1841.
Bengal Governmental Notifications..
539
ther explained, that captain Elliot, H. M. plenipotentiary, was with the advanced squadron to the south of the city, and that if I did not receive a communication from him, or had not a sarisfactory interview with the general, I should, at the termination of the two hours, order the white flag to be struck.
21. As the general did not make his appearance, althongh numerous messages were received between this time (about noon) and 4 P. M., I hauled down the white flag. The enemy however did not, which was rather convenient, as it enabled me to get up my guns and ammunition, without exposing my men to fire.
22. During the night of the 26th, everything was prepared on our side, with the exception of one 12 pounder howitzer, the carriage of which had been disabled, the guns, by the indefatigable exertion of the officers and men of the royal artillery and Madras artillery and sappers, were placed in position. All was ready, and the necessary orders were given for opening the batteries at 7 o'clock on the morning of the 27th, and for the assault at 8, in 4 columns.
23. The right column, composed of the royal marines under captain Ellis, had directions to pass through a deserted village to the right of the north gate, to blow the gate open with powder bags if possible, and if not, to escalade a circular work thrown up as a second defense to that gate.
24. The second column on the right, consisting of the brigade of seamen, under captain Bourchier, was directed to make the assault by escalade on the opposite side of the circular defense, where the wall appeared comparatively low, covered by a heavy fire of musketry from the hill within pistol shot of the walls. This column would have been exposed only to the fire of a few flanking guns, which I calculated would have been kept under by the fire of the covering party.
25. The 18th Royal Irish, under lieutenant-colonel, Adams, were ordered to advance from the rear of a hill close to the five storied pagoda, and to escalade the walls behind this pagoda, (which was not flanked except by one gun) although they were high, from 28 to 30 feet, but I hoped by the concentrated fire of the guns to have reduced an exceedingly high and apparently slight parapet. The escalade of this corps was to be covered by the Bengal Volunteers and a company of the 37th M. N. I.
26. The left assault was to be made by the 49th, under lieut.-colonel Morris. This corps was directed to escalade by a bastion directly in front of and com- manded by the principal fort in our possession, called by the Chinese Yung-Kang. tai, the fire of musketry from which would have prevented the enemy from making use of their guns. To strengthen this attack, two companies of the 37th M. N. I. were to occupy the heights and keep up a rapid fire upon the wall.
27. The ground was peculiarly favorable for these several attacks, and for the effective fire of the covering parties, without a chance of injuring the assailants. The heights which we occupied are froin 90 to 250 paces from the city wall, with a precipitous glen intervening. On making a lodgement on the walls, each column was to communicate with and support that on its inner flank, and when united, to make a rush for the fortified hill within the walls, on which the artillery was directed to paly from the moment the advance was sounded. I directed captain Knowles to ascertain, as far as practicable, by the fire of heavy rockets. and shells, whether it was niinded, which alone I apprehended-the Chinese, usu- ally forming their mines so as to make them liable to explosion by such means.
28. The flags of truce still appeared upon the walls at daylight on the 27th,
|
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.