'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎482] (501/622)

482
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
he relieved the 4 Pearl , Naval Brigade, under Captain Sotheby,
R.N. He writes to us u On my taking charge of the fort at
Buxar, there was not a gun or a carriage of any description
except the four 12-poiinders I took with me, so I set to work
with the carpenters I had amongst my brigade, and the black
smiths from the village, and made two field carriages and
limbers, and drilled the men to the guns and use of the field-
pieces. I found the fort in a very dilapidated state, and had to
dig the moat out and repair the ramparts, &c." Their efficiency
was soon put to the test, and the men proved themselves apt
pupils of an experienced master. The alarms at Baxar were
frequent, and the Detachment was constantly on the move and
engaged in desultory operations against the rebels.
In August, 1858, Commander Batt # performed some good
service near Buxar, with forty of his men, and two guns.
Brigadier Douglas writes to the Adjutant-General from Dina-
pore, on the 30th of that month :—" I have the honour to for
ward herewith, for submission to his Excellency the Com
mander-in-chief, a report from Major Carr, Madras Rifles,
commanding at Buxar, of a successful operation undertaken by
him on the 13th instant, which resulted in the complete defeat
and dispersion, with heavy loss, of a very greatly superior body
of rebels, who had threatened, and were about to attack, his
advanced post at Doomraon. J, The following is Major Carr's
report, dated Buxar, 16th August, 1858 :— 64 On the 11th,
having been called on by Captain Broome, commanding Doom-
raon, for assistance, as a large body of rebels were moving on
his post, I immediately sent off a troop and a half of the military
train, in all fifty sabres, and one hundred and twenty Sikh
Cavalry, under Lieutenant Ryall, the w T hole commanded by
Captain Nason, Military Train; I proceeded myself during the
night with two companies of the 84th, on elephants, and fifty
Madras Rifles. On the 12th the enemy, said to be from fifteen
hundred to two thousand, eight hundred of whom were Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. ,
were reported to me to be posted in and around the village of
Chowgain, about six miles off. I went out of Doomraon a short
way in their direction, but finding the country so difficult for
cavalry, for it was all enclosed, and having in all only about
one hundred and fifty infantry, of whom one hundred only
were Europeans, I returned, and sent into Buxar for the two
Naval Brigade guns, w r hich, with one other company of the
84th, arrived at twelve at night; this they were enabled to do
by the fortuitous presence here of some bullocks and some
drivers of the Bengal Artillery, which have been detained here
by the closing of the communications. Thus reinforced, on the
morning of the 13th, as soon as I could get certain information
of the rebels, I marched out in the direction of the enemy on
* He attained the rank of Commander on the 21st of August, 1858.