ight & make themselves masters of the between them, having likewise begun its fire within two hundred and fifty yards of the north-east angle, the defences of the east side of that part of the works were in a great measure destroyed. A battery was then constructed bearing on the north face of the same angle, at a distance of about two hundred and fifty yards. The rest of December was employed in a similar manner in strengthening the old batteries, erecting new ones, and pushing forward the works; a constant fire, which left scarcely a roof uninjured being kept up against the town, while the enemy seemed to be reserving his resources to the last, and the operations of the besiegers were exposed to no material interruption. On the 3rd January, 1826, the artillery began to breach the curtains; the ditches in front were found to be dry, and, from the ruggedness of the counterscarp, offered fewer obstacles than had been expected. Such, however, was the tenacity of the tough mud walls, that they resisted the effects of shot better than masonry would have done; it was found that the batteries were insufficient to breach them, and recourse was had to mining. On the evening of the 6th, a mine was Lord Combermere, desirous to save the women and children from the horrors of a siege, and of a bombardment like that which must follow from such a battering train as he was about to employ, addressed a letter to Doorjun Sal on the 21st, calling upon him to send them out of the fort, promising them a safe conduct through the British camp, and allowing four and twenty hours for that purpose, before he should open his fire upon the town. Having received an evasive answer, his lordship again sent to him, allowing a farther extension of the time for twelve hours; but the humane offer was not accepted. On the 23rd, thereCfore, every thing being in readiness commenced in the scarp of the to commence operations, and the north-east angle of the works having been fixed upon as the point of attack, the besiegers under a heavy fire, took possession of a ruined village called Kuddum Kemdee, and of Buldeo Singh's garden, and completed their first parallel at the distance of about eight hundred yards from the fort. On the morning of the 24th, two batteries erected at these two points opened upon the town, and, on the 25th, another more advanced battery his 12 the lake t purpos deep of ide Large with ditch on the northern face of the work, with the purpose of improving the breach; but the engineers, fearing that they would be discovered, if they continued their operations during the day, sprung it at day-light on the following morning, when it was not sufficiently advanced to have any material effect upon the wall. In making a second attempt, the miners were driven away, having been countermined from the interior before they had entered many feet, and the gallery was subsequently blown up, it being discovered that the enemy were keeping watch in it. On the 14th, another mine under one of the bastions was exploded too precipitately, and failed of its effect. Two more mines were immediately driven into the same work, which were sprung on the 16th so successfully, that with the aid of a day's battering they effected an excellent breach, which was reported to be practicable. On the 17th, the mine under the north-east angle was completed, and the following day was fixed for the storm. Early in the morning of the 18th, the troops destined for the assault established themselves in the advanced trenches unperceived by the enemy. The left breach was to be mounted by the brigade of general Nicolls, headed by the 59th regiment; that on the right by general Reynell's brigade, headed by the 14th regiment; the explosion of the mine under the north-east angle was to be the signal for the attack. At eight o'clock, the mine was exploded with terrific effect; the whole of the salient angle, and part of the stone cavalier in the rear, were lifted into the air, which for some time was in total darkness; but from the mine having exploded in an unexpected direction, or from the troops having been stationed, in consequence of miscalculation, too near it, the ejected stones and masses of earth killed, in their fall, several men of the regiment at the head of the column of attack, and severely wounded three officers; they fell so thick about lord Comberinere himself, that brigadier general M Combe, who was standing next to him, was knocked down, and two sepoys, who were within a few feet of him, were killed on the spot. The troops immediately mounted to the assault, with the greatest order and steadiness, and, notwithstanding a determined op position, carried the breaches. The left breach was the more difficult of the two; and at one moment, where the ascent was steepest, the 59th regiment, which led the attack, halted for an instant; but at a cheer from their comrades behind, they pressed on, and quickly surmounted it, the grenadiers moving up it slowly and resolutely without yet drawing a trigger in return for the vollies of round shot, grape, and musketry, which were poured upon them. Some