'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎249] (268/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
249
both sides, so that the shot would have no effect; however, we
passed on and anchored directly above them, and just opposite
the town and great Pagoda. Here Captain Campbell was
ordered to superintend the troops landing, which was no sooner
done, our boats being first on shore, than they advanced to the
walls, which were so close that our interpreter called to them
to open the gates and give up; but they answered they would
shoot us all, and sure enough they opened a furious fire upon
us, the balls not only flying thick as hail round us on shore,
but even peppered those on board the ship. It was a thrilling
moment to see our gallant fellows rush up to the walls and
scramble in; in an instant, several were knocked over, but
nothing daunted the others ran along driving the enemy in
hundreds from every point, our guns playing on them all the
time. After clearing the town of all that survived, the troops
then attacked the mud fort I mentioned before as only just
made; here they found a great part of the enemy who had fled
before them. A hard fight took place, the.fort was very strong,
being surrounded by a deep ditch, too wide and deep to get
across, but a few planks were found and over these about sixty
brave fellows rushed and up the sides in a moment, under a
tremendous fire from three thousand men, who were crowded
inside and formed a compact line on the top ; dreadful carnage
ensued, the men being made desperate by the number of their
comrades and officers shot in the advance; three hearty cheers
showed us all was over, and by 6.30 p.m. every place had been
stormed and taken. While all this was going on, Captain
Campbell was ordered to attack the stockade on the other side
of the river, which mounted six guns and was full of men,
who gave us much annoyance, their shells striking the ship and
whizzing past us pretty thick. He took the men of the 'Moo-
zuffer' and 'Sesostris,' total one hundred and forty, and away
we went at a run, found the gates open at the back, and in we
popped, before the fellows had well made out what we were
doing. There were five hundred men in the place, who only
stood a few minutes and then fled pell-mell out, when a great
many were shot down or bayoneted, and we no sooner got hold
of their guns than we peppered them well with their own cannon,
and then set the whole place on fire; the whole affair was quickly
done, and we got on board by six o'clock. About sixty of the
enemy were killed and wounded besides those killed before by
the ships' guns."
A total of fifty-four guns and thirty-two jingalls were cap
tured in the works at Bassein. In the notification, issued by
the Governor-General, under date. Fort William, 5th June,
1852, his Lordship says ;—
"In ascending for sixty miles a river still very imperfectly
known, in effecting the landing of the troops, and capturing the