The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-07-19 00:00:00

I.VDIAI.

•
The following, is the series of &patent* frtnit Colon,
I rtichards. detailing the military operations which led to
I the evaenstich of tote prtlninte of Assam by the Burmese
Eastern. Division, anti are extracted from the Calcutta
heat, thelheDtelpe'uPt;tchAelssi:tal..entehl Adresseddjntan ttfLiCeneapratailn yutlthie-
I (government Gazettes of the Vat and 28th Febrtiary
81a—I have the honour to report, for the information of Brigs-
dier-tleneralShuldharn, cot-invaliding the Eastern Division, that at
half an hour Aker ten o'clock this morning many hundreds of the
enemy atteeked my aflrdicnd putition at Namnong, Nulls, net•
• winch there is a fine pucka bridge, and where Captain Mac Len4t
commanded with the Rungpore Light Infanry. the bridge•ie
distant front my present cs.isp &mita three quarters of e. mile on'.
the high toad to Itungpore. Ou hearing the tiring_ I Ordered fife
troops under sums, anti moved 00 to the support of Capt. Mac Lewil
whit two compeanes of the sjth regiment, and the Dinagerweb
Lend Battalion, leering the remainder 0.. the former eorps, tindet
Captain 3laittn, to defend the camp, as the Hurcatrahs acquainted:"
me that the enemy meant to attack in three divisions. On thy
rcachiv the scene of artiest, I found that gallant officer, Captain
Mac Leosi, and his Inns band, defending the position in a et ally'
soldier-like manner. As I perceived the enemy sure cOi,.i et. •
ing and spreading to the right and left, in a very Notyk'
jungle, in which it was impostlble our troops could act with
effect, end that those in our immediate front were leering
up a very sharp tire of jingala and muskets, I ordered the
patty on the bride to retire to the front division, and to lay down
and cease 'Arhig. The enemy thought this waa the prelude to a
retreat, and Set tip a shout and came forward; but our fire from the'
advanced positien soon made them retire. After this the enemy
were apparently gaining confidence, and began to sbow themschree
boldly ; I therefore gave them half an hour to Callen, and to inekee
them to suppose we did not meditate an attack. At file eaptration
of that time I directed Captain Mae Leod to charge their position
with the Itungpore Light Infantry, followed by the Volunteer Ca-
valry, in number twenty-eight, under Lieutenant Brooke, sub.
Assistant Commissary.tfeneral. This was performed with the
utmost gellantry, and the enemy tied after giving their fire, but were
overtaken', and Captain Mac Leod reports that full sixty were killed
in the charge,' amongst whom were three Phokuns, mounted on
horseback ; their horses were taken, as also 41 muskets and 3d
spears' anti four prisoners. The number killed in the charge is
independent of these that were killed in the first attach, aho were
lall immediately carried off as they fell, and it is supposed they mirre
have lost near one hundred killed, as the attack lasted ore hoer.
and twenty minutes. On out side, I regret to sty, I.:atter:ant and
Adjutant Kennedy, Rungpore Light Infantry, was wounded In the
head (slightly). The other casualties are, one Seeoy of the name
corps, and one horse attached to the malty, Wounded. The con.
duct of the Rungpore Light Infantry, and the Volunteer Cavalry,
which belongs to the same corps, merits my wannest approbation.
To Captain Mal head, comtnanding Bulppre Light !mann!, and
Lieutenant Brooitc, who commanded the Voluntcercavalry, and
whose conduct is rettore-..d by Captain Mac Leod to have been moat '
conspicuous, my best thanks are especially due ; as also to Lieute-
nant Fleming, officiating Sub-Assistant Commissary-Ocnetat, rho
joined the nungpore Inght Infantry in the charge; and to Lieu-
tenant and Adjutant Kennedy, and Mr. Thomson (Surgeon), of
that corps, for the zealous assistance aftbrded by them during the
ac

I trust the runs, spare ernmitnition, and s'applies *lll arrive in
camp in the course of the night or to-morrow morning, which will
enable me to move forward to the attack of Rungpove on the day,
following.
I omitted to mention, in my letter of yesterday's data, that 40
prisoners have been taken subsequent to my former letter of the
lath instant. I have, he.
(Signed) i
A. RICHARDS,
reienfenaht-Colonel commanding n Assam.
Camp Goweee Sager, 27th Jan. 1026.
Si a,—ln continuation of toy letter of tilt l'7th Instant, I have to
acquaint you, for the information of Brigadier-General Shuldham,
commanning the Eastern Division, that I was joined by Lieute-
nants Iledingfeld and Billiton, with two howitzers and two twelve-
pounder carronntle4, on the same evening, and having arrtingeu
everything for our advance towards Rungpore, I thatched at nay-
breaa on the Alth in the following order e
Ist.—The detachment 64th Regiment (Light Company leading;,
Ithe advanced-guard from which, a Havildat's party, wan sent hid
paces on in front.
2.l.—The Volunteer Cavalry. •
31.—The Brigade of howitzers, drawn by elephants.
4th.—The 57th Regiment, right in front.
6th.—The two 12• pounder carronades, on elephants, with ammu-
nition attached.

601.—The Dinagepore Local Battalion.
7th.--The Itungpore Light Infantry.
8 h.—The spare arnminntion.-
I wits aware that the enzmv had a stockade across the road, near
Rongpore, as Lieutenant tieufiille, Deputy-Assistant-Quarter-
master-General, had gone out to reconnoitre on the morning of the
26th, and got to it without being perceived. He reported that it
was defended by 200 men and some guns, and that he was fired
upon from a fortified tank, a little in advance on the right, and
which appeared to Command the before mentioned stockade, an::
that a gun was also fired from the left, which he considered mu-c
have been from the fort of Rungpore, as, he observed the tops
pucka buildings and mosques in that directfo`a, distant about thrct
quarters of a mile ; and i.e also stated that the whole county It
traversed tress deep jungle.
Before advancing I gave 'directions to Captain Acaldron, com-
manding the advance guard, to storm she stockade across the road, it
he thought he had a chance of carrying it, but if not, to turn into
the jungles, right and lett, and act as a covering party, which latter
plan he adopted, its the fire of the enemy was extremely heavy. It
may be here proper to remark, that the stockade had been greatly
strengthened and reinforced since Lieutenant Ncufville was there.
and out the first discharge from the enemy, *llO were entrencheit,
brought down more than half of the leading division, which caused
a momentary check. At this time the guns end column were about
200 paces in the rear. On the first shot being fired. I gave direc-
tions for the elephants to be cast eff from the howitzers, and pre-
pare for action ; whilst this was performed, I advanced near to the
stockade to examine it, rid immediately returned to the had of
the column, and ordered a couple of Shells and a round or two of
grapes to be thrown in, and for Captain Mac Lend to prepare to as-
sault with the right Wing of the 57th Regiment, which was accord-
ingly done in the most gallant style, assisted by the detachment 11
the 46th Regiment, who rushed forward to support him, and 1 had
the pleasure to sec the enemy fly at the moment the troops began
' scale and break down the stockade. At this period I was unfo•-
tunattly wounded, but grvc orders for the guns and column to ac
vance, and sent for Alajor 'Waters, and gave him directions to car,
the stockaded tank on the right, or any other outworks the mien.,
might have, anti I would be up as soon as my wound Lad bee..
dressed.

