1824	The Burmese War	423

on one side by the river, and at the western end by a morass, over which there is a bridge. The palisade encloses the town, in the shape of an irregular parallelogram, having one gate in each of three faces, and two in that of the north : at the river-gate is a landing-place, denominated the King's wharf, where stands the battery opposite which the Liffey anchored." * From this battery a miserably directed and altogether insignificant fire was commenced, but which immediately was silenced by a few shot from the Liffey ; in the mean time preparations were made to land the troops, during which the battery again opened its fire, and was as easily silenced as before ; the troops were landed in three divisions, and the town was taken without the discharge of a single musket, the inhabitants, together with some British and American missionaries having been driven by the Burmese inland.

On the 16th of May Captain Richard Birch, who had been despatched for the purpose of dislodging the enemy from the village of Kemmendale, a war-boat station three miles above Rangoon, was landed with the grenadier company of his majesty's 38th regiment, by the boats of the Liffey, under Lieutenant James Wilkinson of that ship, about a mile from Kemmendine [sic], where a party of the enemy had stockaded themselves. The position was attacked and carried in a gallant style. The men being re-embarked, the boats proceeded further up the river, when a heavy fire from another stockade was opened upon them ; the boats instantly pulled towards the point, the place was assaulted and carried in spite of numerous difficulties, and 400 men who defended it, were driven from the stockade at the point of the bayonet, leaving 60 of the enemy killed. A third stockade was soon afterwards attacked and carried. In these affairs the army lost Lieutenant Thomas Kerr of the 38th regiment and one private killed, and nine wounded. In the naval department Lieutenant Wilkinson and nine of his crew were severely wounded.

Commodore Grant left Rangoon on the 31st of May, in consequence of severe indisposition, which on the 25th of July following proved fatal ; the command of the naval department in the Irrawaddi (on a branch of which river Rangoon stands) now devolved on Captain Marryat. In Sir Archibald Campbell's despatch, dated the day after Commodore Grant sailed, the following description is given of the enemy:

" Every act evinces a most marked determination of carrying hostilities to the very last extremity ; approaching our posts day and night, under cover of an impervious and incombustible jungle, constructing stockades and redoubts on every road and pathway, even within musket-shot of our sentries, and, from their hidden fastnesses, carrying on a most barbarous and harassing

* Marshall.

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