The National Register. — London, England, 1821-05-20 00:00:00

.LJ t./ 156 SUPPLEMENTARY GAZETTE. Extract of a letter from Captain T. P. Thompson. of the 17th Light Dragoon*. to Frerici, Warden. Gen. Chief Secret:try to the govenimont of Bombay, dated Muscat, the 18ili of No vember. IWO. Slll,-1 have to communicate the ill-success of the attempt to co-operate with his highness the Is mann' of Muscat against the Arabs of the tribe of Ben 801 l Ali, after appearances which led to expect a difihrent result. In my last letter I stated that the messenger sent with the communications di rected by your letter of the Bth of June, 1820, had 14-en cut to pieces, and that six companies of sepoys, w h ciola pieces of artillery, lied, in consequence, been conveyed to Muscat. The detachment sailed from NI tiscat on the 22d of October, and arrived at Sam on the 24th, where it was disembarked. The .lumum's force had previously proceeded towards Soor by land. His Highnes the Imaum, who had di rected his force towards Stew, for the purpose of marching against the principul residence of the tribe --in conjunction with the British detachment, at rived there on the 26th, bringing with him 1,000 fighting men, besides men to draw the guns, 600 camels for the use of the detachment, and 300 other cattle. On the Ist of November the whole force marched from Sour. carrying with it two 6-pounders, two howitzers, and two iron 18-pounders, and on the 8:11 of November, arrived at a town belonging to his Highness, named Ballad Beni Bon flussan, within three miles of Bahad 13eni Bon Ali, the resi dence of the hostile tribe, without any loss, either by sickness or accident. A summons was the same evening conveyed to the enemy from his High ness, demanding the surrender of the persons who hail killed the Sheik of Rusal Held, and of the for. tifiestions of the tribe, with their arms. The mes senger returned on the same eight, and brought for answer from the hostile Sheiks, that the first mes senger had been killed without any orders from themselves, and that they were ready to give up the persons concerned; that they had no desire to be at war with the British ; that they were willing to surrender their fortifications; but that they could not surrender their arms, because tke !mount would in that case, give them up as prisoners to the Bri tish. Under these circumstances, I felt consider able expectation that the terms I had demanded would be finally complied with. At the same time it appeared that the way to promote this effect would not be by exhibiting any thing like an anxiety to come to terms. On his highness, therefore, asking my opinion, I thought it would be best to proceed without delay before the place; with which he entirely coincided, anti directions were issued on the following morning. The Imaum left a portion of his troops in his camp in the plain on the outside of the entrenched position of the British. The four light gulls were manned with all the Arabs who had drawn the six, who also carried their arms. The linaum's force had accumulated on the road ; and the number which marched that mooning has been stated by his highness at 2.000. The number of seal ovs amounte%l to 320, exclusive of the old 1 d... quct of GO men, which was ordered to follow the stores for present use, and to bring up the rear.— The number of the enemy, from repeated and varied inquiries, amounted to 900, and there were said to be eight guns of small caliber in the place. The artillery were directed to have their limbers com pleted with ammunition ; and I made a point of ascertaining by personal inquiry, that a proportion of case shot for the howitzers, and of spherical case fin. the six-pounders, made part of the stores con veyed from Snor, and were actually present in the limbers. On leaving Beni Bun Hassan, the light company of the Ist battalion of the 2d regi ment was directed to take the lead in extended order. In the event of meeting an enemy, it was directed to retire as most convenient, and to form behind the line in reserve. The new piquet of 60 men preceded the head of the column by a short distance, and was directed to support the light com pany if required. Two guns were at the head of the column, after the piquet, and two foilowed.— After proceeding about a mile and a half, the column charged the jungle, and entered on an open country—with u view to strengthen the line, the piquet in advance was directed to fall in upon the head of the column, and act as a com pany under the command of its officer. A short time after some shots from the light infantry an. 