1841.
Bengal Governmental Notifications.
541
and apparently but few matchlocks amongst them. Within two hours, however, from 7000 to 8000 men had collected and displayed numerous banners. When I first moved, I had ordered captain Knowles, of the royal artilliery, to bring out a few rockets, but our advance was so rapid that he did not get them up, until the repulse of the first body.
32. At this moment, the heat of the sun was hardly supportable, and both officers and men were greatly exhausted. I must here state, and with sincere sorrow, that major Becher, deputy quarter master general, a most estimable and willing officer, whose service throughout the previous operations were as credita- ble to him, as they were satisfactory to me, fell by my side from over-exertion, and expired within a few minutes. My aid-de-camp captain Gough, was also alarmingly unwell from the same cause, and I ordered him back to camp, when the enemy were repulsed, but hearing that the Chinese were again assembling, he returned, and meeting the Bengal Volunteers, very judiciously brought them back. 33. The Chinese having advanced in great force, some rockets were fired at them, but although thrown with great precision, appeared to have little effect, and as the approach of a thunder storm was evident, I became anxious, before it broke, to disperse this assemblage, whose approach bespoke more determination than I had previously witnessed. I ordered major Pratt to attack a large body who were advancing through the paddy fields on his left, and to clear the hills to his front. Capt. Duff, with the 37th Madras N. I. supported by the Bengal Vo- lunteers under captain Mee, I ordered to advance direct to his front and dislodge a body, which had reöccupied the post, that we had previously burned, and then push forward and clear the hills to his front. I witnessed with much satisfaction the spirited manner in which these officers executed my orders, and the enemy were driven in at all points. The right of the 37th being threatened by a military post at the foot of the hills to our right, the Bengal Volunteers dispersed the oc- cupants. This however separated them from the 37th Madras N. I., and perceiv ing that this latter corps was advancing further than I intended, I ordered captain Ommaney, (of the 3d Madras light cavalry, who with lieutenant Mackenzie of H. M. 90th regiment, accompanied me as amateurs,—and both were most zealous and useful in conveying my orders) to direct the Bengal Volunteers to move up to its support. Captain Duff meanwhile, to open his communication with the 26th on his left, had detached a company under lieut. Hadfield for that purpose.
34. The thunder storm was now most awful, and finding that as our men ad- vanced, the Chinese retired, I considered that it would be injudicious to follow them further, and directed the whole to fall back. The rain continued to fall in torrents, and most of the fire locks had got wet, at one time the 26th had been unable to fire a single musket, this emboldened the Chinese, who, in many in- stances, attacked our men hand to hand, and the 26th had frequently to charge bodies that advanced close to them.
35. As the Chinese, even in this mode of warfare, could make no impression, they retreated, and the 26th and 37th Madras N. I. and Bengal Volunteers fell back. Understanding from captain Duff that his detached company was with the 26th I directed the whole, after a short halt, to return to our position, and was exceedingly annoyed on the force concentrating, to find the detached company, under lieut. Hadfield, had never joined the 26th, I immediately ordered two com- panies of marines with the percussion locks to return with captain Duff to the