-the enemy, to our great surprise, not attempting to oppose us, which, I believe, many heartily thanked God for; as, had they drawn up some field-pieces with their light infantry, they would have made a dreadful slaughter, as the sea-shore is defended by an immense thick jungle-this we pushed on through, and occupied a fine position on the main road to Batavia, where we remained for two days, until the cavalry and artillery were landed; and, in fact, the whole army-the enemy did not attempt much, they only attacked an advanced picquet the first night, but were beaten back with loss. On the second day the alarm was sounded, and we learnt the army was coming down from Batavia to attack us; the line immediately took up a position, and we moved out to meet them; but, after marching a number of miles, and scouring the jungles right and left, we returned, as the enemy had evidently. thought better of it. This was the most dreadful day I ever experienced; from seven o'clock in the morning till sunset, we were exposed to the burning rays of the sun, without a morsel to eat or drink; many Europeans and Sepoys died in the jungles for want; and some officers will never recover the effects of the sun. In the morning we moved on about five miles, the direct road to Batavia, which runs along the sea shore, with a large canal, inland, running parallel. The communication to the city is by a large bridge, which the enemy destroyed; we advanced, without opposition, to within one march of the broken bridge-this was on the 9th. At twelve o'clock at night we marched off, and having crossed the canal by a bridge of men-of-war's boats, advanced to take a battery, defending the road to the city; the enemy evacuated it, and retreated to the city, which, to our great mortification, we beheld shortly after in flames; this we well knew to contain the company's spice stores, of immense value, and appeared a perfect death-blow to our expectations of prize-money-it was not, however, so bad. A deputation of Dutch burghers came from the city (we were about two miles off) to give it up to us, saying that Gen. Jansen had first fired the public godorins, and retreated, leaving no protection whatever to the numerous inhabitants, and that the slaves would plunder and murder them. This was joyful news; we pushed on, and took possession of the city, and succeeded in extinguishing the flames, and saving much of the prize property; though I regret to say, a million pounds of coffee was burnt, besides a quantity of pepper, whereby the army lose 100,000 rupees of prize money. At three, o'clock in the morning of the 10th, the advance received orders to

attack the enemy's military cantonments of Wetterfueden, which is three miles interior of Batavia, we moved on in the greatest silence, and arrived at a bridge defending the cantonments; this we found not destroyed-it was immediately passed, and we were nearly in the heart of the cantonments when the action commenced by the fire of the enemy's piquet; this was not returned by us, but our troops advanced in double quick time through the cantonments, and came direct upon the ariny of the enemy, who were ready to receive us, being alarmed by their piquet. They were strongly posted on the main road, leading to Fort Cornelius, with their horse artillery, and completely flanked by a jungle on both sides, lined with riflemen, &c. It was now just day-light, and the action became general, by very heavy discharges of musketry and grape, with a galling fire from the jungle; our troops returned four or five voliies, when the signal to cease firing and charge was sounded, which was obeyed in the most gallant manner. Major Butler, of the 89th, charged and took the whole of their flying artillery; and their line, with their choice Europeans, were routed-although broken, the action continued for two hours with their riflemen, every hedge was lined with them; and many of our men were shot by cannon being put over a hedge close to their heads. Our troops now dispersed right and left, and cleared the jungles. The enemy were pursued as far as their advanced batteries, seven in number, in front of Cornelius: here ended the battle; for we were obliged to get under cover from a tremendous fire of round and grape.

"By this short, but brilliant action, we took their grand military cantonments, capable of containing 15 or 20,000 men; their best troops were beaten from a choice position by a handful of men; their arsenal, with 300 pieces of cannon, shot, shells, and ammunition their horse-artillery, 300 men killed, 300 men prisoners; their second in command Gen. Alberti, and three field-officers, killed. Our loss was trivial-about 100 men and three or four officers. The advantage of that day's action was, that Wetterfueden now became our advanced post, and our piquets were pushed as far as the jungle, on either side of the road; their seven batteries stood on a plain of about one mile and a half, surrounded by cultivation and jungle; Fort Cornelius was in their rear, towards the interior of the country: the batteries were alternately retired and disposed on either side the road, mounting in toto 150 pieces of cannon, 18 and 24-pounders: before this tremendous position we began erecting our batteries, with every possible expedition, on VOL. II.

the edge of the jungle, which was so thick the enemy could not see us. Our batteries were, one twelve 18-pounder, and one six mortar battery, on the right of the road, and one eight 18-pounder on the left.

