In the beginning of May 1824, he caught the jungle fever, while indefatigably exerting himself in procuring a supply of water for the Rangoon expedition, assembled at Port Cornwallis, in the Great Andaman island[1]. On the 3d June following, two boats under his directions, proceeding from Rangoon to Kemmendine, in advance of a reconnoitring force headed by Sir Archibald Campbell, “carried a small stockade and brought off an 18-pounder carronade: they were afterwards engaged under a most harassing fire of great guns and musketry from another stockade, and suffered severely, though infinitely less than could have been expected on such service.” On this occasion, the senior naval officer present officially reported, that “he had every reason to be much satisfied with the co-operation of Lieutenant Thomas Fraser, who commanded the Larne’s pinnance, and whose exemplary zeal and gallantry were both conspicuous[2].”
The numerous fire-rafts which the enemy sent down from Kemmendine, had hitherto kept the naval force at Rangoon in a constant and harassing state of exertion. The incessant annoyance experienced from these attacks rendered it necessary that the stockades which commanded that part of the river should be occupied by the British forces; and they were accordingly attacked and carried on the 10th June. About three thousand troops were employed on this occasion, commanded by Sir Archibald Campbell in person: the naval force consisted of two of the Hon. Company’s cruisers, six gun-vessels, six row-boats, and a proa, the whole under the command of Lieutenant Fraser, whose official report is given in p. 12, et seq, of our “Narrative of the Naval Operations.”
On the 8th July, being then in command of the Satellite armed transport. Lieutenant Fraser accompanied Sir Archibald Campbell to the attack of a fortified and commanding point of laud, which not only obstructed the navigation of the river above Kemmendine, but afforded an excellent situa-
