'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎250] (269/622)

250
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
city, the fort, and the stockaded defences on both sides of the
river, fully garrisoned and armed, and in accomplishing all this
with very unequal numbers, and within the limits of a single
day, the combined forces at Bassein performed a gallant and
spirited service, which well deserves the approbation and ap
plause of the Government of India His Lordship in
Council desires especially to mark his sense of the services
rendered by Major Errington, H.M.'s 51st Light Infantry, cora-
manding the detachment of troops at Bassein, and to Commander
Campbell, of the Indian Navy, by whom the stockade upon the
right bank of the river was stormed and taken. Equal acknow
ledgments are due to Lieutenant Rice, R.N., to Lieutenants
Elliot and Nightingale, R.N., to Commander Hewett, to Lieu
tenant Robinson and Lieutenant Lewis, Indian Navy."
Two days were occupied in arranging for the occupation of
Bassein, for the protection of which the 'Sesostris' was left.
At daybreak, on the 22nd of May, the squadron weighed for
Rangoon, where they arrived on the 23rd, after an absence of
seven days.
Commander Campbell was not idle while at Bassein. but gave
vent to his active disposition in ascending the river a distance
of forty miles, to dislodge a native chief who had taken up a
position with three thousand men, but withdrew on the ap
proach of the steamer. He also performed an act of humanity,
which redounded as much to his credit as his gallantry at
Rangoon and Bassein, in effecting the rescue of the crew of a
British ship, which had been wrecked on the Andaman Islands.
This was the more praiseworthy as Commander Campbell, in
order to execute it, was under the necessity of leaving Bassein
without naval protection for two days, and had an attack been
made by the Burmese during his absence, he would have got
into serious trouble.^
* We gather the following details from a letter written to a Madras paper,
under date tlie Gth of September, by the late Captain Biden, Master -Attendant
at Madras, a gentleman deservedly respected:—
"In July last, the ship 4 Elizabeth,' when bound from the coast of Arracan to
Calcutta, was unfortunately wrecked in Duncan's Passage, which lies between
the northern group of the Andamans and the little Andaman in 11° N. ine
captain and crew were saved, and left the wreck in the only seaworthy boat tney
had, and proceeded under lee of the Andamans to the nearest port of reiuge,
but encountering rough weather and a heavy swell, with a scanty supply of water
and provisions, the lives of all, in their frail barque, were in such jeopardy tna ,
by mutual consent, it was agreed to land a portion of the crew on the mos
secluded and sheltered spot they could find on the Andamans, and that e
captain and others should proceed to Moulmein or Eangoon for the purpose o
obtaining the means of rescue to those left on shore. ^ By great good fortune e
' Elizabeth's' boat (having, I believe, missed Moulmein and Eangoon) P
mouth of the Bassein Eiver, a distance of three hundred miles, and, to e
unspeakable joy, found lying in the river the Hon. Company's steam- riga
( Sesostris.' They pulled alongside, and reported the forlorn and perilous p ig
of their shipmates who were left destitute of the means of support, and a
mercy of the barbarous savages of the Andamans, should their lurking p