Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 15, 2025
Amongst the prisoners captured in the fort of Hattrass, search was made by us for the keeledar, and his friend the negotiator, who had been so many times in camp; but neither of these gentlemen could be found; and we naturally concluded they must have escaped on the evening of the storm; for, strange to say, a great body of cavalry had cut their way through some of our cavalry piquets.
The prize property was removed to camp, and sold by public auction, which lasted a whole day. It realized a very large sum of money. The general court-martial for the trial of the rebel keeledar now assembled, composed entirely of native commissioned officers, the senior officer acting as president.
No such thing was ever promised by us, nor could a rebellious garrison expect such an indulgence from the government, when death alone was the penalty of such conduct; but as you have been deceived by your base keeledar, into a belief that such terms were offered by us, and have surrendered the fort under this confident expectation, we will not enforce the terms insisted on through your treacherous keeledar, but permit you to depart as you are.
For this purpose the shelling was again stopped, and at about two o'clock the keeledar began to descend in a palanquin, with three or four followers. All the general and staff-officers in camp were directed to assemble for the purpose of meeting this rebellious chief. General Doveton's tent was the place of rendezvous.
The keeledar was immediately placed in confinement, and Sir John thus addressed the wretched-looking creatures who had constituted the garrison: "I have every reason to believe that you came out under the idea that you should keep your arms and little property, and with the understanding that this indulgence had been granted by the English.
He was punished in a most exemplary manner by our government, by being placed on eight rupees per diem, as a prisoner; quite as much, I should imagine, as he got in a whole month as keeledar of the fort of Dhamoony. The unbounded liberality of the East India Company is quite unknown in England, and, indeed, in the more remote parts even of Hindostan.
The breach was reported practicable, and the storming ordered for the following morning, giving time to knock off all defences behind which the enemy could secrete and hide themselves, so as to annoy the storming party; but the keeledar of the fort, seeing his haughty tower tumbling to the ground, his soldiers falling victims to our shells wherever they showed themselves, and that several fatal explosions had already occurred during the siege, began to think seriously of giving up the fort, rather than stand the storm.
This well was closed up; and a man of the artillery sculptured on a stone, with his bayonet, There let them rest in peace! We had scarcely proceeded one hundred yards when we met Captain B. and his men, with the keeledar and another person in custody.
He was an officer of unblemished character; and little did he think that the spot where he was accused of committing his first offence would be his grave. The keeledar was a most respectable-looking man, and elegantly dressed; but I do not think I ever saw a more careworn and dejected face than his in my life-time. He seemed weighed down with woe.
We, therefore, with the general, quarter-master-general, and several others, with about twenty soldiers, waited at the outer gate for the keeledar, who at last arrived, a poor hoary-headed old man, who had been bound for proposing to give up the fort before we commenced the siege. For having given utterance to such a proposal, his mutinous troops had kept him confined till that moment.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking