Star.
London, England, 1820-05-15 00:00:00

TO THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF TILE ALMY.

San-1 have tiro satisfaction to report the town of
Ra%-ul-lillynia; alter a resistance of six days, was
taken possession of this morning by the force under
my command. Previous to making you acquainted
with the circumstances which led to this.fortunate
result, 1 shall do myself the honour briefly to detail
the events which occurred between the period of my
lag cummunication and the commencement of 4
operations before Ras.ul-Khyma.
On the lath ultimo, after completing my arrange-
ments at Muscat, the Liverpool sailed for the rendez-
vous at Kishme ; on the 21st, we fell in with the
fleet, off the Persian coast, and anchored off the
island of Larrack, on the 21th November. As it ap-
peared probable that a considerable period world
elapse before the junction of the ships which were
detained at Bainbay, I conceived it would prove
highly advantageous to avail myself of that interval
in acquiring as accurate a knowledge of the strength
and defvncts of -Ras-ul-Khyma, as personal obserta-
ti.in could supply ; and I gladly embraced the pro-
posal of Captain Collier, that the Liverpool should
proceed thither for that purpose.
The senior Engineer was accordingly taken on
board, and having sailed from Larrack on the morn-
ing of the oath, we anchored off Ras-ul-Khyma on
the 27th. The place was.closely and repeatedly
+re-
connoitred
; and the weather continuin favourable
for our operations, I determined to t down the
troops and commence the attack witho waiting for
the rear transports, as the season of the North-west
winds was rapidly approaching, and Captain Collier
appeared apprehensive that a further delay might
prove detrimental to the enterprise. A—vessel was,
therefore, dispatched with instructions to Captain
Walpole, who was left in charge of the fleet, and on
the 2d instant, the transports arrived, under convoy
of the Curlew.

No time was lost in making the necessary prepa-
rations for landing, which was effected the following
morning without opposit:on, at a spot which had
been previously selected for that purpose, about two
miles to the southward of the town. The troops were
formed across the isthmus, connecting the peninsula
on which the town is situated with the neighbour-
ing country, and the whole of the day was occupied
in getting tents on shore, to shelter the men from the
rain, landing engineers' tools, sand-bags, &c. and
making arrangements preparatory to commencing
our approaches the next day.
On the morning of the 4th, the light troops were
ordered to advance, supported by the picquets, to
dislodge the enemy from a bank within nine hundred
yards of the outer fort, which was expected to afford
good cover for the men, and to serve as a depot for
Stores, previous to the erection of the batteries. The
whole of the light companies of the force, under the
command of Captain Backhouse, of his Majesty's
47th Regiment, accordingly moved forward, and
.drove the Arabs with great gallantry from a date
grove, and over the bank above described, close un-
der the walls of tL. foit, followed by the picquets
under Major 3lolesworth, who took post at the
sand-bank, whilst the European light troops were
skirmishing in front.
The enemy kept up a sharp fire of musketry and
cannon dui ing these n:ovements ; and I regret to add,
that Major Alolesworth, a gallant and zealous offi-
cer, was killed by a cannon-shot, at the head of the
picquets. Lieutenant Stepney, of the 6ith, was
wounded on this occasion. The troops, however,
maintained their position during the day, and in the
night effected a lodgment within three hundred yards
of the southernmost tower, and erected a battery for
four gulls, together with a mortar-battery on the
right, and a trench of communication for the protec-
tion of the covering party.
The weather having become rather unfavourable
for the disembatkation of the stores required lot. the
siege, it was with considerable difficulty that this
primary object was effected ; but every obstacle was
surmounted by the zeal and indefatigable exertions
of the navy, and on the rimming of the 6th we were
enabled to open three eighteen-pounders on the fort;
a couple of howitzers and six-pounders were also
placed in the ballet y on the right, which played on
the defences of the towers, and nearly silenced the
enemy's fire. The Liverpool, during these opera-
tions, warped in as close to the shore as her draught
of water would permit, and opened her guns on the
town, which must have created considerable alarm
in the garrison, but she was unfortunately at too
great a distance to produce any decided effect. The
enemy, who during the whole of our progress exhi-
bited a considerable degree of resolution in with-
standing, and ingenuity in counteracting our attacks,
sallied torch at eight o'clock this evening along the
whole front of our entrenchments, crept close up to
the mortar battery without being perceived, and en-
tered it over the parapet, after spearing the advanced
sentries. The party which occupied it was obliged
to retire, but being immediately reinforced, charged
the assailants, who were driven out of :the battery
with considerable loss. The attack on the left was
repelled instantaneously by the spirited resistance of
the covering party, under Miijor Warren, who dis-
tinguished himself much on this occasion by his cool-
4ess and gallantry. The enemy repeated his attacks
towards morning, but was vigorously repulsed.—
During the 7th, every exertion was made to land
and bring up the remaining guns and mortars, which
Was accomplished during the night, after incessant
labours, by the sailors, assisted by working parties
from the troops, and those of his Highness the
imam, who cheerfully volunteered their services.
They were immediately placed in battery, together
With two twenty-four-poundPrs, which were landed
from the Liverpool, and is the morning the whole
of our ordnance opened on the fort, and fired with
scarcely any intermission till sun-set, when the breach
ou the.cortan was reported nearly practicable, and
the towers almost untenable. 'lmmediate arrange-
rents were made for the assault, and the troops or-
alred to more down to the trenches at day-break the