of the foremost of the enemy defended the bread for a few minutes with great re solution, but, as the explosion of the mine had blown up threehundred of their companions, they were soon compelled to give way, and were pursued along the ram parts. Whenever they came to a gun which they could move, they turned it upon their pursuers, but they were immediately killed by the grenadiers, and the gun upset. In two hours the whole rampart surrounding the town, although bravely defended at every gate way and bastion, along with the command of the gates of the citadel were in possession of the besiegers, and early in the afternoon, the citadel itself surrendered. Brig dier general Sleigh, commanding the cavalry, having been intrusted with preventing the escape enemy's troops, after the assault, made such a disposition of his forces, that he succeeded in s curing Doorjun Sal, who, with his wife, two sons, and a hundred and sixty chosen horse, attempted to force a passage through the 8th light cavalry. The loss of the enemy could not be computed at less than four thousand killed; and, owing to the disposition of the cavalry, hardly a man, bearing arms, escaped. Thus, as by the surrender of the town, all the stores, arms, and ammunition fell into the possession of the victor, the whole military power of the Bhurtpoor state might be considered as annihilated. The fortifications were demolished, the principal bastions, and parts of several curtains were blown up on the 6th February, and it was left to the rains to complete the ruin. The Futty Bourg, or "Bastion of Victory," built, as the Bhurtporeans vaunted, with the bones and blood of British soldiers who fell in the assault under lord Lake, was now laid low; and among its destroyers were some of those very men who, twenty years before, 'had been permitted," in the boasting language of the natives, "to fly from its eternal walls." All the other fortresses within the Rajah's dominions immediately surrendered; the inhabitants returned to their abodes, and the prince was re-instated in his authority. Lord Combermere broke up his camp, to return to Calcutta, on the 20th February, and arrived there early in April. IN AFRICA, during this year, our settlements on the coast of Guinea were again threatened by the restlessness of the Ashantees. Since the unfortunate battle with sir Charles M'Carthy, which emboldened them, by the death of the British commander, rather than discouraged them by the ultimate failure of the enterprise, the king of that nation had silently been collecting supplies, and forming an army to effect his favourite object of making himself master of all the territory between his own country and the sea, by successively attacking, and overpowering, the native princes in the British interest, and surprising British Accra. It was not possible for him, however, to make the necessary preparations, without the knowledge of the neighbouring chiefs, whose fears at length led them to supplicate assistance from colonel Purdon, commanding at Cape Coast. They promised, if he would give them muskets and powder, to purchase an equal quantity from the merchants, raise twelve thousand men, and put themselves under his command; and they engaged, in the most solemn manner, not to run away, as they had done on the occasion of sir Charles M'Carthy's unfortunate defeat. Colonel Purdon, taking what assurances he could get, accepted their offer, gave them what assistance he could, and divided their force into five brigades, with two strong corps of observation, to protect each flank. He then assembled such of the settlers, merchants, and civilians as he could, and formed them into one corps as a reserve. The only British troops he had were eighty men of the Royal African corps, with four field pieces, of six and three-pounders. The united force amounted to less than twelve thousand men. The natives were composed of the following kings, nations, and tribes : Accatoo, king of Aquimbo; Adononaqua, king of Aquapim: Dongua, queen of Aikim; Cudjoe, king of Assin; the king of Tuful, and many other caboceers, and captains of tribes. They brought into the field about ten thousand men ; to whom, and the eighty men of the regular troops, were added fivehundred militia, British, Dutch, and Danish, belonging to Accra and Cape Coast Castle. The the a Ashantees' force amounted to orders he had received, to bring up twenty-five thousand men. On the 29th of July, colonel Purdon marched to Wongassey, about eighteen miles from British Accra. On the 4th of August he moved to Ashroocan, and on the 6th he took up a position (twenty-four miles from Accra) on an extensive plain. The morning of the 7th happened to be a Monday, and a remarkably fine day, which was regarded by the "wise men" of the Ashantees as a Fetish (or good omen) and a favourable day for the king to fight on; he was assured by these soothsayers that it would render him invincible. He ac cordingly, acting under their influence, at half past nine in the morning, moved to the attack, in a very imposing and determined man ner. his division, the moment he should hear the