I need say little of the hardship of digging trenches and making batteries, exposed day and night to the climate, and the enemy's fire, which was kept up five days without intermission. On the 15th of August (Buonaparte's birth-day,) they fired, as a salute, 200 rounds of cannon shot at us; thank heaven we were hid by the jungle, but many brave fellows fell. Our batteries were nearly finished by the night of the 21st; but the enemy having ascertained our position, stormed our batteries at daylight on the 22d, and succeeded in taking one, but were driven back in less than five minutes; in pursuing the enemy, we were, as usual, fired on with round and grape, which killed several officers and men; we, however, went on with our work: and such was the description of our army, that not a shot had yet been fired, except by advance lightinfantry; our impenetrable silence astonished and alarmed them. On the 23d our batteries were ready to open-every bosom heaved -every heart throbbed with anxiety and expectation. At gun-fire, in the morning, the old General, Achmuty, a brave veteran, came up to the batteries. At ten o'clock our first angry shot was fired, and immediately followed by a salvo-although at the risk of our lives, every one looked out to see the effect of the shot; it was a moment when a soldier's feelings cannot be described; pride and exultation were the chief passions; for we were now able to return their compliments, and shew them how we could stand to our guns. The enemy opened the whole of his batteries with a heavy and well-directed fire; and I must do them the justice to observe, they were determined not to be in our debt. On the 24th, the fire from our side was terribly heavy, and had done great damage; although we dismounted their guns constantly, they were as quickly replaced. I was employed with my company the whole of this day, carrying up ammunition to the batteries, which, about eleven o'clock, were obliged to stop for want of; indeed, our guns were so hot, we could scarce fire them. My duty this day was replete with danger; I had to make several trips of about a quarter of a mile to the rear of the batteries, and every shot that missed them we were exposed to; but such is the chance of war, I escaped, and lost only one of my men, whose legs were carried off, I was amply rewarded by receiving three cheers from the men working the guns,

and as I had 60 men, and every one with an 18-pound shot, and a cartridge on his shoulder, it was a famous supply: towards evening the enemy's fire slackened. On the 25th our fire was, as usual, very successful; and, before night, we had dismounted every gun they could bring against us, and blown up two magazines. At twelve o'clock at night, orders came to form the storming party : my battalion composing part, I was roused up out of a delicious sleep, the only one I had had for 15 days. The advance were now so exhausted, by want of food and rest, that we had eagerly looked for this moment, and the call of duty was never more joyfully obeyed. The column was soon formed under the command of Colonel Gillespie, consisting of the flank companies of His Majesty's 14th, 59th, 69th, and 78th, some royal marines, 4 companies of my corps, and 4 companies of the 4th volunteer battalion. We e were to storm on the enemy's right, and another column under Colonel Gibbs was to storm on the left. We moved off about half past twelve, took a circuitous route in the jungle, and continued marching incessantly until gun-fire in the morning; how many miles we went God knows, but just at gun-fire we came close to the first grand battery--we were in close column, and the silence of death prevailed. It certainly was a most awful moment, for however a soldier may attempt to despise death, when he knows the next instant he may be sent to eternity, with all his sins unrepented, he has the feelings of the man, though imperious duty bids him smother them-but a truce to moralizing, no time was to be lost; we pushed on, and came upon their European piquet, who were instantly bayonetted-every soul except the officer. Secrecy was now at an end; the screams of these poor fellows alarmed the troops, who commenced the most destructive fire of round, grape, and musketry, that could be made. It was truly appalling; and none but British troops could have withstood it; we huzzaed, pushed on, and gained the battery in two minutes. Here was death again in all its horrors, for many of our troops had got round the rear, and entered the gate-way, thus preventing all escape, and the battery, which was full of men, we entirely destroyed. A smart fire from a battery, in the rear of the one we had gained, galling us considerably, the troops called out to push on for it; and as I always persuade myself a soldier who stays in the rear is in the most danger, I went on with the men of my own company. We had got possession of the second battery about a moment, when one of those escapes, which sometimes a man encounters, happened: a large

magazine full of powder and shells, situated nearly in the centre of the first battery, blew up with a dreadful explosion; although the hottest part of the action, an instantaneous silence ensued; not a shot was heard for the space of a moment. Conceive the horror of our feelings at least 200 men, and from 16 to 20 officers blown to atoms! nearly the whole grenadier company of the 59th destroyed; mangled limbs, bodies, and shells, bestrewed the battery I was in, and for many yards round-ten officers of my corps were blown up, and the guns (18-pounders) blown over the ditch of the battery. The action now went on; we found still another battery to take; after a little breathing, we pushed on and gained it, though most obstinately defended.

I had some hope our day's work was finished, the seven batteries being stormed and taken; but not so: immediately in the rear of these batteries, in a parallel line, and in front of Fort Cornelius, was a masked battery of flying artillery, from 16 to 20 guns: these opened a terrible fire of grape upon us, and rendered the last battery almost untenable, for the shot came through the fascines. Our only chance was now charging the guns, which was done in the most gallant manner; although I firmly believe not more than 50 men, Europeans and Sepoys, composed the party, and five officers-six or eight guns were taken by this party outright, but their line of infantry, in the rear, beat us back to the battery. I returned with little chance of escaping; for the guns being manned again, opened a hot fire of grape, (the whole copper halfpenceevery wound death,) and very few of the brave fellows left, returned again; myself and three officers got safe in. In the interim, the battery had been filled with fresh men, and Colonel Gillespie came in shortly afterwards, who, being informed of our affair, ordered the men to fall in and charge again; he led us on in the most-noble manner; we completely took the guns, and killed all the horses that could not be made off with. We now received a heavy volley of musketry from about 3000 men, which was answered only by the sound to charge. Our two columns had now joined, and nothing could withstand them; the enemy broke and dispersed in every direction, the principal body taking the main road to the interiorevery individual was now hot in the pursuit, the enemy only making faint stands where a house or hedges afforded cover. We had pursued them nearly three miles, when the cavalry came charging up the road. We gave them three cheers, and had the grand sight of seeing two squadrons of English dragoons charge between 2 and