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the town of Rangoon. The naval department had eleven men wounded ; but trivial as this may appear, it is evident from the letter addressed by Sir Archibald Campbell, * to Captain Marryat, and likewise from the despatch from the secretary of government to Sir Archibald, that a very high idea had been formed, and justly formed, of the services of the navy on that occasion. � The best record of the services performed, notwithstanding the severe illness which was prevalent in the squadron, will be found in Captain Marryat's letter to Commodore Grant, dated 11th July, 1824. � On the 13th of July Captain Marryat, in the Larne, dropped down the river to the Dalla creek, to recruit his ship's company, but returned to his position off Rangoon on the 27th, during which time Lieutenant Dobson had captured thirty-five large boats, with various cargoes. On the 4th of August 600 men, with some gun-boats, were detached up the Syriam river. Near the landing-place an old Portuguese fort was discovered, standing on the summit of a hill which commanded the entrance of the Pegu river. The troops were landed under cover of the fire from the Jessy and the Powerful. A deep nullah having for some time checked the advance of the British, Captain Marryat caused a bridge to be thrown across it, when, notwithstanding the heavy fire which the fort maintained, the advance was sounded, and the fort taken. The like success attended Lieutenant-colonel M. Kelly of the Madras European regiment, who was detached to the Syriam pagoda, which the Burmese seemed inclined to defend ; but they were driven from their stronghold without much opposition, leaving behind them some artillery and stores. Lieutenant-colonel Kelly was embarked with 400 men on the 8th of August, with directions to proceed up the Dalla river, the boats being under the command of Lieutenant Fraser. Of this expedition, in which, says Mr. Marshall, " finer or more characteristic traits of British soldiers and sailors were never witnessed, the officers, less encumbered than their men, forming line breast deep in mud and water, and passing the scaling ladders from one to another to be planted against the walls of the stockade," the official despatch, in which Lieutenant-colonel Kelly bestows the highest encomiums on the naval officers employed, is the best history. � Captain Marryat, in his official letter to the commodore, speaks highly of the gallantry of Lieutenant Fraser, Mr. Atherton, Messrs. Duffill, Winsor, and Norcock. || . At this period, August, 1824, the following ships composed the naval force in India : Tees (26 guns), Captain Thomas Coe, " who, after the death of Commodore Grant, became the senior * See Appendix, No. 3. � Ibid., No. 4. � Ibid., No. 5. � Ibid., No. 6. || Ibid., No. 7. ^ back to top ^ |