next morning. The bombardment continued during I
the night, and the batteries having recommenced
their fire before daylight, completed the breaches by
eight o'clock. The accompanying orders will ex-
I plain to his Excellency the dispositions of attack, As
well as the measures taken to guard against the pos-
sibility of a failure, in the event of the enemy defend-
ing himself as deperately as might have been ex-
pected from his previous defence. These precautions,
however, were. unnecessary ; the party moved for-
ward about eight o'clock, and entered the fort through
the breaches without firing a shot : and it soon ap-
peared that the enemy had evacuated the place. The
town was taken possession of, and found almost en-
tirely deserted, only eighteen or twenty men, and a'
few women, remaining in their houses. Upon the
whole, it appears evident, considering the spirited
behaviour of the enemy at the commencement of the
siege, that their sudden resolution to evacuate the
place was occasioned by the overwhelming fire of
the artillery, of which they could have formed no
previous idea, and which the ample means placed at
my disposal-enabled me to bring against the town.
Our loss, I am happy to say, is much less than
could have been expected, from the length of the
siege and the obstinacy with which the enemy dis-
puted our approaches.. I have had no means of aster-
taming theirs, but it must have been severe.
I beg you will assure his Excellency that I feel en-
tirely satisfied with the conduct of the troops ; their
gallantry has been exceeded only by their patience
and cheerfulness under every species of privation and
fatigue ; and the peculiarity of this service has called
forth a full display of these qualities, which are
equally creditable to the soldier as the most intrepid
acts of bravery. By the orders which I do myself
the honour to enclose, his Excellency will be enabled
to estiniate the services performed by Captain Col-
lier and the naval part of the Expedition; and I can
only add, that the acknowledgments therein ex-
pressed are scarcely adequate to the assistance I have
received from them.—I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) W. GRANT KEIR, Major-General.
Camp Ras-ul-Khyma, 9th December, 1819.
Return of Casualties in the Force under the command of Ma-
jor-General Sir W. G. Kria, K.M.T. during the operations
against Ras-ul-Khy ma, from the 4th to Bth December, Idl9,
inclusive.

Camp at Ras-ul-Khyma, 10th December, 1619.
Detachment of Artillery—Wounded-1 drummer, 2 rank and
file : grand total, 3.
His Majesty's 47th Regiment—Killed-1 Major, 1 rank and
file : grand total, 2.—Wounded-16 rank and file : grand
total, 16.

His Majesty's 65th Regiment—Killed-3 rank and file; grand
total, 3.—Wounded-1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 21 rank and
file; grand total, 23.

let Battalion 2d itegiment Native Infantry—Wounded-1 ha-
•ildar, 4 rank and file: grand total, 5.
Detail Battalion—Wounded-1 bavildar, 2 rank and file: grand

total, 5.
Sappers attached to the Engineer Department—Wounded-7
. .

.. . _
rank and file.
Total killed--1 Major, 4 rank and file: grand total, s—Woun-
ded-1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 2 havildars, 1 drummer, 46
rank and file: grand total, 51.