Historical Record of the Twelfth, or the East Suffolk, Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1847Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Twelfth, or the East Suffolk, Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1847
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Suffolk Regiment
The TWELFTH regiment and Sepoys continued to resist the armed
population of Travancore and the numerous forces of the Rajah;
but being constantly harassed by the approach of bodies of the
enemy, the physical powers of the soldiers became diminished, and
their numbers decreased by disease; but the innate valour of the
troops remained unabated. Before daylight on the 31st of January,
the Travancoreans made another effort to surprise the camp; but
a rocket announced their approach, and the British were under
arms, as they usually were, at three o'clock in the morning: many
of the cocoa-nut trees had been cut down to enlarge the plain,
and as the enemy's heavy columns emerged from the wood, a sharp
cannonade was opened upon them; but they formed line under fire
and advanced, when the guns of the redoubt rent chasms in their
ranks. Undismayed by the storm of grape and bullets which smote
their ranks, the Travancoreans pressed forward, and endeavoured to
establish several guns on a rising ground; but the artillery of the
redoubt dismounted their ordnance. After keeping up an irregular
fire of musketry for some time, they withdrew from the front, and
concentrating on the right, renewed the attack with greater vigour,
when the left wing of the TWELFTH regiment was detached under
Captain William Henry Forssteen, to aid the Sepoys on that flank.
On the arrival of the TWELFTH on the right, a charge with bayonets
was executed with great vigour and the Travancoreans fled from the
field, leaving one brass six-pounder behind them; several other
guns were preserved by the swiftness of the elephants.
On the following day, the troops were thanked in orders 'for the
steady and cool manner in which they met and repulsed the attack of
the enemy.'
After this defeat, in which they lost an immense number of men,
the Travancoreans did not hazard another general attack; but they
frequently endeavoured to surprise the piquets in the night, in
which they were always defeated. On the 13th of February, the
nineteenth regiment arrived from Columbo; and the troops were only
prevented advancing up the country from the want of stores and the
means of conveyance. A small supply having arrived, they advanced
in two columns, the first composed of the TWELFTH and a battalion
of Sepoys, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Picton; and the second, of
the nineteenth and a battalion of Sepoys, under Lieut.-Colonel
Stewart, and by a combined attack they captured the enemy's
stockade and extensive breast-works, in gallant style, on the 21st
of February.
In the meantime another British force had penetrated the
Travancore country under Colonel St. Leger, and this army arrived
at Travandapatam, the capital, without meeting with serious
opposition. The refractory Rajah made overtures for peace, and the
TWELFTH regiment returned to Coulan, detaching the flank companies
to the capital.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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