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1811 CAPTURE OF JAVA 33
making, with the transports and captured gun-boats, a total of nearly a hundred sail. On the 10th a smart skirmish took place between the advanced division of each army ; which ended in the defeat of the Dutch, and in the occupation by the British of the important post of Weltervreeden, distant about six miles from the city on the road to Cornelis. Preparations were now made to attack General Jansens in his intrenched camp at the latter place, distant about a league beyond Weltervreeden. On the 20th, in the night, the British army broke ground within 600 yards of the enemy's works ; and on the evening of the 21st the batteries, mounting 20 long 18-pounders, together with eight howitzers and mortars, were nearly completed. To assist in erecting and fighting these batteries, 500 seamen had been landed from the squadron, under the orders of Captain Sayer, assisted by Captains Felting, Maunsell, Reynolds, and Edward Stopford : the latter a volunteer from on board the Scipion, where he was waiting to join his ship the Otter. A detachment of marines, under Captain Richard Bunce of that corps, had also been disembarked from the ships, to increase the strength ^ back to top ^ |
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