shells of the besiegers by numerous well-contrived traverses and excavations. On the river face, the deep and rapid Irawaddi presented a sufficient barrier; its breadth at this season not exceeding seven hundred yards, and not a boat could pass without being exposed to a heavy fire from the stockade.[1]
Instead, therefore, of passing the whole fortress and taking the enemy in flank, which would have rendered his guns almost useless, General Cotton attacked the first part of the works he came to, or the extremity of the stockade that was lowest down the stream. After an obstinate resistance, he carried the first stockade; but, on proceeding to the second, he received by far the severest check that the European troops met with during the whole war. No fewer than one hundred and fifty of our men were killed and wounded; and the retreat was so precipitate that the wounded were not carried off, though it was well known that they would all be put to a cruel death. The whole flotilla retreated ten miles down the river, being constantly assailed and tormented by the Burmese war-boats. The next day most of our killed and wounded men who had been left in the stockade were crucified and put upon rafts, which were sent floating down the river towards the flotilla.
On receiving the news of this failure, Sir Archibald Campbell resolved to return with his column to assist in the reduction of Donobew; and, after a most fatiguing march, he arrived before that place on the 25th. He found the fort much too extensive to be surrounded by the force at his disposal; and although anxious for the immediate fall of the place, he preferred (using his own words) "loss of time to loss of lives," and took his measures with great caution and deliberation. The naval commander was required to move up the river, to form a junction with the force under the Commander-in-Chief; and on the 27th the flotilla appeared in sight. It was no sooner observed than the garrison made a sortie on
- ↑ Major Snodgrass.
