possession of this morning by the
force under my command.
On the 18th, after completing my arrangements at Muscat, the Liverpool
sailed for the rendezvous at Kishme; on the 21st, we fell in with the
fleet of the Persian Gulf and anchored off the island of Larrack on the
24th November.
As it appeared probable that a considerable period would elapse before
the junction of the ships which were detained at Bombay, I conceived it
would prove highly advantageous to avail myself of all the information
that could be procured respecting the strength and resources of the
pirates we had to deal with.
No time was lost in making the necessary preparations for landing, which
was effected the following morning without opposition, at a spot which
had been previously selected for that purpose, about two miles to the
westward of the town. The troops were formed across the isthmus
connecting the peninsula on which the town is situated with the
neighboring country, and the whole of the day was occupied in getting
the tents on shore, to shelter the men from rain, landing engineers,
tools, sand bags, &c., and making arrangements preparatory to commencing
our approaches the next day. On the morning of the 4th, our light troops
were ordered in advance, supported by the pickets, to dislodge the
enemy from a bank within nine hundred yards of the outer fort, which was
expected to afford good cover for the men. The whole of the light
companies of the force under Capt. Backhouse, moved forward, and drove
the Arabs with great gallantry from a date grove, and over the bank
close under the walls of the fort, followed by the pickets under Major
Molesworth, who took post at the sand banks, whilst the European light
troops were skirmishing in front. The enemy kept up a sharp fire of
musketry and cannon; during these movements, Major Molesworth, a gallant
officer was here killed. The troops kept their position during the day,
and in the night effected a lodgment within three hundred yards of the
southernmost tower, and erected a battery of four guns, together with a
mortar battery.
The weather having become rather unfavorable for the disembarkation of
the stores required for the siege, but this important object being
effected on the morning of the 6th, we were enabled to open three
eighteen pounders on the fort, a couple of howitzers, and six pounders
were also placed in the battery on the right, which played on the
defences of the towers and nearly silenced the enemy's fire, who, during
the whole of our progress exhibited a considerable degree of resolution
in withstanding, and ingenuity in counteracting our attacks, sallied out
at 8 o'clock this evening along the whole front of our entrenchments,
crept close up to the mortar battery without being perceived, and
entered it over the parapet, after spearing the advance sentries. The
party which occupied it were obliged to retire, but being immediately
reinforced charged the assailants, who were driven out of the battery
with great loss. The enemy repeated his attacks towards morning but was
vigorously repulsed. During the seventh every exertion was made to land
and bring up the remaining guns and mortars, which was accomplished
during the night. They were immediately placed in the battery, together
with two twenty-four pounders which were landed from the Liverpool, and
in the morning the whole of the ordnance opened on the fort and fired
with scarcely any intermission till sunset, when the breach on the
curtain was reported nearly practicable and the towers almost untenable.
Immediate arrangements were made for the assault, and the troops ordered
to move down to the entrenchments by daylight the next morning. The
party moved forward about 8 o'clock, and entered the fort through the
breaches without firing a shot, and it soon appeared the enemy had
evacuated the place. The town was taken possession of and found almost
entirely deserted, only eighteen or twenty men, and a few women
remaining in their
force under my command.
On the 18th, after completing my arrangements at Muscat, the Liverpool
sailed for the rendezvous at Kishme; on the 21st, we fell in with the
fleet of the Persian Gulf and anchored off the island of Larrack on the
24th November.
As it appeared probable that a considerable period would elapse before
the junction of the ships which were detained at Bombay, I conceived it
would prove highly advantageous to avail myself of all the information
that could be procured respecting the strength and resources of the
pirates we had to deal with.
No time was lost in making the necessary preparations for landing, which
was effected the following morning without opposition, at a spot which
had been previously selected for that purpose, about two miles to the
westward of the town. The troops were formed across the isthmus
connecting the peninsula on which the town is situated with the
neighboring country, and the whole of the day was occupied in getting
the tents on shore, to shelter the men from rain, landing engineers,
tools, sand bags, &c., and making arrangements preparatory to commencing
our approaches the next day. On the morning of the 4th, our light troops
were ordered in advance, supported by the pickets, to dislodge the
enemy from a bank within nine hundred yards of the outer fort, which was
expected to afford good cover for the men. The whole of the light
companies of the force under Capt. Backhouse, moved forward, and drove
the Arabs with great gallantry from a date grove, and over the bank
close under the walls of the fort, followed by the pickets under Major
Molesworth, who took post at the sand banks, whilst the European light
troops were skirmishing in front. The enemy kept up a sharp fire of
musketry and cannon; during these movements, Major Molesworth, a gallant
officer was here killed. The troops kept their position during the day,
and in the night effected a lodgment within three hundred yards of the
southernmost tower, and erected a battery of four guns, together with a
mortar battery.
The weather having become rather unfavorable for the disembarkation of
the stores required for the siege, but this important object being
effected on the morning of the 6th, we were enabled to open three
eighteen pounders on the fort, a couple of howitzers, and six pounders
were also placed in the battery on the right, which played on the
defences of the towers and nearly silenced the enemy's fire, who, during
the whole of our progress exhibited a considerable degree of resolution
in withstanding, and ingenuity in counteracting our attacks, sallied out
at 8 o'clock this evening along the whole front of our entrenchments,
crept close up to the mortar battery without being perceived, and
entered it over the parapet, after spearing the advance sentries. The
party which occupied it were obliged to retire, but being immediately
reinforced charged the assailants, who were driven out of the battery
with great loss. The enemy repeated his attacks towards morning but was
vigorously repulsed. During the seventh every exertion was made to land
and bring up the remaining guns and mortars, which was accomplished
during the night. They were immediately placed in the battery, together
with two twenty-four pounders which were landed from the Liverpool, and
in the morning the whole of the ordnance opened on the fort and fired
with scarcely any intermission till sunset, when the breach on the
curtain was reported nearly practicable and the towers almost untenable.
Immediate arrangements were made for the assault, and the troops ordered
to move down to the entrenchments by daylight the next morning. The
party moved forward about 8 o'clock, and entered the fort through the
breaches without firing a shot, and it soon appeared the enemy had
evacuated the place. The town was taken possession of and found almost
entirely deserted, only eighteen or twenty men, and a few women
remaining in their
Similar Books
