Memoir of the Services of the Bengal Artillery: From the Formation of the Corps to the Present Time, with Some Account of Its Internal OrganizationBuckle, E. (Edmond)
History
Memoir of the Services of the Bengal Artillery: From the Formation of the Corps to the Present Time, with Some Account of Its Internal Organization
Buckle, E. (Edmond)
India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947; India -- History, Military; India. Army. Bengal Artillery
Bundlecund still continued the seat of war; Gopal Sing, availing himself
of the natural fastnesses of the country, evaded our troops continually.
He was overtaken near Perereea in February (and Lieutenant Timbrell is
mentioned on this occasion), but escaping, he fled to the hills, from
whence he came out the following month, and before assistance could be
sent, burned the cantonment of Tiroha, maintaining a harassing and
desultory warfare, which, without producing any marked events, kept the
troops constantly on the move during that and the following year; and it
was only brought to a close by the siege of Callingur, in February,
1812; after which, Gopal Sing returned to his allegiance.
Callingur is a fort situated on one of those detached rocky eminences
abounding in Bundlecund, and which require little aid from art, as they
are almost natural fortifications. The rock at the summit forms a
natural scarp, of from ten to twenty feet high, and the whole side of
the hill is very difficult of access. The only entrance is in the centre
of the northern wall, and the approach to it is by a steep pathway
winding up the face of the hill; this gained, a succession of gates bar
the entrance to the fort.
The force under Colonel Martindell assembled on the 19th January; on the
21st occupied a small hill, within 800 yards, which promised to be the
most favourable point for attack. The 22nd, 23rd, and 24th were employed
in clearing the jungle and making a road for the guns, and, on the 25th,
two 18–pounders were, with great labour, got up. In the night, two more
guns and two mortars followed, and were placed in battery: two other
batteries were erected at the foot of the hill, against the main
gateway, and the whole being ready by the 28th, opened with great
effect. The enemy’s guns were immediately dismounted, and the bastion
opposed to the guns on the hill demolished.
The town was taken this day; and the batteries continuing to play till
the 2nd of February, the breach was supposed practicable, and a party
advanced to storm it, but finding a perpendicular ascent of twenty feet,
their ladders crushed and broken by the showers of large stones the
enemy rolled down, the party were forced to retire with heavy loss: the
killadar, however, was glad to come to terms, and capitulated on the 8th
February.
Major Fuller commanded the artillery in this siege, and their exertions
were acknowledged in General Orders:—“The Governor-General deems it his
duty to express his concurrence in the honourable testimony borne to the
distinguished services of the artillery and engineer departments by
Colonel Martindell.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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