456     THE BURMESE WAR     1826

inclemency of the weather by awnings only ; rarely meeting with a fresh meal, and at one period, upwards of two months without so great a luxury." These men well deserved the thanks which Sir Archibald Campbell and their own officers, so frequently bestowed upon them.

On the 18th of January the Burmese commissioners again endeavoured to gain time, and requested a further delay of a week : it was refused ; they had promised to evacuate Melloone on the 20th, they refused to comply with their own proposition, and war again became inevitable. Both parties laboured hard during the night ; the English in landing 28 guns, which were in battery by 10 o'clock the next morning ; the Burmese strengthening their already powerful defences. Before noon on the 19th the English opened their fire, and every prospect of any amicable arrangement had passed.

A brigade under the command of Lieutenant-colonel R. Sale, and a division under Brigadier-general Cotton were embarked in the boats under the command of Captain Chads. The first-named brigade assembled and carried the main face of the enemy's position; Major William Frith, of his majesty's 38th regiment, heading the party, the lieutenant-colonel having been wounded in the boats. The enemy gave way immediately, but were interrupted in their retreat by Lieutenant-colonel Thomas Blair, of the 87th foot, who boldly attacked and dispersed them with considerable loss. Such was the daring of one side, and the imbecility of the other, that in four hours after the opening of the battery, Melloone was in possession of the invaders, and all the money, stores, ammunitions, 300 canoes in the hands of the victors, and this chef-d'oeuvre of Burman fortification, strongly garrisoned was assaulted, and taken, with the trifling loss of nine men killed and 35 wounded.

The officers of his majesty's navy, who were employed in this gallant and apparently desperate service, were Lieutenants Grote and William Smith, of the Boadicea, Valentine Pickey, of the Alligator, and Messrs. Sydenham Wilde, William H. Hall, George Sumner Hand, George Wyke, Stephen Lett, and William Coyde (midshipmen).

Though the fall of Melloone convinced his majesty of Ava that his troops were unable, under any circumstances, to cope with his invaders, still it was considered that another chance should be taken, and Nie-Wooh-Breen (the king of hell), was in the well-fortified city of Pagahm-mew, with 16,000 men to turn the tide of victory. Sir Archibald Campbell now advanced to assault the place, and although the court of Ava had despatched Dr. Price, an American missionary, who was a prisoner at Ava, in conjunction with Dr. R. Sandford, of the royals, also a prisoner, both of whom arrived at head quarters on the 31st of January, he did not delay his approach, although his force only amounted to about 2000 men

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