severe illness of the commander-in-chief, which terminated in his death, induced him to issue an order that all Captain Cole’s directions for the preparation of the armament were to be obeyed; and the necessary arrangements were accordingly made by the subject of this memoir till the arrival of a senior officer, the late Captain W. R. Broughton, some time after the Vice-Admiral’s demise, at which period the fleet was nearly ready for sea.
In our memoir of Captain George Sayer, C.B.[1], we have already stated that the armament arrived in Chillingching Bay (about 10 or 12 miles to the eastward of Batavia) on the 4th Aug. 1811, and that the greater part of the army was landed the same day before dark: it now becomes our duty to record an instance of prompt decision on the part of Captain Cole, who had previously been entrusted with the command of the frigates appointed to cover the debarkation, and for which he afterwards received the warm personal thanks of Lord Minto, the Governor-General of India, who had accompanied the expedition, and Sir Samuel Auchmuty, the commander-in-chief of the forces.
The sloops of war and the Hon. Company’s cruisers had anchored near the beach in readiness to scour it, and the troop-ships without them, covered by the Caroline, Modeste, and Bucephalus. The rapid approach of the fleet had prevented the enemy from ascertaining the intended place of landing in time to send a force thither to guard it: this being noticed by Captain Cole, he made the signal from the Caroline, for the advance of the army to land immediately, then hoisted out his boats, tripped his anchor, and dropped the Caroline nearer to the shore. No time was occupied in arranging the order of the boats, they being ordered to shove off when manned and filled with troops. His example being followed by Captains Elliot and Pelly, and the boats of the other men of war being sent to assist in conveying the troops, about 8000 soldiers, with their guns, ammunition, and provisions, were landed in safety by half past six o’clock. Soon after dark the British advanced guard had a skirmish
