served; and as any attempt to retire would have given encouragement to the enemy. Lieutenant Wilkinson and myself resolved upon immediately landing and storming the stockade.
“We had many unforeseen difficulties to overcome, the enemy having placed bamboos and spikes so as to make landing both difficult and dangerous. Nothing, however, could withstand the gallantry and determination of both soldiers and sailors, who shortly established themselves within the stockade, defended by about 400 men, who were quickly driven out at the point of the bayonet, leaving 60 dead.
“The enemy were well armed, a great proportion having muskets, and a small field-piece was taken in the stockade. I must do them the justice to say that they fought with very great spirit, many of them receiving our charge with their spears.
“I again re-embarked my party, and proceeded to the opposite side of the river, where we drove the enemy from a third stockade, which we destroyed in the same manner as we had done the two former.
“In concluding, I regret to state, that Lieutenant Thomas Kerr, of H.M. 38th regiment, and one private were killed, and nine privates wounded, in taking the second stockade; and I have further to regret, that Lieutenant Wilkinson, R.N. was severely wounded (by a musket-ball) through the thigh, with eight or nine of his crew, one of whom has since had his arm amputated. I have much satisfaction in reporting the conduct of the officers and men under my command to have been steady and soldier-like. I hope I may be allowed to express the highest admiration of the cool and intrepid conduct of Lieutenant Wilkinson, R.N., who, although severely wounded, continued to render me the greatest assistance in giving directions from his boat; also of the officers and men under his command.”
Not a syllable of this conflict is mentioned by Major Snodgrass, in his “Narrative of the Burmese War.”
On the 31st May, Captain Marryat succeeded to the chief command of the naval force at Rangoon, on the departure of Commodore Grant, in ill health, for Pulo-Penang, where that excellent officer died on the 25th July following. The Supreme Government had previously requested that Captain Marryat might be allowed to command the expedition up the Irrawaddy, and this was most readily assented to by the commodore.
Some heavy rains had fallen previous to the departure of the Liffey; and it very soon appeared, there was little chance of the army quitting Rangoon and its neighbourhood before the cud of the S.W. monsoon, as the disappearance of the inhabitants rendered it impossible to provide and equip a
