diately carried. Some of the troops then re-embarked, crossed the river, and took possession of the opposite stockade.
“Our loss, although severe, is not so great as might have been expected from the nature of the ground we had to go over, and the sharp and severe fire kept up by the enemy until the scaling ladders were placed. The loss on the part of the enemy was but small, in consequence of the vicinity of the jungle, into which they escaped the moment our men entered their works.
“Of the conduct of the troops, I cannot speak in too high praise, although it will be impossible for me to particularize the officers who so gallantly led their men to the assault, as they are too numerous; many of them assisted in carrying the ladders to the walls.
“I felt myself highly indebted to Lieutenant Fraser, and a party of seamen and marines of H.M.S. Larne, whose unremitting exertions throughout the affair, greatly contributed towards the success of the day.”
“It is with regret I have to report that Mr. Maw, R.N., your acting aide-de-camp, was severely wounded at the early part of the day, whilst he and Captain John Campbell, H.M. 38th regiment, your (second) aide-de-camp, who was a volunteer on the occasion, were cheering on some of the seamen who accompanied us[1].
“I have further to report, that the enemy, previous to their flight, threw some guns into a wet ditch that surrounded the fortifications. We found but two small ones, which were brought away. All the houses in both stockades were destroyed by fire, and a part of the palisade pulled down, before the return of the detachment to camp.”
Finer or more characteristic traits of British soldiers and sailors were never witnessed than on this occasion; the officers, less encumbered than their men, forming line breast-deep in mud and water, and passing the scaling ladders from one to another to be planted against the walls of the stockade. The Bengaleese sailors, however, in the row-boats, badly as they had often behaved before, were now more cowardly than ever; and a great part of the loss sustained by the assailants was occasioned entirely by their gross misconduct, a circumstance not adverted to by either Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly or Major Snodgrass. It amounted, altogether, to 6 men killed, and 39, including 4 officers, wounded.
In an official letter, addressed to Commodore Grant, of
- ↑ Mr. Maw received a ball in his head, and was obliged to return home for the recovery of his health.
