army. Tipu Sultan himself was killed during the battle, which was a significant blow to the Kingdom of Mysore. With the death of Tipu Sultan and the capture of Seringapatam, the British were able to gain control of South India and consolidate their power over the subcontinent.
The Battle of Seringapatam was a turning point in Indian history and had far-reaching consequences. The defeat of Tipu Sultan and the Kingdom of Mysore marked the end of Indian resistance to British rule and paved the way for the eventual British colonization of India. The battle also impacted India’s political and social structure, leading to the rise of British hegemony and the decline of traditional Indian institutions.
With this, I come to my next story of today, Phonograph, from yesterday on the history of 4th May.
The Voice Recorder
These days we use our mobiles to record sound, but did you know it was today from yesterday on the 4th of May, 1878 when the first Phonograph was displayed at the Grand Opera House in New York? Here is the story.
On May 4, 1878, inventor Thomas Edison demonstrated his latest creation, the phonograph, for the first time at the Grand Opera House in New York City. This was a groundbreaking moment in the history of sound recording, as the phonograph was the first device capable of recording and playing back sound.
Edison had been working on the phonograph for several years, and he had finally developed a working prototype by the spring of 1878. The device used a needle to etch sound waves onto a tinfoil cylinder and then played the sound back using a horn and a stylus.
At the demonstration, Edison spoke into the phonograph and then played back his own voice, much to the amazement of the audience. This was the first time that anyone had ever heard recorded sound played back, and it was a huge breakthrough in the field of audio technology.
The phonograph went on to revolutionize the music industry and the way people consumed music. It paved the way for the development of other audio technologies such as the gramophone and the modern record player. Edison himself went on to become one of the most famous inventors in history, with over 1,000 patents to his name.
That’s all for today. Adios
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A devoted foodie with keen interest in wild life, music, cinema and travel Somashis has evolved over time . Being an enthusiastic reader he has recently started making occasional contribution to write-ups.