and left guarded by the Satellite, with 25 European soldiers on board; – here commenced the shallows of the great river, and the heavier vessels grounded. On the 27th, it was found necessary to unload the Diana and the gun-vessels, the last of which did not get into the Irrawaddy before the 5th March, there being no more than five feet water on the bar at Yan-gain-chay-a. Previous thereto, the light division had put thirteen war-boats to flight, while a few soldiers of the 89th regiment were landed, who drove the enemy from an outpost on the left bank of the river, killed several men, and brought off one prisoner. In the mean time, the land column had forded the Lyne river, at Theeboon, (about 58 miles from Meondaga), and marched on to Sarrawah, the head-quarters of the Burmese war-boats in Pegu. At Theeboon, Sir Archibald Campbell received a note from Brigadier-General Cotton, announcing the capture of Panlang, and the immediate advance of the marine column into the Irrawaddy. “To this point,” says Major Snodgrass, “the indefatigable perseverance of the naval officer in charge had brought our provision-boats; and here all our commissariat-carts, and means of transport, were, for the last time, fully replenished.[errata 1] Lieutenant Dobson, of the Larne, but who continued to command the Satellite until the middle of April, 1825, was charged with the important duty of defending the transports, &c. at Panlang, and displayed “great zeal and alacrity in forwarding the supplies from thence.”
On the morning of the 6th, the flotilla took up a position about two miles below the white pagoda of Donoobew, while Brigadier-General Cotton and Captain Alexander proceeded to reconnoitre a succession of formidable stockades, commencing at the pagoda, and increasing in strength until completed by the main work, which was lofty, and situated upon a very commanding site, surrounded by a strong abbatis, with deep ditches and all the customary defences: the guns appeared to be numerous, and the garrison were seen in crowds upon all the works.
At 1-30 p.m., Brigadier-General Cotton sent a flag of
Errata:
- ↑ Correction: replenished. should be amended to replenished.”
