entering about the same time as the party at the breach; the first man who appeared on the top of the work being Major R. H. Sale, of the 13th Foot.[1] The stockade was carried in a few minutes, and the enemy were driven into the jungle, leaving behind them 150 dead, and among them the Burmese commander, whose gilt umbrella, denoting his rank, was found shattered by a shower of grape-shot. Our troops passed the night under arms, amidst a storm of pitiless rain, under the dripping trees of the jungle, or in the inundated rice-fields; but on the following morning, when they marched to storm the remaining works of this formidable position, they found them entirely deserted, the Burmese having gone off in a panic to another stockaded post, several miles in the rear of Kemmendine.
For a time there seemed to be a general pause and terror on the side of the Burmese, who had now evacuated every stockade in the neighbourhood of Rangoon. But by the end of June they appeared to have somewhat recovered from their dismay; and on the last day of that month all the woods in front of our position again exhibited bustle and commotion. Eight thousand men had crossed to the Rangoon side of the river: the jungles around seemed animated; clouds of rising smoke marked the encampments of the different corps of the Burmese army in the forest; and their noisy preparations for attack formed a striking contrast to the still and quiet aspect of the British line.[2]
The Shoodagon pagoda being the key of the British position, was garrisoned by a whole battalion of English troops; while two roads running from the pagoda to the town were occupied by our forces, native and European; the minor pagodas, bonze houses, and pilgrims' houses along those two roads affording good shelter to the troops against the inclemency of the season, and some shelter
