wounded, and the loss, in men, was extremely heavy[1]. The party was at length directed to retire. The two mortars and four 12-pounder brass guns, were landed from the flotilla to increase the field battery. The enemy likewise strengthened his work, and towards evening brought more heavy guns into play. “It now became necessary to consider what would be the ultimate result of the operations; and,” says Brigadier-General Cotton, “although I feel confident that I could have carried the second work, it would have been with a further loss, which would prevent an attempt upon the main stockade, and I should have been either left in a position exposed to one of superior strength, or have to relinquish the post after carrying it at a great sacrifice. There was another alternative, and, with much regret, the conviction that I should thus best forward the service, induced me to adopt the measure of re-embarking and occupying a position until I could receive a reinforcement. The guns and stores of every description were re-shipped, and after spiking the enemy’s cannon, and destroying the numerous jingals and other arms which had been taken, the troops marched out steady, at 2 a.m. on the 8th, and embarked with perfect regularity, without any description of loss.” The flotilla then dropped down to Youngyoun, ten miles below Donoobew, and re-occupied a strong position, from which it had moved early on the morning of the 6th.
The heavy and long continued cannonade at Donoobew was distinctly heard by the troops at Sarrawah, and left a strong conviction on their minds that the place had fallen. “Numerous natives, in the course of that day and the following night, confirmed the belief, by unqualified accounts of Bandoola’s total rout. “Many urgent reasons,” says Major Snodgrass, “called for our immediate advance, as well to prevent the enemy from reaching, and perhaps occupying Prome with his defeated army, as to deprive the people in our front of sufficient time for burning and laying waste the
- ↑ About 94 killed, wounded, and missing; in addition to which, the flotilla had two men slain and thirteen wounded.
