James Scurry

James Scurry

James Scurry (1766–1822) was a British soldier.

He is well known for his book "The captivity, sufferings, and escape of James Scurry, who was detained a prisoner during ten years, in the dominions of Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib" (1824), which relates the sufferings and treatment of the captured English soldiers, Mangalorean Catholics, and other prisoners of war, by Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan, the rulers of the Kingdom of Mysore in India.

He was held captive by Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan for 10 years (1780–1790) at Seringapatam. He had been kept as guest at fort. After his release from Seringapatam he reached an English camp. He prepared a narrative of his captivity in 1794, but it was not published until 1824, after his death.

Early life and family

James Scurry was born in Devonshire, England. His father served in the British Army, and was present at the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill early in the American Revolutionary War, where he was promoted to the post of paymaster-sergeant for his bravery. Later, he became the inmate of a Greenwich mental asylum where he died, leaving his widow with James and his sister.

James Scurry went to sea at a very early age. He entered on his first voyage when he was just nearly seven years old. He spent a considerable time on the American coast and the West Indies and was employed to carry gunpowder. He was also very good in playing the fife.

Capture by Hyder

In 1780, when Scurry was 14 years old, he set on a voyage from Plymouth Sound in the ship Hannibal. However, he along with his crew was captured by the French at Saint Helena. They were handed over to Hyder Ali by the French admiral Suffrein. Hyder deported Scurry and the 15 young men to Seringapatam. The 15 men were all circumcized, converted to Islam and forcibly conscripted to Tipu's army. He was given the Islamic name, Shamsher Khan.

Captivity

As soon as Scurry was captured, he was put in heavy leg-irons and marched into a strong prison. Later, Hyder ordered him and his crew to march to Bangalore. Scurry was then sent to Burrampour, three day march from Bangalore. The food offered was rice for the first eight to ten days, which was then changed to Ragi flour.

Scurry had the misfortune of being overlooked together with along 100 other English prisoners in the prisoner release incorporated in the treaty of 1784.

Escape from captivity

Scurry did not escape from the fort of Hutridurg. He was released in 1792 under an agreement between Tippu Sultan and the British East India Company following Tippu's defeat in the Third Anglo-Mysore War. He was greeted by an old Scottish colleague, Mr. Little, who was startled to find Scurry and his companions in the now ragged uniform of Tippu's army.

Scurry left behind his wife and child, a girl. Scurry grew to love her and in his memoir describes the immense pain he felt in having to part in the night as his battalion was being mustered and his decision of escaping being made.

After the 10 year long captivity ended, James Scurry, recounted that he had forgotten how to sit in a chair and use a knife and fork. His English was broken and stilted, having lost all his vernacular idiom. His skin had darkened to the "swarthy complexion of negroes", and moreover, he had developed an aversion to wearing European clothes. Scurry later reverted to Christianity, upon his return to England.

Account of the Captivity

Now followed the fate of the poor Malabar Christians,^[a] of which I shall consider myself the innocent cause, in reading what was written by General Mathews, as stated in the preceding note. Their country was invested by Tippu's army, and they were driven men, women and children to the number of 30,000 to Sirangapatam where all who were fit to carry arms were circumcised and forwarded into four battalions. The sufferings of these poor creatures were most excruciating: one circumstance which came under my immediate notice, I will attempt to describe: when recovered they were armed and drilled, and ordered to Mysore, nine miles from the capital, but for what purpose we could not learn. Their daughters were many of them beautiful girls; and Tippu was determined to have them for his seraglio; but this they refused; and Mysore was invested by his orders, and the four battalions were disarmed and brought prisoners to Sirangapatam. This being done, the officers tied their hands behind them. The Chambars or Sandalmakers were then sent for and their noses ears and upper lips were cut off. They were then mounted on asses, their faces towards the tail and led through Patan, with a wretch before them proclaming their crime. One fell from his beast and expired on the spot through loss of blood. Such a mangled and bloody scene excited the compassion of numbers and our hearts were ready to burst at the inhuman sight. It was reported that Tippu relented in this case, and I rather think it true, as he never gave any further orders respecting their women. The twenty-six that survived were sent to his different arsenals where after the lapse of a few years I saw several of them lingering out a most miserable existence.

No doubt many of them survived the downfall of Tippu and I should have been proud to hear that the Company had done something for those brave unfortunate men, and particularly so as all their miseries originated from an English general. The prison from whence the Malabar Christians were brought to have their noses and ears cut off for refusing their daughters when Tippu demanded them for his seraglio was a horrid dismal hole which we named the Bull, as there was an image, considerably larger than life, of that animal on that building, which was originally designed for a Hindoo place of worship, but by Tippu converted into a dungeon. This prison we frequently passed and expected sooner or later to occupy some part of it. Very few who were so unfortunate to be confined here, escaped with less punishment than the loss of their nose and ears. The Chambars by whom the operation was performed are held in abhorrence by the Mahomedans, and, on that account they were consigned to this office; and such was their brutality that they frequently cut, (or sawed rather), the upper lip off with the nose leaving the poor unfortunate wretch a pitiable object, to spin out a most miserable existence, being always sent to Tippu's arsenals to hard labor on a scanty allowance.

— The Captivity, Sufferings And Escape of James Scurry Who Was Detained a Prisoner During Ten Years In The Dominions of Hyder Ali and Tippu Saheb (1824), pp. 102-106

See also

• Captivity of Mangalorean Catholics at Seringapatam

References

• Bowring, Lewin B. (1893). Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan and the Struggle with the Musalman Powers of the South. IDARAH-I ADABIYAT-I DELLI. ISBN 9788120612990.
• Prabhu, Alan Machado (1999). Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians. I.J.A. Publications. ISBN 9788186778258.
• James Scurry, William Whiteway (1824). The Captivity, Sufferings, and Escape of James Scurry, who was Detained a Prisoner During Ten Years, in the Dominions of Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
• James Scurry, William Whiteway (1824). The Captivity, Sufferings, and Escape of James Scurry, who was Detained a Prisoner During Ten Years, in the Dominions of Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib. Retrieved 2009-01-22.