The Burmese, incensed on finding that their booty had been carried off, revenged themselves by pulling down the temple and constructing a building devoted to profane uses on the site. The other pagodas in the vicinity of the town were not spared. They were built of brick and surrounded by ditches which seemed to protect them against the assaults of the enemy. The Christian churches were constructed merely of planks and stakes which acted as fuel to the flames. But in spite of their defenceless condition, they were held by the vigilance and courage of their defenders, and the enemy were unable to set foot in them until after the Chinese and Siamese had experienced several defeats. On September 7th, 1766, the enemy seized a strong position about a quarter of a league distant from the town, and from this point a park of artillery commanded the shore and thus rendered them masters of the river. The danger became more imminent and the Christians whose heroic valour had been proved in the former revolution became the last resource. The defence of the bastions was entrusted to them and they were supplied with thirty pieces of artillery and ammunition for the same. Six thousand Chinese were appointed to defend the Dutch compound and large temple in the immediate neighbourhood, and, as a special favour they were presented with the sum of ten thousand livres. Among the Christians were eighty soldiers available for the defence of various posts exposed to the assaults of the enemy. This brave array had had no military training whatever, and, gun and sword in hand, they would have been objects of laughter to a European soldier. But in spite of their awkwardness, they formed the flower of the Siamese army. The first few days were occupied in skirmishes, shortly afterwards but the enemy united their forces and seized five large temples which became so many fortresses from whence they bombarded the outposts and especially the Church of St. Joseph, the roof of which was riddled without causing any casualties. On the 8th of December it was reported that the Burmese were preparing for a fresh assault. The Christians made sorties from the church and at the sound of drums and trumpets engaged the enemy to the discomfiture of the latter as they were conquered by fear rather than by arms. This initial victory inspired them to take the offensive. They made an attack on some Burmese entrenched in a pagoda and returned with an elephant as a trophy of their victory. The Portuguese, at a distance of about two leagues from the dwelling of the Bishop of Tabraca, gave also signal proof of their courage. They sabred a crowd of Burmese who had attempted to storm their college. The Burmese, driven back in confusion, retired full of admiration for the handful of Christians whom they feared considerably more than the 50,000 Siamese who had neither the daring to make an attack nor the courage to follow up their retreat.