The History of the First West India RegimentEllis, A. B. (Alfred Burdon)
History
The History of the First West India Regiment
Ellis, A. B. (Alfred Burdon)
Great Britain. Army. West India regiment, 1st
They arrived at Sabbajee on the morning of July 16th, and at first Fodi
Osumanu offered no opposition to his arrest; but, on gaining the central
square of the town, he endeavoured to break away from the police, and,
upon this signal, the Mandingoes rushed upon the British from every
street and alley. Nothing but the coolness and steadiness displayed by
both officers and men, saved the whole from destruction. Forming square,
they retreated steadily out of the town, repulsing the repeated attacks
of the natives, and retired in good order to Josswung, and thence to the
military post at Cape St. Mary's. In effecting this, two men were
killed, and the Queen's Advocate, Lieutenant Davis, 2nd West India
Regiment, and Lieutenant Armstrong were wounded, the latter so severely
as to render amputation of the right arm necessary.
Intelligence of this occurrence being carried to Bathurst in a few
hours, the Governor, Lieutenant-Colonel L. Smyth O'Connor, 1st West
India Regiment, at once called out all the available force of the
Colony; and, aware that every half-hour was of importance, as the
inhabitants of Sabbajee were receiving reinforcements from the
disaffected Mandingo towns of Jambool, Burnfut, and Cunju, and had
already burned and pillaged Josswung, he marched the same day. The force
consisted of 120 men of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd West India Regiments, with
120 of the Royal Gambia Militia; and, on arriving at Cape St. Mary's, on
the evening of July 16th, it was joined by 26 pensioners of the West
India regiments. The officers of the 1st West India Regiment present
were Lieutenant-Colonel O'Connor, Lieutenant E.F. Luke, and Lieutenant
Henderson.
Early next morning the whole force marched towards Sabbajee, meeting
with no resistance until it arrived at the wood of Bakkow. To reach
Sabbajee it was necessary to pass through this wood, a jungle of dense
tropical vegetation, only traversable by a single bush path some five
feet in breadth, and, before entering this defile, Colonel O'Connor
wisely ordered rockets to be thrown amongst the trees, with a view to
ascertaining if they covered any concealed enemy.
Hardly had the first rocket fallen than the wood appeared alive with
men, who, from every bush and tree, opened a destructive fire upon the
British. This was promptly and steadily replied to by the detachments of
the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd West India Regiments, which were in the van, and
the action became general. The militia were drawn up in two bodies, one
acting as a support to the regulars, and the other as a reserve; and the
latter, shortly after the commencement of the engagement, retreated
without orders, and without firing a shot. The party of militia in
support, as soon as they observed the flight of the reserve, fell back
hurriedly in great confusion, nor could their officers nor the Governor
himself succeed in stopping them, and both parties of militia retired
upon Cape St. Mary's, abandoning their wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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