“I now beg leave to acknowledge my obligations to Captain Alexander C.B., senior naval officer, and commanding the flotilla, for his hearty and cordial co-operation on all occasions since we have served together, and for his very great exertions on the present occasion, in bringing up stores and provisions. Since we have been before Donoobew, eleven of the enemy’s large class war-boats have been captured by our advanced boats, under his own immediate orders; making, with others, evacuated by their crews, thirty-eight first-rate war-boats now in our possession; and I have every reason to think that only five of the large squadron, the enemy had stationed at this place, have succeeded in escaping. A vast number of other boats, of an excellent description, have also fallen into our hands. By Brigadier-General Cotton, and all the officers embarked, the zeal and incessant labour of His Majesty’s navy are mentioned in terms of high admiration.”
The following is an extract from Captain Alexander’s official report to Captain Coe, dated April 2, 1825:
“In my former despatch, dated Feb. 24th, I gave you the names of all officers and young gentlemen commanding boats[1], and I again request you will be pleased to recommend them to the favorable attention of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, with the seamen and marines I have had the pleasure to command, their conduct having been such as to merit the highest encomiums – their privations, hardships, and fatigue, during upwards of six weeks, by day and night, in open boats, have been borne with cheerfulness, and every duty performed with alacrity.
“Of Captain Chads I can only say, he has fully supported his former character, and has my best thanks. I trust I may be allowed to name my first Lieutenant, Smith, an already distinguished officer. Mr. Watt, surgeon of the Arachne, a volunteer, has been of most essential service in attention to the sick and wounded.”
After the fall of Donoobew, Captain Alexander was joined by Lieutenants James Wilkinson and the Hon. George John Cavendish, with the boats of the Liffey and Tees, which ships had recently arrived at Rangoon.
On the night of the 3d April, Sir Archibald Campbell re-commenced his march towards Prome, one of the largest towns in the Burman empire, celebrated as the scene of many long sieges and bloody conflicts, and the occupation of which was the grand object of that year’s campaign – “a
- ↑ Lieutenants Smith, Keele, Kellett, and Bazely; acting Lieutenant Hall; Mr. Reed, master’s-mate; and Messrs. Duthy, Hand, Pickey, Lett, Coyde, and Murray, midshipmen.
