'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎421] (462/590)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
421
idea of the importance of our acquisition. The capture of the
Mayhoon, his brother and family, with his principal adherents,
completely weakens the enemy, and places us in a commanding
situation to cripple any exertions in this quarter. Where
everything has been so happily accomplished, I have but to
add my sincere and heartfelt thanks to Captain Hardy, of the
Hon. Company's Marine, who commands the naval part of the
Expedition, for his cordial co-operation, and the unceasing
labour and fatigue he experienced in sounding the river, and
directing the movements of the ships, whose ofiicers and crews
exerted themselves to the utmost/'
Three hundred and seventy soldiers, with the 4 Mercury' and
a gunboat, were left at Tavoy for the protection of the place,
and the remainder of the combined Expedition sailed for Mergui,
where they arrived on the 6th of October. Colonel Miles
describes as follows the operations that ensued, in his despatch
of the 9th of October:— u My first care was to send a summons
to the town for its unconditional surrender, but instead of a
reply, at half-past eleven o'clock, their guns opened a heavy fire
upon the Hon. Company's cruisers, who had previously taken
their position in front of the enemy's batteries, mounting thirty-
three pieces of heavy ordnance. The practice on our part was
so good, that in about one hour the whole were silenced." In
the meantime Colonel Miles had assembled all the available
troops in the boats of the squadron, which effected a landing
to the right of the town, and a party of H.M.'s 89th Regiment
greatly distinguished themselves in escalading the walls, when
the enemy lost five hundred men. Mergui was a place of
considerable strength. Colonel Miles says :— u Their batteries
were placed on the brows of the different hills, commanding the
shipping. From the best information I have been able to
collect, the enemy had three thousand five hundred men
in arms. On our first gaining possession the whole population
fled; but in the course of the night and the following morning,
great numbers came in, and are now following their several
avocations."" The loss sustained in the capture ot Mergui was
six killed and thirty-six wounded, and thirty-seven guns and
one hundred and six swivels were captured in the city. Leaving
part of the Madras troops to garrison Mergui, and some of the
flotilla, Colonel Miles and Captain Hardy returned with the
remainder of the force to Rangoon in time to take part in the
important operations about to commence.
In the month of September some sharp fighting took place
in the Dalla Creek, some distance up which was Thontai,
capital of the province and the retreat of the Rangoon
people, and in this the boats of the 4 Larne' did good
service, while the gunboats and mortar-vessels also rendered
assistance. The gun-vessels, row-boats, and soldiers left in