'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎230] (249/622)

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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
conveying his thanks to myself, and the officers and raen whose
services he did me the honour of accepting, which will be duly
communicated to them :—
" 6 Colonel the Hon. H. Dundas, Commanding Bombay Column
of Mooltan force, to Captain Powell, I.N., Commanding detach
ment of Seamen serving with the force before Mooltan, Camp,
Mooltan, 25th of January, 1849.
" 4 The operations before Mooltan having been brought to a
successful termination, I have the honour to request you will
accept for yourself, and convey to the officers and seamen under
your command, my thanks for the assistance you so willingly
rendered, and the service they gallantly rendered, in serving the
batteries, and sharing the fatigues which devolved on the artil
lery, with the order and intrepidity so truly characteristic of the
British sailor.'"
In his final despatch of the 22nd of January, General Whish
says :— 46 The services of Captain Powell, of the Indian Navy,
with the steamers under his command, have been of much
value to the Expedition; and a detail of seamen from the
vessels, have afforded material relief at the batteries on several
occasions."
The Governor-General also refers specially to Commander
Powell in his General Order, under date, "Ferozepore, 1st
February, 1849," conveying his thanks to General Whish, and
the brigadiers of his gallant army; and the Chairman of the
Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. , General Sir A. Galloway, mentioned the
officers and seamen of the Indian Navy, in the formal vote of
thanks to the army engaged in the Punjaub, proposed for the
acceptance of the Special General Court of Proprietors on the
24th of April. Of the Indian Navy he said in the course of his
speech:—"That distinguished body, under Captain Powell,
rendered efficient service and of the most important character
during the whole of the campaign."
Their immediate commander, Brigadier Leeson, says Com
mander Powell, 44 very handsomely acknowledged" the services
of the Indian Naval Brigade, of which the late Sir Herbert
Edwardes wrote in the following terms:— 44 It was a peculiarity
of this siege of Mooltan, that it was not only shared in by the
regular and irregular troops, but by British seamen. Com
mander Powell, of the Honourable East India Company's Navy,
had from the very commencement largely assisted the opera
tions against Mooltan, by rapidly conveying troops and military
stores, and cutting off enemy's boats by means of the steamers
of the Indus flotilla under his command. No sooner had the
second siege been regularly begun, than this indefatigable officer
conceived the idea of assisting the artillerymen, by volunteering
to work one of the heavy batteries with sailors of the Indian
Navy. The gallant offer was accepted, and throughout the