Page 412 - INDIANNAVYV1
P. 412
—
.380 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY.
Orders, is pleased to direct that the augmentation shall bear date
the 1st of Jamiar}', 1818, that day having been fixed upon in
commemoration of the heroic conduct of the 1st Battalion 1st
Regiment of Native Infantry of this establishment, in the
memorable action of Corrygaum, when it bravely and success-
fully defended itself against an attack of the Peishwa's army.
The Marine Battalion is accordingly formed into a regiment
and denominated the 11th Regiment Native Infantry."
The following General Order was published by the Com-
mander-in-Chief:
"The 11th Regiment Native Infantry is to wear dark green
facings, gold epaulettes and yellow buttons. The 1st Battalion
will continue the anchor as a device placed under the number
of the regiment, and the 2nd Battalion will be distinguished
only by the numerical number XL"
In order to reinforce the small detachment employed against
Severndroog, an additional detail, under Captain Francis
Farquharson, had been sent oflF, with artillery, but arrived too
late to be employed in that service, the place having surrendered
the day before they reached the harbour of Severndroog.
Shortly afterwards a small force, including fifty men of the 1st,
or Marine Battalion, 11th Regiment, under Lieutenant Capon,
with the details from the corps serving as marines in the
cruisers and pattamars employed in that quarter, under Captain
Farquharson, assisted in reducing the strong forts of the
Concan, where they displayed a gallantry which repeatedl}''
called forth the thanks of the Governor in Council.
Towards the close of September, 1819, a force being under
orders to proceed to the Persian Gulf, for the purpose of
reducing the piratical States, a detachment from the Marine
Battalion, consisting of two captains, four lieutenants, four
Native ofiicers, ten havildars, and one hundred and eighty rank
and file, was ordered to form part of the Expedition. Whilst
the Expedition was occupied in the reduction of Ras-ul-Khymah,
the men of the battalion serving on board the cruisers, were
landed, and, with their comrades on shore, formed into a
Provisional battalion under the command of Captain
Deschamps. A native officer of the battalion, Subahdar Sheikh
Nathoo was appointed aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir W.
Grant Keir. On the conclusion of this service, two companies
remained to form part of the garrison of Ras-ul-Khymah, and
participated in the ill-fated expedition against the Beni-boo-Ali
Arabs in November, 1820. On this occasion Lieutenant Short,
one subahdar, three jemadars, one colour-havildar,nine havildars,
three naiques, three drummers, and sixty-eight privates were
killed, and only twent}' privates survived to return to Kishm.
In a future chapter we will continue the records of the Marine
Battalion from this date.