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
On approaching that town it was ascertained that a double stockade had
been built, which appeared to be full of armed men, while detached
parties were observed partially concealed in the long grass to the left
of the stockade, and facing our right. The troops were halted and formed
for attack, the Naval Brigade, consisting of seamen and marines from
H.M.S. _Arrogant_, _Falcon_, and _Torch_, being in the centre, four
companies of the 1st West India Regiment on the right, four of the 2nd
on the left, and two of the 1st in reserve. The howitzer battery at once
opened on the stockade, and, after a few rounds, the centre advanced to
within effective rifle range and commenced firing. Directly this
movement took place, the detached parties of Mandingoes on our right
approached skirmishing through the tall grass, and attacked the four
companies of the 1st West India Regiment, while large bodies of cavalry
simultaneously appeared on the left, threatening the flank of the 2nd
West India Regiment. While the 1st West India Regiment was hotly engaged
on the right, the field-guns of the Gambia Militia Artillery, under
Colonel D'Arcy, who was present as a volunteer and honorary colonel of
that corps, were hastily brought up, and opened fire on the stockade, to
breach it. As it was apparent that this would be a work of some time,
the timber of which the stockade was built being quite stout enough to
withstand for some time the fire of light guns, Lieutenant-Colonel
Murray directed the Commodore to storm. In an instant the seamen
extended, and, advancing at a sharp run, clambered over the stockades,
and, attacking the enemy with the bayonet, soon carried the place.
Acting in concert with this forward movement of the centre, the right
(1st West India Regiment) closed on the natives with whom they had been
engaged, and, cutting them off from the stockade, killed or wounded the
entire force on this side, with a loss to themselves of one officer
(Lieutenant Bourke) and twenty-two men severely wounded, besides slight
casualties. The cavalry on the left, seeing the turn affairs had taken,
withdrew without making any attack. The Naval Brigade lost Lieutenant
Hamilton, of the _Arrogant_, and three men killed, and twenty-two
wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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