Two men of the Madras European regiment were missing soon after the arrival of the army at Rangoon, and have not been inserted in any of the returns, having being taken whilst straying from their line, and not whilst engaged with the enemy. F. TIDY, Lieut. Col. D. A.G. N. B.-The quantity of slugs made use of by the enemy, will account for great disparity in the proportions of killed and wounded. Copy of a Report from Brigadier-General M'Creagh to Brigadier-General Sir A. Campbell, dated on board the Honourable Company's Ship Ernead, River Rangoon, 11th June 1824. SIR, I HAVE the honour to report, that in execution of the service you assigned me, I anchored on the eastern side of the island of Cheduba, with the transport Anna Robertson in company, on the night of the 12th of last month, and found the other transport and His Majesty's ship the Slaney already there. I immediately conferred with Captain Mitchell, and on the 18th Lieutenant Mathews of that ship, made a bold and very intelligent reconnoissance up the small river on which the enemy's town is situated, and in our entire ignorance of the localities, his report was of essential use to me in arranging the disembarkation. The ships lay three miles from the shore, outside of a mud flat, which stretches parallel with the land, and is nearly dry at low water, and the coast on this side is covered with jungle to the edge, indeed the mouth of the river is not distinguishable at a very little distance. We moved towards it on the morning of the 14th, with as many men as the boats would hold-two hundred of His Majesty's 13th light infantry regiment, and one hundred of the 20th native infantry the water. On the southern bank a short distance up was an out post, which was immediately taken possession of by a small party from the leading boat, the Burmese retiring from it without resistance. The river varies in breadth from about forty to one hundred yards, the jungle on both sides extending far into About half a mile farther up the ground is clear and cultivated, and the enemy became visible, lining a trench of three hundred yards extent, on the edge of the northern bank, with their right flanked by a bridge over the river They permitted our boats to range along until the headmost arrived opposite their right, and then opened a fire of musketry and swivels, accompanied by flights of arrows. The bank was steep and somewhat difficult, but two or three parties of the 13th were soon on its summit in spite of the enemy's efforts, who opposed them with considerable boldness, a few minutes firing followed while the remaining boats landed their men, and they fled, leaving upwards of twenty killed and many wounded. Their village or town commences near the spot at which we had landed, and I immediately moved up the street in pursuit, on arriving at the end of it (about a quarter of a mile) we found a stockade, into which they had retired, and from which they opened a fire as soon as we appeared. It was a square of about two hundred yards each face, the outward piles from sixteen to twenty feet high, an embankment and a parapet within them, salient gateways in each face, and a triple row of railing round the entire exterior; appeared to be in good order, and the fire was from several six pounders, as well as swivels of various calibre and musketry I immediately lodged parties at such points close to the work as afforded tolerable cover, ordered the howitzer and two or three ship guns ashore, toge ther threr with the remainder of the sepoys, and meantime marked off a battery within a hundred yards of their front gateway. The weather now became exceedingly unfavourable, but as all gave their most hearty and zealous endeavours to the execution of what was pointed out to them, our want of proper materials, implements, and workmen was surmounted. Repeated feints upon the enemy's left sufficed to turn his attention from our working parties on his right, and during the night of the 19th two nine-pounders and a carronade on ship carriages, were placed in the battery, the hut that masked it pulled down, and it opened in the morning. Its fire was decisive on the gateway, which having been their last thoroughfare, was not so strongly embanked as the others. Having prepared. some seamen with axes and ropes to accompany the column I ordered it forward. It moved rapidly to its point, headed by Major Thornhill's company of His Majesty's 13th, a few moments sufficed to complete the destruction of the wounded spars, and we were speedily in the stockade, followed by the reserve under Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton, of the 20th native infantry. The Burmese Chief in command was killed near the point of attack: they abandoned their interior defences (a trench and breast-work) and fled through their rear gate, leaving a great number killed. Considering that throughout these little operations our investments were very close, and the enemy's fire kept up without any intermission, I am happy to say that our loss has been singularly small. Where all evinced not only ready obedience but the utmost zeal, it would be difficult to remark upon individual claims to notice, but my thanks are due to Lieutenant Colonel Hampton, commanding the detachment of the 20th native infantry, and to Brevet Major Thornhill, of His Majesty's 13th regiment, for the manner in which they and their 1824. Officers Officers and men fulfilled their duties; the latter Officer was wounded by a spear while leading his men into the stockade. I am also much indebted to Lieutenant Malins, of the 13th, (Brigade Major), for the active and valuable assistance he afforded me throughout. I must do myself the pleasure to acknowledge the cordial co-operation that I received from Captain Mitchell, of His Majesty's ship Slaney, who accompanied me at the disembarkation, and to whose readiness in affording me every assistance his ship could supply, the service was importantly indebted, and the exertions of his seamen under the immediate command of Lieutenant Matthews, in getting the guns landed and assisting in the battery, contributed essentially to accelerate the result. On the 19th, one of our reconnoitring parties under Captain Aiken, of His Majesty's 13th, succeeded in capturing the Rajah, who was concealed with some of his followers in the jungle a few miles in the interior. It appears that of six hundred Burmese, who about a month previous to our at tack were sent over to assist in the defence of the island, little more than three hundred survived the contest unhurt, and the Chedubans, whom they had mustered to assist in defence of the stockade, have also suffered considerably. The surviving Burmese passed over to the main land. Having made such arrangements regarding the island as circumstances admitted, I re-embarked the European part of my force, in conformity with your orders, and sailed with the ships Ernaad and Anna Robertson on the 3d of the present month, leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton, with his detachment of the 20th Native Infantry, and His Majesty's ship Slaney, in possession, and on the most friendly understanding with the inhabitants. On the 6th, we lost sight of the islands, on the 9th, we made Negrais with the intention of visiting and report ing to you the situation of the detachment you had ordered there, but the weather becoming so threatening as to render it unadvisable to risque ships in such a situation, I stood on for this place and an chored off the bar of the river this day. I enclose returns of our killed and wounded, and am happy to add that most of the latter are doing well. I have, &c. M. M'CREAGH, List of Officers, Seamen, and Marines, belonging to His Majesty's Ship Slaney, Charles Mitchell, Esq. Commander, who were killed or wounded at the Reduction of the Island of Cheduba. John Parr, Corp. Mar. killed; John Thompson, C. MITCHELL, Captain H.M. Return of Killed and Wounded of the Force under the Command of Brigadier M'Creagh, C. B. from the 14th to the 17th of May 1824, both Days inclusive. H. C. Artillery-1 gunner, 1 gun lascar, wounded. Total 2. H. M. 13th Light Infantry-1 rank and file killed; 1 brevet major, 1 ensign, 1 serjeant, 1 bugler, 16 rank and file, wounded. Total-I killed; 20 wounded. 2d Batt. |