'utested a movement among the enemy, and the light int . :miry were seen retirit , as had been di rected. The enemy soon appear ed in motion on the top of the ridge, and froai the direction which he took, it was evident that his design was to turn the right by moving on a point beyond it. I imme diately directed the troops to form columns of sections to the right, and pusses quickly as possible behind the guns, the head of the column inclining towards the former rear, so as to muku the new front parallel to the enemy's attack, form line, charge bayonets, and Advance. The last movement was unhappily not executed by the troops. Seeing them hesitate, as no time was to be lost, I ordered them to fire ; THE NATIONAL REGISTER and the line opened its fire upon the enemy. The • Imaum with great promptitude moved bis force to the right to close the interval, and a part of his men moved along the rear of the seapoys engaged ! and opened a fire of matchlocks upon such of the enemy as were again attempting to come round the right. The enemy at the sante moment detached part of his force towards the left of the sepoys, where they were met and vigorously encountered by the Imaum. On seeing the direction of the enemy's attack, 1 imme diately rode off to lead the right, which was the point attacked. The enemy continuing to press forward, I was unable to leave, the extremity of the right, lest the sepoys should misconstrue my depar ture and give way. I therecore continued upon that point encouraging the sepoys to keep up their fire. Ou observing the enemy v% ithin twenty yards, I again made an effort to induce the sepoys to use their bayonets, but without success ; and while I was doing this, the whole of the sepoys turned together and threw themselves on the Imaum's troops who were behind. A few of them turned and fired their muskets into the air, over the heads ofthose that fol lowed, and immediately resumed their flight ; I also addressed myself to such of the officers as I met with, and to some of the Europeans of the artillery, but without effect. On perceiving the Imaum at a dist ance, I rode towards hint, and tbund he had just been wounded. He had endeavoured to rescue an Eu ropean who was cut down, and one ot the enemy fired at him so close that the powder entered the wound ; the ball passed through his right wrist.— The enemy, as far as I observed, advanced only with the sword until the sepoys gave way ; but as soon as that happened, his matchlocks were brought for ward with very fatal effect. After the sepoys had given way, I saw the Arabs advancing upon the whole front against the Imaum's army ; and his force then give way: The pnrsuit was continued in the direction of the Beni Bon Hassan, inclining a little to the right or towards the hills . Finding all efforts unavailing, on approaching the camp, I made the Arabs who were outside throw themselves into the intrenched camp, and called fir piquets.— On finding them, I directed the officer of the piquet and an officer of artillery, who had neither of them been in the action, to make preparations for defence, while I took out the piquet to the front. I parti cularly recommended this duty to the latter officer, by saying to him " you are of the artillery :-1 at the same time directed Mr. Sub Asssistant Surgeon Fallon, of the hon. Company's cruiser Prince of Wales, to take the best means in his power for securing the sick. On returning with the piquet to the camp, I found that Mr. Sub Assistant Surgeoi Fallon had removed the sick and followers into a fortified house, distributed ammunition and arms, posted his people at their stations, and made the best preparations for defence. His Highness the the Imaum was of opinion that the town might be maintained till reintiircements could rrrive, as the inhabitants had long been at war with the Beni Bon Ali without being overpowered. In this opinion I was anxious to support him. In the morning it was discovered that the two other officers, instead of obeying the directions given them, had gone off on the preceding evening to Soor, carrying with them every person belonging to the artillery department. Soon after daylight the sepoys ot the towers reported that the people of the town had evacuated it during the night. and I found it impossible to keep them longer at their posts. On the 1 maum's repeating his opinion that lie could not maintain himself in the place. I told him we must destroy what could not be removed and retreat. I asked him what he would remove. He said he could remove the sick, and give a camel for each of the sepoys : lie afterwards added that he could find camels for some musket ammunition. As goon as the Imaum came to a de cision, he appeared to be anxious to put it into exe cution ; and I felt apprehensive that if it was de layed, he would be left without a guard. He desired me to destroy the remaining guns and the powder. While he gave directions to his people, an artilleryman, wounded in three places, who had come in during the night, fortunately found some pikes ; and Dr. Fallon, with the assistance of some pioneers, emptied the powder barrels into a well.