'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎275] (294/622)

HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY.
275
Commander Rennie displayed the usual generosity of his
cloth, for which he was specially noted in the Service, by con-
Commissioner, to co-operate with the officer commanding the garrison, and to-
assemble a force sufficient to expel the Burmese troops from the province. On
applying to the commandant he could not spare a man, having no authority to
detach any from the garrison, his command being restricted to its defence. I was
thus left to my own resources, and finding that, combining with the c Nemesis,' I
could muster eighty bayonets, I at once acceded to Fytche's request, and started
next morning, the 21st, in the 'Nemesis' to meet the 'Zenobia's' boats. We
went on in the ' Nemesis' until the creek shoaled to six feet, when we started in
our boats, and after a severe pull, reached the enemy's outposts at two p.m. on
the 22nd. This was a strong position, a stockade on the left bank, with two
jingalls, and defended by two hundred and fifty men armed with muskets, whilst
at the distance of one hundred yards in front, they had staked the creek right
across in tiers, so as to prevent our advance. The moment we came within range
they opened fire, but a discharge of grape and canister from our seven boats
speedily sent them to the right about, and in a few minutes we opened a passage
through the stakes ; the men jumping into the water and cutting a way through
with pole-axes. We burned the stockade and pushed on for Khan Gree Groung,
where they had eight hundred men; the dose at the stockade proved too strong
for the nerves of the Burmese, and when we reached the village we found they
had bolted, leaving everything behind them. Our native allies, amounting to
some two thousand, went after them, and so hotly were they chased that the
chief who commanded, threw off all his gold clothing, his culottes, &c., even to his
long stockings, all of which were picked up and brought in. They retreated to
Eugma, sixteen miles inland, and we started after them the next morning at
daylight. At Eugma they had twelve hundred men, eight hundred with muskets
and four hundred with dhaos and spears, and when within four or five miles of
the place, Eytche, who was well in advance with the natives, came on their
advance guard, consisting of about four hundred men, and was charged by the
chief in person on horseback, whose career was put a stop to by a bullet from
Fytche's unerring gun, upon which his followers broke and fled, and never stopped
until clear of the village; for, on our coming up with the guns, which we dragged
by hand, I could only see a knot of about seventy men—these a single discharge
sent off at double quick time, and leaving Manderson in charge of the artillery, I
went on after them with the blue-jackets, but never got within reach of them.
We then burned the village, or rather town, for it contained three thousand
houses, and bivouacked on an open plain. Our scouts gave us reason to believe
that the Burmese meditated an attack on us during the night; their pluck failed
them, and, save by a few distant shots, we were left undisturbed. The next
morning we returned to the boats, and the morning after to the Nemesis,' getting
back to her at sunset, after a pull of eleven hours' duration.
"Next morning, the 26th, we started off, towed by the 4 Nemesis,' up Bassein
River, to examine the Menghee's position; but as he was known to have with
him three thousand armed men, eight hundred of whom were tried Ava soldiers,
we scarcely hoped for a successful result. We paddled along all that day, anchor
ing at sunset, and, proceeding on the following morning, reached a large town at
noon on the 27th. We expected to have found the enemy posted twelve miles
inland from this, but on arrival we learned he had vacated two hours previous,
and was then near Lamena, some twenty-eight miles further up the river ; so on
to Lamena we went in the boats and arrived there at dark on the 28th. After
some little trouble we got intelligence of the Menghee's position, stated to be only
six miles inland of us, that he had got three thousand fighting men with him
and coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. , women, &c., in all about ten thousand. However, Eytche was con-
hdent of success, and on we went at daylight, and by attaching our guns to
bullock-carts got on very well till nearly noon, when we reached the position he
had occupied the night previous; but instead of six miles it was twelve, and
instead ot the Menghee moving at sunrise, as stated to us he would, he had
started at two a.m., and was now eight miles in advance. We went on four miles
turtlier, when our men being quite knocked up with the heat, we halted and
coo ed our dinner, sending out spies to bring u& intelligence of the aid man, a
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