James Scurry

author

James Scurry

A British soldier turned memoirist, he left behind a vivid firsthand account of captivity and survival in late 18th-century India. His story offers a rare personal view of the Anglo-Mysore conflicts and the world around Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

1 Audiobook

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

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

by James Scurry

About the author

Born in Devonshire around 1766, James Scurry was a British soldier and memoirist whose life took a dramatic turn during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. He is best known for the narrative of his long captivity in India after being taken prisoner by forces connected with Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan.

Scurry spent about ten years in captivity, from 1780 to 1790, including time at Bangalore and Seringapatam. After regaining his freedom, he prepared an account of what he had experienced, creating the work for which he is remembered today.

His memoir, published after his death in 1824, remains notable as a firsthand record of war, imprisonment, and survival during a turbulent period of South Indian history. James Scurry died in 1822.