'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎519] (538/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
519
have had more confidence; however, they appear to have re
covered. The firing from the ships is heavier than the whole
of the shore batteries pat together. H.M.'s sloop 4 Glive'
arrived on the 25th, when a naval brigade was formed, con
sisting of three lieutenants—Lieutenant Sedley commanding,
Lieutenant Crockett from the 6 Ferooz,' and Lieutenant Hall from
the 6 Zenobia'—nine midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. , and one hundred and twenty
blue-jackets. These landed on the 26th, and the next morning
at once took up a position about a hundred and fifty yards from
the outer fort and temples, taking possession of a square look
out tower. They were not long left in peace here, for the
enemy commenced a heavy fire of musketry, and after a short
time brought a gun to bear on them. Before dark they had two
officers. Lieutenant Hall and Mr. Midshipman An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. Pulman, and
four men wounded. They had brought a 12-pounder fieldpiece
up with them, but it became disabled after a few rounds; so
they had no means of silencing the enemy's gun, and there was
no cover for them beyond that afforded at the back of the
square tower, the single walls of which were too thin to resist
round shot, and there was barely room for one hundred and
thirty men. However, Lieutenant Sedley was determined to
hold the position at all hazards, as it was an important one.
" That night the Waghers made a sortie in two parties,
one in front and one round by the beach under the high ground
on which the town stands. They rushed on, yelling like
fiends, but were repulsed with great loss—killed one sea
man and wounded five others. The man who was killed was
almost cut in two and otherwise frightfully mangled. The
number of the enemy killed is not known, but they were three
hours carrying away their wounded. There must already have
been a great number killed, as every night large fires are seen
burning their dead. Yesterday two more wounded were added
to the Naval Brigade casualties, in trying to take possession of
an advanced fort. When I say trying, it was taken; and
before you could make that popular exclamation 6 Jack Robin
son/ a midshipman An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. was climbing up to the top of the temple,
and in five minutes more the Union-Jack was flying where the
Wagher flag had been. The breastworks the enemy had built
up were knocked down; the party then retired, as the place
was too large and in too crumbling a state to hold, and there
was a heavy fire of musketry on them. The batteries are hard
at work as I write, and the ships will open fire again in a few
minutes. On the evening of Sunday, the 30th, the Waghers
made a sortie on the sailors' battery, but were repulsed with
severe loss. Early on Tuesday morning they evacuated the
fort, cutting their way through the pickets of the 28th Regi
ment, severely wounding one officer and three men. ihey
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