By 1776 Mysore to the south of Goa had become angry with the large number of Índian Catholic converts in North & South Canara. They viewed the Portuguese Missionaries as agents of the Portuguese government. In 1775 Haider Ali the ruler of Mysore expelled all Portuguese Missionaries from Mysore & Coastal Karnataka. In 1777 the converts along the border rose up in rebellion against Mysore and Ali sent his son Tipo Sultan along with 15,000 soldiers to put down the rebellion and to expel the Portuguese from Índia.
The news of the approaching army sent thousands of converts from the border area into Goa. On March 10 1778, Tipo Sultan arrived along Goa’s border and began his scorched earth attack. on March 15 his forces crossed the border and attacked the fortified town of Damai. For two weeks the Tipo Sultan besieged Damai but was unable to capture it. On April 2 Tipo left a small force besieging Damai and moved his main force against Sanguem. The city of Sanguem like Damai was surrounded by a modern defensive wall and protected by over 20 large guns and its garrison had been reinforced and stood at 2,450. On April 10 Tipo launched his first attack on the town but was unable to capture it. On April 15 he launched his second and last attack on Sanguem on two fronts with his entire army and introduced a new weapon, a rocket barrage but the accuracy and the quantity was not enough to sway the battle in Tipo’s favor. Tipo Sultan was finally forced to abandon the siege of Sanguem and instead marched towards Goa’s capital Panjim while destroying everything his army encountered. When Tipo Sultan arrived at the city of Panjim the cities’ defenses were able to keep him out and from being complete surrounded since the Portuguese Navy was able to keep the sea route open to Portuguese Ships.
On July 2 a large Portuguese force under General João António de Sá Pereira landed at Canacona forcing Tipo to abandon his attack on Panjim to avoid being trapped between two Portuguese forces. General João António de Sá Pereira and his large force made up of both regular soldiers as well as colonial soldiers from África marched north towards the Mysore army besieging Panjim. When word of the Mysore’s army retreat reached them they moved north east to intercept them.
The Portuguese garrison of Panjim moved from their defensive position and joined General Sá Pereira in pursuing Tipo’s army. Twenty miles from the town of Supa on the banks of the Kali River Tipo’s army was pinned by the combined Portuguese force. Portuguese superior artillery started pounding the Mysore army position and during the barrage a shell hit the command tent where Tipo was meeting with his commanders. Most of the Mysore commanders with Tipo were either killed or wounded including Tipo himself who was hurt and unconscious so he was unable to direct his army. The surrounded Mysore army tried to break out but the Portuguese artillery as well as muskets forced them back. After 5 hours of fighting the Mysore army surrendered having lost over 5,000 men in the entire campaign. The Portuguese forces with a combined army of less than 8,000 men had been able to defeat an army twice its size.
When Haider Ali heard of his son’s capture and the defeat of the entire Mysore army as well as the capture he suffered a heart attack. He survived but was very weak and unable to govern the country. Mysore commenced immediately negotiations with Portugal for an end to hostilities. Tipo was allowed to lead the negotiations with Portugal for his own ransom as well as his army. Portugal demanded that Mysore pay for the entire costs of the war as well as for all the damage caused in Goa.
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