report of the British guns, and attack the Ashantees on their left flank. This simultaneous movement, with the forces immediately under the direction of colonel Purdon, had the desired effect, and decided the fate of the battle. If the whole of the allies had acted in a similar manner, neither the king of the Ashantees, nor any part of his army would have escaped. But it is difficult to prevail upon such a race of people to act upon a system atic plan of operation, if it be at variance with their own notions; and the cause of the flight of part of them was that, in disobedience of orders, they broke from the line formed, and rushed into contest without regularity, without any reserve to support them, or prudence to guide them, in case of difficulty. The loss of the Ashantees, in killed, wounded, and prisoners was estimated at not less than five thousand men Many of the Ashantee princes and generals were killed and taken. About eight hundred were killed, and two thousand wounded on the side of the British. The whole of the camp equipage, of great value, fell into the hands of some of the least deserving of the allied forces Amongst those spoils were, the goldenumbrella of State, the golden stool of State, and gold dust, ivory, and other valuables to a large amount. Adononaqua, king of Aquapim, covered the head of the late sr Charles M'Carthy, which was con sidered by the Ashantees as their enveloped in two folds of paper, greatest charm or fetish. It was covered with Arabic characters, tied up a third time, in a s handkerchief, and lastly sewed up in a leopard's skin. The captor refused to give up. Colonel Purdon instantly put his force in motion, met the Ashantees half-way upon the plain, and commenced the battle with great bravery. After the engagement had lasted more than an hour, a pause ensued, in consequence of the left of the British right centre brigade and nearly the whole of the right wing giving way. At this critical moment, as soon as the centre reserve (composed of the Royal African Corps) became uncovered by the flight of the natives, colonel Purdon opened on the Ashantees a destructive fire of rockets, grape, and cannister, which did great execution; and, perceiving that they were panic-struck, and in the utmost confusion, he moved forward to the attack with every man he had, and cut through the enemy's centre. way in all directions, and the They gave victory was no longer doubtful. Accatoo, king of Aquimbo, who commanded a strong corps of observation on the extreme right, bravely and accurately obeyed the ‹ of se the ethe dis kin க ༨༡ CHAP. IX. FRANCE-Meeting of the Chambers-Expenses of the Army of Occupa tion in Spain-Ouvrard's Contracts-The Budget-Roads -Army and Navy-Operation of the Sinking Fund-Corn Laws-Trade-Law of Primogeniture-Speech of M. Villèle-The Slave Trade-Complaints against the Government for shewing partiality to Turkey against Greece-Independence of St. Domingo, and Indemnity to the Colonists-Motion against Reading Speeches-The Press-Trial of the Abbé Mennais- Montlosier's Denunciation of the JesuitsTreaty with Brazil-Policy of France towards Portugal-Recal of the French Minister from Madrid, and of the Swiss Guards. of as EXCEPTING the excitation us from the other powers; the efforts and intrigues of a high ecclesiastical party to extend their influence, and the clamours of interested men who declaimed against the financial measures of the ministry because they had been losers by fluctuations in the funds, every thing was tranquil and prosperous in France; when the king opened the Session of the Chambers, on the 31st of January, with the following speech: "Gentlemen, "It is with real satisfaction that I see myself again among you. Attentive to the movements of the public mind, and to the course of affairs, I have judged that no serious motive required that the time at which I proposed to call you together should be anticipated. My foresight has been justified, and I am happy at not having abridged the repose on which you were allowed to depend. "Death has just struck in the midst of his career one of my most magnanimous allies: this loss has profoundly afflicted me. I receive from his successor, as well VOL. LXVIII. continuance of their friendly dispositions; and I have the confidence, that nothing will impair the harmony between me and my allies for the tranquillity of nations. "I have concluded with his Britannic majesty, a convention which will render more uniform the conditions to which the reciprocal navigation of the two kingdoms and their colonies is subject. I expect, from this arrangement, happy results for our maritime commerce. "I have determined to fix, at length, the fate of St. Domingo. The time was come to close a painful wound, and to put an end to a state of things which compromised so many interests. The definitive separation of this colony, which has been lost to us for these thirty years, will not disturb the security of those which we pre serve. "A law became necessary for the division of the indemnity which I have reserved for the ancient planters; it will be proposed to you. [Q] |