plain, and protected by one or more ditches cut in the sand, to which the enemy was said to be making additions.

On the evening of our arrival at Beni Bon Hussan, I communicated to the officers all the infor mation I had received respecting the place; and I further stated to them, that it was my wish not to seek any contest with the enemy till we had arrived at our position round the town; that the Artillery appeared to be the point in which our superiority was most decided; and that our object should be to get it into its position with as little contest as the enemy would permit.

The Imaum left a portion of his troops in his camp in the plain on the outside of the entrenched position of the British. The four light guns were manned with all the Arabs who had drawn the six, who also carried their arms. The Imaum's force had accumulated on the road, and the number which marched that morning has been stated by His Highness at two thousand. The number of Sepoys amounted to three hundred and twenty, exclusive of the old picquet of sixty men, which was ordered to follow the stores for present use, and to bring up the rear. The number of the enemy, from repeated and varied inquiries, amounted to nine hundred, and there were said to be eight guns, of small calibre, in the place.

The Artillery were directed to have their limbers completed with ammunition; and I made a point of ascertaining, by personal inquiry, that a proportion of case-shot for the howitzers, and of spherical case, for the six-pounders, made part of the stores conveyed from Soor, and were actually present in the limbers.

On leaving Beni Bon Hussan, the light company of the 1st battalion of the 2d regiment was directed to take the lead in extended order. In the event of mecting an enemy, it was directed to retire

as

as most convenient and to form behind the line in reserve. The new picquet, of sixty men, preceded the head of the column by a short distance, and was directed to support the light company, if required. Two guns were at the head of the column, after the picquet, and two followed.

Soon after leaving Balad Beni Bon Hussan, the Imaum informed me that the report of the morning was, that the enemy had resolved on attacking the force, by day if they could, and if not by night, Information on this was communicated to the detachment, who appeared to consider the appearance of the enemy outside his works, as a most desirable mode of bringing the question to a decision.

After proceeding about a mile and a half, the column cleared the jungle, and entered on an open country with a view to strengthen the line, the picquet in advance was directed to fall in upon the head of the column, and act as a company under the command of its' Officer.

The

On issuing from the jungle, the Imaum's force appeared on the left, and the Imaum with a few horse was seen riding forward to reconnoitre date-grove at the back of the town at the same time began to be distinguished on the right.

His Highness soon afterwards returned, and said, that the road lay further to the left. I requested him to select a guide, and he fixed upon the Sheik of Hiskem, who accordingly proceeded. The guide soon afterwards began to turn considerably to his left, or from the enemy, and was followed by the column

On proceeding further, a small number of the enemy on borseback became discernible in the direction of the town. The front towards the plain also began to open; some of the enemy on foot were afterwards observed on a ridge on the outside of the town, formed (as is usual in this country) of earth, thrown out of the date-groves to arrive

at

at a better soil. The force continued to move in its former direction.

Observing that the date-grove extended in the direction of the camp at Beni Bon Hussan, and afforded facilities for an advance upon that place, and also that the old picquet of sixty men had not appeared, I felt apprehensive that in case of any event, this party would be found neither at one place nor at the other, and therefore dispatched a written order to the Officer to remain in camp till further directions, and if met by the order to return.

As I was dispatching this order, an Officer rode to me, and said the enemy were numerous on the ridge. Conceiving this might be connected with the reported intention to attack, I directed the column to halt and form line. The Imaum also drew up his force in good order on the left. But no appearance of the enemy's moving being observed the column proceeded towards its original object.

A short time after the column was in motion, some shots from the light infantry announced a movement among the enemy, and the light infan try were seen retiring as had been directed. The enemy soon appeared in motion on the top of the ridge, and from the direction which he took, it was evident that his design was to turn the right by moving on a point beyond it.

I immediately directed the troops to form columns of sections to the right, and pass as quickly as possible behind the guns, the head of the column inclining towards the former rear, so as to make the new front parallel to the enemy's attack, form line, charge bayonets and advance. The last movement was unhappily not executed by the troops Seeing them hesitate, as no time was to be lost, I ordered them to fire; and the line opened its' fire upon the enemy. The Imaum with great promptitude moved his force to the right to close the interval, and a part of his men moved along the rear of the sepoys

en

engaged, and opened a fire of matchlocks upon such of the enemy as were again attempting to come round the right. The enemy at the same moment detached a part of his force towards the left of the sepoys, where they were met and vigorously encountered by the Imaum.

On seeing the direction of the enemy's attack, I immediately rode off to lead the right which was the point attacked. The enemy continuing to press forward, I was unable to leave the extremity of the right lest the sepoys should misconstrue my departure and give way, I therefore continued upon that point encouraging the sepoys to keep up their fire.

On observing the enemy within twenty yards, I again made an effort to induce the sepoys to use their bayonets, but without success; and while I was doing this, the whole of the sepoys turned together and threw themselves on the Imaum's troops who were behind.

As soon as the sepoys gave way I rode round them to endeavour to make them turn, and in doing this, I found myself in the middle of the Imaum's matchlocks who were still keeping up their fire towards the right. Finding no effect produced there, I rode to the place where the sepoys appeared to be the thickest, and endeavoured to make them turn round. A few of them turned and fired their muskets into the air over the heads of those that followed, and immediately resumed their flight, I also addressed myself to such of the Officers as I met with, and to some of the Europeans of the artillery but without effect.

On perceiving the Imaum at a distance I rode towards him, and found he had just been wounded. He had endeavoured to rescue a European who was cut down, and one of the enemy fired at him so close that the powder entered the wound, the ball passed through his right wrist.

After the sepoys had given way I

saw the Arabs

ad

advancing upon the whole front against the Imaum's army and I then saw the Imaum's force turn round and give way.

On afterwards comparing observations with His Highness, he said that the enemy who attacked the right appeared to him to consist of about four hundred and fifty, which agrees with what I observed, and that the party detached from these towards the left consisted of about a hundred and fifty.

The enemy, as far as I observed, advanced only with the sword till the sepoys gave way. But as soon as that happened, his matchlocks were brought forward with very fatal effect.

The pursuit was continued in the direction of the camp of Beni Bon Hussan, inclining a little to the right or towards the hills. Finding all efforts unavailing, on approaching the camp, I made the Arabs who were outside throw themselves into the intrenched camp, and called for the picquets. On finding them I directed the Officer of the picquet and an Officer of artillery, who had neither of them been in the action, to make preparations for defence, while I took out the picquet to the front. I particularly recommended this duty to the latter Officer, by saying to him, "you are of the artillery," I at the same time directed Mr. Sub Assistant Surgeon Fallon, of the Honourable Company's cruizer Prince of Wales, to take the best means in his power for securing the sick.

On proceeding with the sixty men of the picquet, I found myself on the flank of the pursuit. As soon as the enemy observed us, he advanced threatening with the sword, which was the first opportunity given for distinguishing him, and the picquet opened its' fire. The enemy then ceased to advance on the front of the piquet, and began moving rapidly round the two flanks, with a view to cut it off from the town, which made it necessary to retire. The Jemadar of the picquet, Jemadar Ratten Sing, of 1821. X

the