'PERSIAN GULF AND GULF OF OMAN. RESOURCES AND COAST DEFENCES.' [‎88] (100/114)

88 persian gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .—resources and defences.
Persian camp was also bombarded (afterwards discovered, with
effect).
At 7.45 a.m. batteries were only able to reply from three or
four guns.
Between 9 and 10 a.m transports, with about 1,400 troops and
followers, were brought up the E. channel past the squadron
engaging the forts, fortunately without loss. Troops disembarked,
covered by fire from " Feroze " and " Ajdaha," at a point on E.
bank of Shatt-el-Arab about 2,000 yards above N. battery.
Landing parties from " Semiramis,'' " Clive," " Victoria," and
" Falkland " then drove the Persians from N. and S. batteries.
Landing of troops completed by 1.30 p.m. Advance at once
made on Persian entrenched camp. On approach of British force
Persian army retreated precipitately, abandoning enormous
quantities of stores. For want of sufficient cavalry British
pursuit ineffective. Very few casualties among the troops.
Naval casualties only Skilled and 18 wounded. This slight loss
due to the fact that all vessels engaged used trusses of compressed
hay to give additional protection to the crews.
Mohammerah was occupied by the British force until 15th
May 1857.
(3) Expedition to Ahwaz on the Karun River, 1857.— (See
Plate 5.)
On 29th March 1857 (following on the capture of Moham
merah on the 26th March) Sir J. Outram sent a small expedition
under Captain liennie, I.N. (accompanied by Captain Kemball,
British Resident in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. , and other officers), to
reconnoitre the Karun River as far as Ahwaz, towards which
place the Persian army had retreated from Mohammerah.
The expedition consisted of :—
2 companies 64th Regiment.
2 „ 78th Highlanders.
In all 300 men under Captain Hunt, 78th Highlanders.
Armed steamer " Comet," 2 river steamers, 3 small
gunboats (2 24-pr. howitzers each), 3 cutters.
The troops were carried in the three steamers, which also towed
the gunboats.
Ahwaz is situated on the left (E.) bank of the Karun, about
117 miles above Mohammerah. It was known that the Persians
had collected stores at Ahwaz, and it was thought that the
retreating Persian army might be found there.
The expedition met with no opposition on the way up the
river, but found traces of the Persian retreat.
On 31st March, when 14 miles from Ahwaz, information was
received that the Persian army had reached that place the day
before. The vessels anchored for the niffht.
O