'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎280] (299/622)

280
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
On the 5th Commander Rennie marched to a large village
ten miles in advance of My gee, the inhabitants of which had
taken refuge in a junk and begged his protection from Mya-
toon ; several natives and one seaman died here from cholera.
He sent messengers to Bassein for provisions on the 6th, and,
on the following day, letters were received from Commodore
Lambert from Pantanno, from Captain Smith, the Com
missioner, from Donabew, distant about twenty miles from
Mya-toon's position, stating that Sir John Cheape had received
reinforcements and would positively march on that day, and
from Captain Garden, the Deputy Quartermaster-General, en
closing a sketch of the route by which Sir John intended to
advance. On the evening of the 9th supplies arrived from
Bassein, and, on the following day, Lieutenant Pearse, E.N.,
brought three days' provisions, sent by Captain Tarleton from
Pantanno. Commander Rennie had determined to march again
to the support of the main, forco^and only awaited the return of
three of his boats which he had sent to Atoung, twenty miles
up the river, under Lieutenant Sedley, when a scout came in
with a report that Sir John Cheape was held iti^'check by
Mya-toon. On learning this news, notwithstanding that the
native auxiliaries were greatly disheartened, he marched at seven
p.m. on the 11th of March, and arrived, at noon on the following
day, at Atoung, where two letters were received, of that morning's
date, from Captain Smith, stating that Sir John had determined
on retiring, and, being in want of guidei and provisions, was
Fytche told me there would be trouble to bold tbem on tbe left bank any longer,
tbat their ammunition was all done, and that any advance was totally out of the
question. We supplied them with a small quantity of powder to induce them to
hold out a little longer, upon which they re-opened the ball, and in the meantime
Sedley carried over our carts, ammunition, guns, &c., and in an hour and a half's
time they reported all over but the rocket tube and eight men. The rocket I
fired and then carried over, when having mustered all hands we returned to our
boats, not a man hurt, not a thing left behind, we bringing with us a brass jingall
as a trophy, and all things considered, though at the time I was averse to the
retreat, yet I now think it was by far the best thing we could have done. I was
relying on the certainty of Sir John Cheape being up that morning, so that, if
deserted by all our natives, we could have held our own, and it was not until the
5th that we were made aware of the flank movement by Sir John having been
converted into a retreat to Donabew, where they halted and sent to Rangoon for
reinforcements. Our native allies no sooner found out that we were crossing the
creek, than they followed the same course, only not in the same quiet manner,
and over they came, yelling like devils and swimming. By degrees, from the
noise made, the enemy knew we were retiring, and accordingly followed us to the
bank, yet with great caution, for we were all over some time before they fired at
us, and, it being a dense fog, their firing passed us harmlessly. Our total loss
amounted to eleven killed and wounded, all natives; and the enemy acknow
ledged losing from thirty to forty. Out of the host who marched from the Dugga
with us, only forty accompanied' us back, the remainder disappeared in the jungle.
We returned by a capital road a little to the west of the one we advanced by, and
remaining at a small village till our boats came down, returned to Mygee at nve
p.m., where we found the people in great alarm, fancying Mya-toon would revenge
himself by burning their village."