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.
   407   408   409   410   411   412   413   414   415   416   417