'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎310] (329/622)

310
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
"Would you allow us to be the forlorn hope as we are living
ashore and have got nothing else to do, and
44 We remain, honoured Sir,
44 Your most obedient servants."
(Here followed the signatures of the crew, in their watches
and with their ratings opposite their names.)
The gallant Brigadier was the last man to refuse such a
request, and almost the entire ship's company, under the
charge of a lieutenant and two midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. , with field-pieces,
accompanied the force.
On the 18th of March, 1858, Brigadier Coghlan inarched out
of Aden with a force of two or three companies of H.M.'s 57th
Regiment, a wing of the 29th Bombay Native Infantry, and
the detachment of seamen.
The force was unopposed till it arrived within two miles of
the village of Sheikh Othman, when the Arabs opened fire under
cover of the hillocks, where they had taken up their advanced
position. The British main body being halted, the enemy were
dislodged from their cover by skirmishers sent out from both
flanks, aided by the guns, and a small detachment of horse.
This operation discovered about five hundred men, under the
command of a brother of the Abdali chief, mostly mounted on
camels, who disputed the ground with obstinate bravery and
considerable skill, but in less than an hour gave way. Brigadier
Coghlan then advanced upon the fort and village, which were
quickly stormed by the sailors, the first to enter the village,
cutlass in hand, being a gallant young midshipman An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. , Mr. Mon
tagu H. Jones, # who outran his men, like Achilles, <4 podos-
akus," (swift of foot) and, heedless of aught but the honour of
being 44 in at the death," received a wound as he vaulted lightly
over the low wall. The Arabs now retired to some distance,
and, about ten a.m., on being joined by considerable reinforce
ments from the direction of Lahej, spread themselves over the
country, evidently intending to contest the further advance oi
the British in that direction.
Shortly after, a parley was demanded, and three ot t e
Abdali chiefs came forward, and solicited, on the part of ^ u |^ n
Ali, the cessation of hostilities, pledging themselves to conce e
all the British demands, and stating their readiness to
to Aden to treat for peace. Satisfied with their good fait , e
* This young officer realized all that Marryat wrote in his wildest im a ginings
reckless dare-devil midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. . Montagu Hornby Jones won ive
maintop-gallant yard-arm or under the ship's bottom, and per orm
would seem impossible to any but the genus midshipman An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. . e ^
-of the late General Sir Harry Jones, R.E., G.C B., who led the Morn hope
nt San Sebastian, and was worthy of such a father, possessing ^
would have made him a Cochrane had opportunity permi e • „ K nes
off within two years of the Lahej Expedition, and m penning -
the author fulfils a pleasing duty to the memory of a friend an a p d
young officer.