Herewith I inve the pleasure to enclose a copy cf that °flied,
letter, stating a occurred from the time he assuened the cont.
mance until -I joined, which I was able to do in a dooly in show
twenty minutes. Captain Mac Leod, with the Bungpore Light
Infantry, took possession of a mosque on the left, about four Inin-
dred yards from the fort, and another petty um detached to occup
another mosque on the right side, by which means.the south side of
the fort was invested and the enemy driven in at all points. As
the fort appeared an extensive place, and full of gime andmin,
who showed themselves on the walls and gateways, 1 deemed It ad-,
visable to order the camp to be pitched, and to have the place re-
connoitred, which wag done the same evening, and it was consi-
dered necessary by the artillery officer, that two more guns should
be ordered from the fleet, and that people should be immediately
sent out to cut and collect materials for a battery, which was corn-
plied with.

In the course of the day we fired a few rounds of shells, carcases,
and round shots, at the fort, to give them a spEcimen of the mean,
we had of annoying them, which they returned by constant dis-
charges of cannon.
I am sorry to say that our loss, in wounded, is very heavy, but
from the nature of the service, and the troops being for a time
unavoidably exposed to a cross the of twenty pieces of ordnance,
all of which were raptured, and a large body of men, armed witli
' muskets, it is providential that we suffered su little. I have par-.
Ocularly to lament the severe wound that enterprising officer Lieu-
tenant Brooke, :tub-Assistant Commissary General, received at
my side, at my first advance to the stockade, but I trust that
the surgeon's report of his case is favourable, he will soon be re-
stored to health and the service. I have not been able to ascertain
the loss the enemy sustained in this affair, but it cannot, I have
every reason to believe, be less than one hundred men killed and
wounded. To the whole of the troops employed on th;s occasion
my best thanks are due for the zeal they evinced ; but I feel it in-
cumbent on me to bring to the notice of theptigatierGeneral corn-
mantling the division, the gallantry and stAuly conduct of the fol.
lowing officers who had the good fortune to be more immediately
engaged, viz.—Major IVatera, my second in command, for the
judicious arrangements which he adopted, after I had been do-
ubled ; to Captain Nraldron, commanding a detachment 46th re-
; Captain commanding 67th regiment, the tight
wing of which carried the stockade by assault ; Lieutenant Betting-
field, commanding the artillery, as well as to Lieut. Burlron,
niched to the same ; to Captain Mac Leod, commanding Rung.
pore Light Infantry ; for taking possession of a commanding post.
lion before the enemy were aware of its importance - and to Lieut.
Neufville, Deputy Assistant Quarter 31 aster General, fur his gal-
hint eonduct in leading the advance, end for the correct intelligence
he gave me, by whit% means I was enabled to form the plan of
operations with such success, and I trust that our attack on the
fort will be equally fortunate, the result of which I hope to have
the pleasure of reporting in a day or two.
I cannot close this despatch without recording my approbat,on
anti thanks to Captain Bayldon, Major pf Brigade, Lieutenant
Neufville, Deputy Assistant Quarter-master (laurel ; Lieutenaut
Brooke, Sub-assistant Commissary-General ; and Lieutenant
Fleming, officiatmg Sub-assistant Conamilsary-General, the steel
attached to this force, for the prompt and great assistance I have
at all times received from them in the cxecuuon of their respective
duties. I have, &c.
(Signed) A. RICHARDS, Lieut.-Co/.
Commanding in Assam.

Camp before Rungpore, Assam, JanT2I,RW.
tit continuation of my despatch of the '29th ult. I have
the honour to acquaint von for the information of Brigadier-Germ-
ral Shit Wham, commanding the eastern division of the army, that
on the moon setting, on the morning of the :10111, tie enemy, 11
small parties, came out and attacked thepiequets, but were sooa
compelled to retire, with the loss on our side of two sentries killed,
and on their part, as far is known, of one man killed.
The tiring from the Fort continued during the whi;le of the night
and morning at intervals ; but ss they had not the range of our
wimp, did not return ashot, as the place is too extensive to haw,
made tin, gre,t impression, and our supply of ammunition being
but small, 1 was anxious to reserve it for tbe day of attack.
About ten o clock ?r. the morning of the 30th, a flag of truce was