The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-06-15
The Burmese War-Capture OF Martnban
and RnMgOOM.

Tho Burmese War-Capture OF MARTA ba N
and RaMgOOM.
The most important news received by the Baltic
is the details of the military operations of the Brit
ish In Burmah, and the capture Of Marta5an
and Rangoon. Her majesty's steamer Rather ar
rived at Calcutta on the 23d of April with Admiral
Austin on board and bringing an account of the
capture of those places. The account says:
''Martaban taken on the 5th by the Moul-
main brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Reynolds, c. b., of the eighteenth foot. The cap
turc was work OF comparative facility, the troops
having been landed under protecting fire from
the ships, led by her majesty's ship Rather, and
advancing rapidly, in conjunction with the artil-
lery, upon the works of the enemy. The whole op-
Grafton lasted, we believe, only some four or five
hours. Captain Gillespie of the 18th, the first
the walls. The British force in ali amounted to
about 400 men. After its capture, the troops re-
embarked, and proceeded TO the Rangoon river.
where they and the Madras troops joined the Ben
gal force, and the operations against Rangoon
| commenced. On Easter Sunday, the 18th, the
Burmese provoked the attack by firing the
transports. terrific cannonade then com
menced on both sides, the steamers opening their
broadsides on the river face of the Burmese works
on both sides of the river, and entirely demolish-
ing them, both at Rangoon and Dalla. Her ma
jestys ship Serpent then proceeded up to kemmen-
dine, upon the works at which place she opened
fire, was obliged to haul off. and send down the
river for aid when two war steamers we're sent up
TO her assistance. With these the kemmendine
batteries were silenceo, and landing having been
effected, the enemy deserted the works, which
occupied by sailors and marines from the
ships. and European troops. During the cannon
ace and Smelling on Sunday, besides tho destruc'
ton Of the Burmese works on the river face, the
enemy suffered great loss by the explosion OF their
powder magazine, a shell from of our guns
falling on it and causing it to blow up with ter
rihc sound.
"On Monday, the 18th. the land operations COM
mcnced, the troops effectng their debarkato
under the protection of the ships guns, and all
the boats OF the squadron being employed in eff
fectipg the landing. Here the brunt Of the work
commenced, as II was necessary, soon after land
ing, TO attack and capture strong stoc kade short
distance in shore, where the enemy fought most gall
anly and caused considerable lose to our force On
the l4th, in the morning, the entire force broke
ground, and advanced towards the great Pagoda
stoc kadc, throwing out administers, the Burmese
also fighting well in their fashion. and knocking
many Of our men. Nothing, however, could
check the advance Of our soldiers, seconded by a
tremendous fire of artillery; and they advanced
rapidly but steadily towards the Psgoda stockade,
taking some minor ones in their forward move
ment.
"At length. towards noon, the general assault
made with the greatest spirit and intrepidity,
when the enemy gave way and retrented at all
points. They never expected that the assault
would have been made at that point, and gate
was actually found open there, through which
troops rushed in and occupied the place. All the
fighting wac concluded by two O'Clock in the af-
ternoon. The whole district round fell with the
Pagoda.
Lieutenant Doran and Ensign Armstrong were
killed, and the following wero wounded Lieuten-
ant Donaldson, MORALLY; Lieutenant Chads,
slightly; Captain Allan, severely; Lieutenant
Williams. slightly; Lieutenant Trevor, severely;
Captain Randall slightly, (Madras;) Lieutenant
Ford, slightly, (Madras.) Her Majesty's 18th
Colonel Coote, severely; Captain Bruce, slight
ly /; Lieutenant Elliott, slightly. Her Majcsty's
s0th-Lieutenant Turner, slightly. Her Msjcsy's
5lst-Captain Blundc, dangerously. Madras
Ensign Hawker, slightly; Lieutenant Harries.
dangerously; Lieutenant Colonel Doyle, severely.
AT Martaban (says the Bombay 7imss) only
six wall pieces. were captured. though it is well
known that many others were in position when
commenced the attack. One or two light fingered
gentlemen are believed to have appropriated. sf-
ter the action, (wben Martaban was filled with
porsons of all descriptions, who had come over
from Moulmain,) what they had not assisted in
obtaining. Thus fell Martaban. an easy conquest,
Notwithstanding the various and exaggerated re-
ports of its strength. On the morning Uf the at
tack the garrison consisted Of three thousand men,
who were evidently unprepared for our rude
visit. They had been hard at work for fifteen or
twenty days previous, cutting down Jungle and
clearing away houses, but we were too sharp upon
them, and disturbed them in the midst of their
preparations.
''Altcr describing the capture of Rangoon, the
Bombay Times says: The army is now occ upying
quarters about the Great Pagoda, and evidently
the enemy were totally unprepared for our attack;
quantities Of food just cooked, clothing. &C, were
found In every direction. return oil the ordnance
captured is being taken by Majors Reid, Of the
Bengal, and Montgomery, of the Madras artillery;
the number 10 about 100 guns of all sres, (includ
ing nine eighteen FOUNDER iron guns,) and 10 or
so wall pieces and jinjells Thousands of b. and
pieces china were lying by the guns most of which
were found loaded aud spiked, some within six
oghtinches of the muzzle, one filled with duck shot
"'The place is most offensive from the number Of
dead bodies of men and dogs, and from the stencil
Of the docaycd fsh which the Burmese arc fond Of,
and sickness has, am sorry TO say, commenced TO
n very great extent. Cholera is raging fearfully;
one oficcr, Captain Hint, paymaeter OF her msjes-
tys eightieth foot, has already fallen victim, and
another lie scarcely expected to recover. The
soldiers OF the different regiments are dying in
numbers. The heat since the uoops landed has
been fearful. Two officers, Brevet Major Oakes,
Of the Madras artillery, and Brigade Major Grir
fiths, OF the Madras brigade, died from coup
dsol'el on the 18th, and Brgadier Warren and many
others, with numerous soldiers, have suffered
severely from tho same cause. Her Majesty's brig
Serpent, and the honorable company's steamers