The Shasta courier., 1861-07-27
Singular Intrepi4y.

~H@~S~
with his squadron and the kings troops from
Fort St. David to the assistance Of Calcutta
in the East Indies, stopped at Mayapore, OF
the banks of the Ganges, whore the enemy
had q place of considerable Strength, callet
Bougee Fort, which it was necessary to Sc
cure before he proceeded any further on tn.
expedition. The action was begun by brisl
cannonade from the squadron, which soor
silenced the cannon of the fort: but the gar
rison not offering to surrender, and continu
ing to discharge fire arrows and small arr
it was determined. in countl of sea
Tive 1 sls' 4xsSs
to take it by assault For this purpose, at
Eve in the evening, the Admiral landed an
officer. two midshipmen and about forty sail
ors from each shiI, under the command of
Capt. King. to assist the Colonel in storming
the fort. which he intended doing just before
daylight, under cover Of two twenty-four
Founders mounted close to the ditch. In the
meantime, the Colonel had given directions
that the whole army (the NECESSARY guards
ex eptedl and the detachment from the slips.
should rest on the ground, in order to reco-
yer themselves as much as possible from the
fatigues they had undergone in the preceding
days service.
All was now quiet in the camp; and we on
board the ships, which lay at their anchors
but short distance from the shore. had en-.
tertained thoughts of making use of this in
terval to refresh ourselves with an hour or
two sleep; but suddenly loud and unlver-
sal exclamation was heard from the shore,
and soon after an account was brought to the
Admiral that the fort had been taken by
storm. This was joyful piece OF news, and
the more so as it was quite unexpected but
when the particular circumst noes that ush-
cred in this success were related, our exulta-
ton was greatly abated, because we found
that all the rules so indispensibly necessary
in all military exploits had been entirely dis
regarded in the present instance, and there
fore could not help looking upon the person
who had the principal hand in this victory
rather as an object Of chastisement than OF
applause. The case was this:
During the tranquil state of the camp, one
Strahan, a common sailor belonging TO the
Kent, having just been served with quaint.
ty of grog (arrack mixed with water had
his spirits too much elated to think of taking
any rest; he therefore strayed By himself to-
wards the fort, and imperceptlbly got under
the walls. Being advanced thus far without
interruption, he took it into his head to scale
at a breach tha- had been made by the can
mons of the ships and having lu,k kily gotten
upon the bastion, he there discovered several
Moor men sitting upon the platform. at whom
he fiourished his cutlas and fired his pistol.
| and then, having given three loud huzzas.
cried out . The place is mine - The
Moorish soldiers Immediately attacked him,
and he defended himself with incredible res
olution. but in the encounter had the misfor-
rune to have the blade of his cutlas cut in two
about foot from the hilt; this mischance.
however, did not happen till he was near be
ing supported by two Or three other sailors
who had accidentally struggled to the same
part of the fort on VIII ch the other had mount
ed. They, hearing Strahan's cries, immedi-
ately scaled the breach likewise, and echoing
the triumphant sound, reused the whole ar
my, who. taking the alarm, fell on pell nell,
without order and without discipline. follow
ing the example of the sailors. This attack.
although made in such confusion, was fol-
lowed with no i'll consequences but the death
of the worthy Capt Dougal Campbell, who
was unfortunately killed by musket ball
from one f our own pieces in the general
confusion. Capt. Coote commanded the fort
for that night, and at daylight the fort sal,,-
ted the Admiral. Itwas never exactly known
what number Of Moors were in the f. rt when
our people first entered. We took in the fort
eighteen cannons, from twenty four Founders
downwards, and forty barrels of powder.
Strahan, the hero of this adventurous &C
ton, was soon before the Admiral who, T.
withstanding the success that had attended
it, thought it necessary to show himself dis
pleased with measure in which the want Of
all military discipline so n toriously appear.
ed. He therefore angrily inquired into the
desperate step which he had taken. . Mr..
Strahan, what is this that you have been do
ing?" The fell l,w, after having made his
bow, scratched his head with one hand, and
twirling his hat upon the other, replied =
why, to be sure, sir, it was who took the
fort, but / hope there was no harm in it. y
The Admiral with difficulty was prevented
from smiling at the simplicity of Strahan's 5
an,wer; and the whole company wer, ex
ceedingly diverted with his awkward appear
ance, and his language and manner re-
counting the several particular of this mad
exploit. Admiral Watson e1patiatod largely
ON the fatal consequences that might have
attended his irregular conduct, and then,
with a severe rebuke. dismissed him: but not
before he had given the fellow some distant
hints that at n proper opportunity he would
be certainly punished for his temerity. Stra-
han, amazed to find himself blamed where he
expected praise, had no sooner gone from the
Admiral's cabin, than he muttered these
words: If | am fogged for this ere action, /
will never take another fort by myself as lung
as live, by Cd u
The novelty of the case. the success of the
enterprise. and the courageous spirit which
he had displayed, pleaded strongly with the
Admiral in behalf of the offender; at yet, at
the same time, the discipline of the service
| required that he should show him outwardly
some marks of his displeasure. This the Ad-
| miral did for some little time; but after
wards, at the intercession of sone officers,
| which intercession the Admiral himself
prompted them to make, he most readily
pardoned him. And it is not improbable,
that had Strahan been properly qualified for
the Office of boatswain, he might, on some
other pretence. before the expedition had
ended, have been promoted to that station in
one of his majesty's ships. But, unfortu-
nately for this brave fellow, the whole tenor
of his conduct, both before and after the
s;orming of the fort, was so very irregular
as to render it impossible for the Admiral to
advance him from his old station to any high
er rank, how strongly soever his enciinaticn
| lod hin, IN do i