THE following extracts of dispatches, received from Lieutenant Colonel Harcourt and Captain Morgan, are published for general information. SIR, TO CAPTAIN ARMSTRONG, Acting Military Secretary to His Excellency I request you will have the goodness to report to His Excellency the most noble the Governor General that, in obedience to His Excellency's commands, I have proceeded to Ganjam, and have this morning assumed the command of the field force assembled under His Excellency's orders. I find this force sufficiently supplied with every requisite to enable it to move immediately, and I shall, in consequence, proceed from hence to morrow. I expect in three marches to reach the Manickapatam River, which I trust I shall pass on the day of my arrival; from thence it is two marches to Jaggernaut, where, from the necessary arrangements that must take place, I shall be detained some days. I am now within a short march of the village of Manickapatam, where I am told five thousand infantry and two thousand horse are stationed to oppose my passage; but I am not led to expect any serious difficulties in possessing possessing myself to-morrow morning (or in the course of this night) of I have the greatest satisfaction in stating to you, for the information of His Excellency the most noble the Governor General, that I shall not be detained at this place beyond to-morrow, when I shall move towards Jaggernaut, having in two days passed a river not fordable, near a mile in breadth, with all the troops, camp equipage, stores, and cattle, &c. &c.-I have also landed from the transport vessels two 18-pounders, with their carriages, &c. If it had not been for uncommon exertions from all corps, each individual and each department generally, I could not possibly have so expeditiously effected this operation. I shall march to-morrow to Nursingapatam, and from thence, on the following day, to Jaggernaut. I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, for the information of His Excellency the most noble the Governor General, that although I am encamped in the midst of a highly cultivated country, surrounded by villages, whose inhabitants have not deserted them, or who having, at the moment of our first taking possession of this part of the province of Cuttack, left their houses, are already returned to them, I have not received a single complaint. My bazar is supplied by the native inhabitants, and a degree of confidence and security is manifested, and, I trust from the measures I have adopted, is completely experienced and established, which leaves me no more reason to doubt 4 doubt the continuance of that confidence than I have to doubt the continuance I beg you will be pleased to state to his Excellency the most noble the Governor General, that we have this day taken possession of the city of Jaggernaut. Upon application from the chief Bramins of the Pagoda, I have afforded them guards (of Hindoos), and a most satisfactory confidence is shewn by the Bramins, priests, and officers of the Pagoda, and by the inhabitants of Jaggernaut, both in their present situation, and the future protection of the British government. From the general good conduct of the troops under my command, and from the strict attention which has been paid to my orders for preventing all interference with the inhabitants and natives, framed under the express injunctions of his Excellency the most noble the Governor General, not a single complaint has been made to me; though I have, by every practicable means, invited a direct communication of the least deviation from this important duty. I humbly beg leave to congratulate his Excellency the most noble the Governor General on this important acquisition to the British possessions in India. And I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and humble Servant, TO CAPTAIN ARMSTRONG, Actg. Mil. Sec. &c. &c. &c. R Laul SIR, Laul Baug Fort, Cuttack, October 24, 1803. On the 24th ultimo, I marched with the force under my command from Jaggernaut to Ahmed poor, and I did not reach my ground of encampment without great difficulty, owing to the extreme badness of the weather, the inundated state of the country, and the rise of the Nullahs crossing my line of march. My advanced guard, under the command of Captain Hutchinson of the 20th Bengal regiment, was several times annoyed by the enemy, but from the able management of that officer, our loss was not severe it consisted in three men wounded, as appears in the enclosed general return.-The loss of the enemy, I understand, was considerable. The difficulties that impeded the march of the line detained the heavy guns and baggage for five days; when I proceeded to Beirpoorshuttum poor, where I was again detained by the badness of the road and weather until the 3d instant. Having thought it expedient to order a force in advance from Beirpoorshuttumpoor, I detached the acting field officer of the day, with orders to occupy a position near Muckund poor, which service again fell to Captain Hutchinson: immediately on his leaving camp he discovered the enemy on his flanks in considerable force, both of horse and infantry; but he, notwithstanding much opposition, most completely carried my orders into effect. I regret to state that his loss was not inconsiderable; it consisted in two killed and twenty-one wounded. The loss of the enemy was very great, from their being frequently exposed to a heavy discharge of grape from the six-pounder with Captain Hutchinson. I cannot omit reporting to you, for his Excellency's information, the conduct of Captain Hutchinson was most steady, able, and highly me ritorious. On the night of the 4th, I moved towards Muckundpoor, when the advance under Lieutenant Colonel Clayton was again opposed by the enemy; but from a well a well directed and a very destructive fire they were completely dispersed, whilst our loss consisted of only one pioneer wounded. From Muckundpoor to the banks of the Kutjoory, we met with no opposition from the enemy, and my letters of the 11th and following days completely detail my subsequent operations. |