— The carriages would have been cut to pieces, but the departure of the artillerymen rendered it impossible to find tools. The Imaum proposed setting fire to them ; I objected to it, on the ground that it would be the signal of dispersion to his followers, and of pursuit to the enemy. But I prompted the Bedouins to remove every thing which could be carried off; and I apprehend very little was left to the chance of falling into the hands of the enemy. As soon as the Imaum began to move, the sick were placed upon camels, but it was found impossible to procure them for any other purpose. After proceeding eight miles the Imaum proposed moving upon Muscat, from a belief that the passes to Soar would be occupied by the enemy. His Highness, with myself and Dr. Fal len, and the remainder of the detachment, arrived at Muscat on the 17th. A boy came into the troops at Beni Bon Hassan on the morning of the combat, - _- who says he belongs to Bombay, and was taken five years age with four other boys, in a vessel with two masts and 26 hands, Nachodah's name Ibrahim, bound to Muscat with rice; the vessels name he has forgotten. He says the Arabs dismissedvthe rest of the crew, took out the rice, and set the vessel on fire. Two boys also belonging to Mangalore have also come dcwn to Soor, and are on board Ifs Majesty's sloop Curlew. These incidents identify the Ben Bon Ali with piratical operations I have determined on sending to Bombay the two officers mentioned in a former part of this letter, with directions to report their arrival to the Adju tant• General of the army. My sole reason for not placing them under arrest without delay is, that such such a proceeding might involve a necessity for publishing at the head of every regiment in India that a detachment of sepoys had been deserted by it. officers; and I would not do what might confine the government to any specific course. At the same time 1 shall transmit charges to the Adjutent.G, neral with lists of evidences against the event of its appearing to be desirable to proceed in that manner. The loss of the detachment engaged has necessarily been most severe, as must always be the case when troops wait to be attacked with the sword, and then give way. Of the officers in the action, Lieutenant Boswell, Ist battalion 2d regiment, and myself are the only ones hitherto known to survive ; Lieute nants Morley and Gidley, and Sub-Assistant-Sur geon Fallon, were not in the action of the morning. I beg leave to notice the services of Dr. Fullon, as having been extensively useful during the defence made in Beni Bon Hassan, and during the march to Muscat ; and as being the only officer able to be of any assistance who stayed by me and the detach. ment, and arrived with them at Muscat,Lieutenant Boswell having been incapable of duty from fatigue and injuries received. The number of men who returned with me to Mu:wit, or who arrived at Sour after the action, amounts to four hundred and forty. six, of whom one half are followers. I hay, the honour to be, &c. (Signed) T. P. THONIPSON, Captain li th Light Dragoons, Commipsionet and Agent. THE QUEEN. On Monday evening last Drury-lane theatre was honoured by the presence of her Majesty the Queen, rather unexpectedly. At a little before seven o'clock, her Majesty arrived at the theatre. at tende by Lord and Lady Hood and Mr. Austin, in her carriage and four, with the footmen in state liveries. No preparations had been made for her reception, nor was the manager in the house on her arrival. Her Majesty was ushered into the stage box in the dress circle, opposite that occupied by his Majesty on Wednesday. Her Majesty did not on her entrance present herself at the front of the box, but remained behind the lattice work, and it was not until nearly the end of the first act of the play, which was Lord Byron's new tragedy of the Doge of Venice, that the presence of her Majesty was made known to the audience by some persons in the pit, who having seen her Majesty's carriage on the outside, came in and shouted out " The Queen ! the Queen !" The cry was electric—the whole audience rose, and her Majesty presented herself, when she was received by loud and continued acclamations. She bowed most graciously, and then retired to the back of the box. " God save the Queen" was called for from all quarters, and the tumult was so loud as to put a stop to the per formance, when Mr. Thompson, who pciformed a character in the play, came forward and stated, that he was requested to ask their pleasure.—" Gcd save the Queen" was the general answer. The uudiend were shortly after informed that none of the vocal perfumers were then in the house, but that they would be in before the afterpiece began, when they would gladly execute the commands of the audience. At length Mr. Elliston arrived, and said that in the very arduous situation in which he stood, he would endeavour to gratify their pleasure, and that at the end of the play the vocal performers would be in the house, when they would execute their commands by singing the hymn called for. In the mean time, he begged that the performance might be allowed to proceed. This address suc ceeded, and at the en.l of the tragedy the whole of the company came forward and sung " God save Queen," which was loudly cheered by the house. The dress-boxes were filled by respectable company, who received the song in the most respectful manner. Her Majesty left the theatre immediately after, and at the dour a serjeant's guard kept open the avenue, and saluted her Majesty by presenting arms, She Was loudly cheered by the populace, and appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. On Monday last Johnson, !Bamford, and Healy, convicted of sedition at Manchester, were liberated front the Castle of Lincoln, after entering into re cognizance', &c. their term of confinement having ecn completed.