The Pirates of Malabar, and an Englishwoman in India Two Hundred Years AgoBiddulph, J. (John)
History
The Pirates of Malabar, and an Englishwoman in India Two Hundred Years Ago
Biddulph, J. (John)
East India Company -- History; India -- History -- 18th century; Pirates
Early next morning the attacking party were put into the boats, to land
under cover of the fire of the _Britannia_, _Fame_ and _Revenge_; when it
was found that a strong current prevented disembarkation, and the boats
were forced to lie off under a heavy fire, until the tide changed. To make
matters worse, Manuel de Castro ran two of his gallivats ashore under the
guns of the castle, so that fifty or sixty men were killed or wounded
before a landing was effected. At ten o'clock the boats pulled for the
landing-place; but the tide was still running so strongly that they were
thrown into confusion, and many of the attacking party never landed at all.
The sepoys again refused to land. A small party of seamen, headed by
Gideon Russell, attacked the gateway under a shower of shot and stones,
and, before long, Russell fell, grievously wounded. He was carried back to
the _Morrice_, where he died next day. The seamen continued their attack
under Clement Downing, backed by Major Stanton, Captain Coxsidge, and the
soldiers. John Steele, the carpenter's mate of the _Morrice_, with his
broad axe hewed at the gate and nearly effected an entrance, when the
cowardice of two of Stanton's captains caused the attack to miscarry. One
of them threw down his sword, which was carried to Boone, who, on return
to Bombay, ordered him to be broke at the head of the garrison. The other,
somewhat more courageous, came boldly up to the gate and fired his pistol;
but the bullet rebounded and struck him on the nose; upon which he ordered
the drums to beat a retreat, and the soldiers got back to the boats,
leaving a small handful of seamen to prosecute the attack. These, in turn,
seeing the hopelessness of any further attempts, retreated to their boats,
and rowed off under a heavy fire, leaving many wounded to be massacred by
the enemy. It was the old story, repeated so often on these occasions; a
badly planned attack carried out half-heartedly by undisciplined men,
under one or two resolute leaders; as soon as the leaders were disabled,
the rest retreated with more or less loss.
A desultory bombardment was continued for some days, and some shots were
fired against Colaba; but Kennery was now well provided with ammunition,
and could return two shots for every one fired by the Bombay squadron. On
the 11th, Angria sent a flag of truce to offer terms, which were rejected.
On the 14th, Boone returned to Bombay in the _Dartmouth_, seeing that
nothing more could be effected, and, on the 24th, the whole squadron made
sail for Bombay, after exhausting all their ammunition. Their return seems
to have been hastened by the appearance of Angria's fleet from Gheriah,
which had Bombay for a time at its mercy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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