Year: 1861




In 1T76, Admiral Watson, having sailed with
his squadron and the Kings troops from Fort
St. David to the assistance Of Calcutta in the
East Indies, stopped at Maypore. on the banks
Of the aanges, where the enemy had place of
considerable strength, called Bougee Fort,
p.oceedsd any further in the expedition. The
action was begun by brisk cannonade from
the squadron, which soon silenced the cannon
of the fort; but the garrison not Offering to
surrender, and continuing to discharge fire
arrows and small arms, ii was determined in q
council Of sea and land officers, that Colonel
Give should endeavor to take it by assault.
For this purpose, at FIVE in the evening, the
Admiral landed an officer, two midshipmen and
about forty sailors from each ship, under the
command of Captain King, to assist the Colonel
In stOrmiDg 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 excepted-and the detachments from
the ships should rest on the ground, in order
to recover themselves as much as possible from
the fatigues they had undergone in the pre-
eeding day service.


Ali was now quiet, in the camp; and we on
board the ships, which lay at their anchors but
a small distance from the shore, had entertain
ed thoughts Of making use Of that interval to
refresh ourselves with an hour or two of sleep;
but suddenly loud and universal 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 mere so as ii was
quite unexpected, but when the particular
circumstances that ushered in this success were
related, our exultation was greatly abated,
because we found that the rules so indispen-
ssbly necessary in all military exploits had
been entirely disregarded In the present ip-
stance, and therefore could not help looking
upon the persen who had the principal hand in
this victory rather as an object of chastisemept
than 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 quantity
of grog (arrack mixed with water,) had his
spirits too much elated to think Of taking any
rest; he therefore strayed by himself toward
the fort, and imperceptibly got under the walls
Beiag advanced thus far without interruption,
he took il into his head to scale at a breach
that had been made by the cannons of the
ships, and having luckily gotten upon the bas-
tion, be there discovered several Moor men sit
ting upon the platform, at whom he hourished
his cutlass and fred his pistol, and then,
having given three loud huELas, cried out:
"The place IS mine ~


The Moorish soldiers Immediately attacked
him, and be defended himself with incredible
resolution, but in the encounter had the mis-
fortune to have the blade Of his catlass cut in
two about foot from the hilt. This mischance;
however, did not happen till he was near being
supported by two or three other sailors who had
socidently struggled to the same part Of the
fort on which the ether had mounted. They
hearing Strahan' 8 cries, Immediately scaled the
breach likewise, and echoing the triumphant
sound, reused the whole army, who taking
the alarm, fell on pell NELL, without order and
without discipline, following the example OF the
sailors. This attack, although made in such
confusion, was followed with no i'll consequence
but the death Of the worthy Captain DOugal
Campbell, who was unfortunately killed by
musket bali from one Of our own pieces in the
general confusion. Captain Coote commanded
the fort for that night, and at daylight the fort
saIutsd the Admiral. 1t was never exactly
known what number Of Moors there were il the
fort when our people first entered. We took in
the fort eighteen csnnons, from twentY-four
Founders downwards, and forty barrels OF
powder


Strahan, the hero Of this adventurous action,
was soon before the admiral, who notwithstand-
ing the success that had attended it, thought
it necessary to show himself displeased with
measure in which the want Of all military
discipline so notoriously appeared. He there
fore angrily inquired into the desperate step
which he had taken.


"Mr. strahan, what is this you have been
doing7'


The fellow, after having made his bow,
scratched his head, and with one hand twirling
his hat upon the other, replied


"Why, to be sure, sir, it was who took the
fort, bat hope there was no harm in it.


The Admiral, with difficulty, was prevented
from smiling at the simplicity of Strahsns
answer, and the whole company were exceed
ingly diverted with his awkward appearance
and his language and manner in recouSting the
several particulars of his mad exploit. Mr..
Watson expatiated largely on the fatal conse-
quences that might have attended his irregular
conduct, and then, with a severe rsbuke, dis
missed him-but not before he had given the
fellow some distant hints that at proper op-
portunity he would be certainly punished for
his temerity. Strahan amazed to find himself
blamed where he expected praise, had no soon
er gone from the Admirals cabin, than he
muttered these words IF am logged for
this ere action, I will never take another fort
by myself as long as / live, by Cd"


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 and yet at
the same time, the discipline of the
service required that he should show him out
wsrdly some marks of his displeasure. This
the Admiral did for ssme little time, but after
wards, at the interoession of some officers,
which intsrcsssion the Admiral himself
prompted them to make, he most readily
pardoned him. And il is not improbable,
that had Strahsn been qualified for the Office
of boatswain, he might, on some other pretence,
before the expedition had ended, had been pro-
NOTED to that station in one Of his majesty 9
ships. But unfortunately for this brave fellow,
the whole tenor Of his conduct, both before and
after the storming Of the fort, was 50 very
irregular as to render 1t impossible Tor the
Admiral 10 advance him from his old station to
any higher rank, how strongly soeyer his incli-
nations led him to do it.