The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-13
THE MALAY REVOLT.
British Attack Upon the Enemy's stockndes
---Tho slaughter of the Revolving Party.

British Attack Upon the Epemy's stockndes
---Thc slaughter of the Revolving Party
The following is an account by a
special correspondent of the London
Times of the attack by the British
forces upon the stockades of the revolt
ed Malays near Perak 1t lad been
arranged that the guns should first clear
the jungle for the troops on the right
bank of the river, and that they should
then advance skirmishing parallel to it.
1 followed the gunboats, keeping them
in sight rs well as the military so far as
tho jungle would permit. The action
opened with rocket, which fell into the
Jungle. Now and then 1 could see the
skirmishers beating through the long
grass and trees. A sikh or marine would
appear on the bank, crawl along, get be.
hind tree, discharge his musket, and
then disappear. Behind them the white
helmets of the Tenth glistened through
the foliage, q conspicuous mark for the
enemy. This dress is the worst for
Jungle work possible. The sikhs in
their kaki suits were hardly recog-
nizable from the foliage. 1 believe,
however, that the men had nothing else
to wear, rs they were sent so hurr1edly
to Perak. When within about mile
from the first stockade large round
shot skinned the surface of the water,
followed by discharges of grape and can
lister from the enemy. At the same time
the rattle of musketry was heard in the
| Jungle, and for half an hour q heavy fire
was sustained. The troops, however,
skirmishing, kept up with the gunboats.
Two twenty-four pound rockets were
| kept steadily at work, and we could hear
| the yells of the Malays as the rockets
came whizzing and bounding in among
them. On shore Lieutenant Monckton s
howitzer could be heard, also lombard
! ing the stockade. / landed to see the
main body of troops advancing, and was
conversing with Lieutenant Meylark,
when round shot passed close to us,
cutting down a tree, and burylng itself
in the earth beyond. We had arrived
at the spot where Captain inness was
shot, and l found some of the men
crouching behind trees, preparing fol
an assault. Moncktons gun was blazing
away into what appeared to be high ele.
phant grass and plantains, with here
and there jungle bushes and small trees.
But it was too dense to see any stockade.
AS we were waiting we heard the pecu
liar whizz of the rockets and cheer
from the sailors, and then most de-
spairing cry from the stocl1ade, followed
by cessation of firing. Then the adj
vance was sounded, and the men rushed
forward, followed leisurely by myself.
Soon I heard their cheers, and came
upon the stockade evacuated. 1t was G
ditch twelve feet deep and about the
same width, with pointed pieces Of
bamboo stuck in the bottom so closely
as to prevent any rush over them. Tho
earth had been piled up, and stakes hat
been driven on the top, making it very
ugly place to storm. Unfortunately fol
the Malays, they had not finished fortify
ing the river bank, and as the stocBadt
was at right angles to the river, a rocke
had been sent with so true an aim that il
enfladed the mark, and killed ant
wounded twelve men. Monckton's shel
also burst at the same time at the bas,
of the stakes, smashing them, about on'
hundred feet from the river. Thi
probably caused the Malays to evacuat'
the stockade. A Chinaman who was il
the stockade witnessed the occurrenc,
j and afterwards reported it. The Malays
however, managed to hide their killeC
in the Jungle before we entered, and tn,
only traces that could see of the figh
were the blood bespattered leaves ant
ground, the smashed palisades, and tn
general destruction that the rockets ant
| shells had made.