received a smart running fire from jingals and musketry, which was returned with showers of grape from the Satellite; and observing the enemy evidently in confusion, I directed the troops and scaling ladders to be immediately landed, and in a few minutes every work about the place was in our possession. During this night, some fire-rafts, of a most formidable appearance, were floated down the river; but very fortunately they passed without touching any of the vessels.
“At 6 o’clock next morning, we again moved with the tide, and in passing a narrow neck of land at the junction of two rivers, were received with a brisk discharge of musketry from a long line of breast-works, and a cannonade from a very large stockade on our right. The fire of the latter was soon silenced by the well-pointed guns of the Satellite.
“The troops and pioneers were ordered then to land, and this formidable stockade was carried by assault without a struggle. It is, without exception, the strongest work of the kind I have ever seen – the length of the front and rear faces is 200 yards, and that of the side faces 150. It is built of solid timber, fifteen feet high, with a platform inside all round, five feet broad and eight feet from the ground – upon this platform were a number of wooden guns, and piles of single and double-headed wooden shot, and many jingals; below, we found seven pieces of brass and iron ordnance. In front, the stockade is strengthened by breast-works and regular demi-lunes, and would contain with ease above 2,000 men. In the centre of this strong hold, we found the magnificent bungalow of the Kee Wongee, who, I presume, fled early in the day. I cannot doubt but the enemy’s loss must have been severe, though we only found seventeen dead bodies, which they had not time to carry off.
“The advanced boats having pushed up the river some miles, without seeing any other works, I considered the objects you had in view fully accomplished, and we accordingly began to move back to Rangoon. * * * * * * * * * I cannot adequately acknowledge my obligations to Captain Chads, for his zealous, judicious, and cordial co-operation; and the spirited conduct of Lieutenant Kellett, in command of the advanced boats, attracted the notice of every one. * * * * * * * I need scarcely add, that every officer and man evinced, on all occasions, that cheerful readincss and determined valour you have so often witnessed. * * * * Much powder, and an immense quantity of petroleum oil, and warlike stores, were destroyed at the different stockades.”
The naval officers employed in this expedition were Lieutenants William Burdett Dobson, Augustus Henry Kellett, and George Goldfinch; Mr. Lett, master’s-mate, and Messrs. James Ward Tomlinson, (son of Captain, now Rear-Admiral Nicholas Tomlinson), Archibald Reed, George Winsor,
