Page 471 - INDIANNAVYV1

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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 430

In concluding his report of the action to the Governor-
—
General, Commodore Hayes says : " I iiave to bring to your
Soon afterwards the enemv
erroneously). At three p.m. made the signal No. 1.
opened liis fire upon the gunboats, ' Gunga Saugor' and 'Vestal,' the headmost
vessels; when the 'Research' got within half-pistol shot, we commenced alieavv
cannonade and steady lire of musketry upon tlie stockade and breastwork, wliich
was returned by the enemy with great regularity and spirit (his musketry in par-
ticular being tenfold that of our whole force). On ranging to the northern end
of tlie stockade witli intent to anchor and Hank it, as well as to allow the other
vessels room to come into action, we found ourselves raked from forward by
another stronger battery and stockade, which we had no idea of, nor were the
latter works known to our informants, whicii may be the case, considering the
rapidity witli wiiicli the Burmese throw up their works of defence. I am not
inclined to impute treachery to our informants, although it is dillieult to suppose
them ignorant of sucii nnportant works. Finding myself disappointed, aiul our
best men falling fast, wore round and ranged up again from tlie southward, in
like manner as before covered the otiier vessels engaged, and ordered them otJ',
after a severe conflict of two hours' duration. Seeing tliat any further contest
was a useless waste of the lives of my brave companions (as we neither had men
enough to keep the place if taken, nor sullicient means to land them with efl'ect,
owing to the absence of the 'Pluto' steam gun-vessel, upon which I liad calcu-
lated upon landing one hundred men on the beach, under her commanding
battery), having seen the whole clear, wore round again. On hauling to the
wind, grounded about lialf-a-mile from tlie stockade, as did the ' Asseerghur '
and ' Asia Felix ' transport, tlie ' Isabella ' transport liaving grounded previously
did not join in the action. The contest terminated about five p.m., and altliough
the vessels mentioned remained in the position, they grounded until three a.m.
next morning. The enemy did not attempt to fire at any of thcin, which sliows
the crippled state he was reduced to better than any other comment ; in fact, the
river part of the stockade and breastwork was completely battered down, and the
works deserted by the enemy, who retreated into liis other stronger liold, so that
our possession of tlie deserted one would have availed us notliing, as we could
not have maintained it with our small force, and left the vessels capable of defence.
I grieve to state, in the first mstance, the premature fate of my valued friend,
Major Schaleh, who was mortally wounded by my side on the front part of the
poop, and fell into my arms ; he lingered in great agony until half- past three
this morning, when his gallant spirit fled for ever. In the next place, 1 liave to
lament the loss of ilr. Rogers, second officer of tlie ' Research ;' tlie other
lamented disasters are detailed in the casualty reports, licrewith submitted for
his Excellency's information, the whole of wiiich were occasioned by the enemy's
musketry, althougli he fired from several pieces of ordnance and numerous
jingals. To account for our loss, I need only add that the river part of tlie
Burmese works is not more than musket range across, aud that the ' Researcli
was never without pistol shot while in action with the enemy on the 'Sird
instant.
"I am impelled by a sense of comnujii justice due to the troops, to express my
admiration of the steady and gallant eoiiihut of H..M"s. 5 Itli, the .Matlra.s details
of the lUth and IGlh JN'ative Infantry, the lltli Bombay Native Infantry, and
Calcutta Militia present on this occasion ; anil I hunibiy prosume to recommend
Captains Grindley and Tolson, and the oHlcers under their command, to liis
Excellency's consideration. Lieutenant Coote, of lI.M's. olth, fought by my
side, and a more gallant otiieer 1 have never seen in action. The gunboats were
admirably served and exceeded my expectation, aa did the ' Trusty ' and ' A.^ia
Felix ' transport. All the oOicers and men of the larger vessels of war did
justice to the higli character I had jireviously formed of them, and every elTort
whicli can be drawn from courage, zeal, and ability, may be confidently oxpoetcil
from the whole on the most arduous service hereafler.
i> y_—While writing the above di^a.strous report, I was visited by Xflmrne,
>'
the Jemadar of Oratuiig district, who says lie made his escape from Cliamballa
when we drove the enemy out of the soutlicru stockade; he adtled that wviTnl
more Mugh heads of villages got oil' at the same time, that there were three