e stockade, and in which they were principally
sheltered, being full of dead. The loss of the combined force, exclusive
of irregulars, was seventeen killed and thirty-one wounded.

Inside the stockade the 1st West India Regiment captured two
kettledrums, of which one was a war-drum, and the other a death-drum,
that is to say, a drum that is only beaten when an execution is taking
place. These drums, consisting of polished hemispherical calabashes, of
a diameter of about thirty inches at the drum-head, are now in the
possession of the regiment.

The following letter, referring to these operations, which terminated
with the capture of Sabbajee, was published in general orders at the
Gambia, on the 26th of October, 1855:

"HORSE GUARDS,
"_Sept. 6th, 1855._

"SIR,

"The General Commanding-in-Chief having had before him the
despatches which were addressed to the Adjutant-General on July 30th
and 6th ultimo, giving an account of the proceedings, from the 16th
July to the 4th August last, of the force under your command against
the Mohammedan rebel town of Sabbajee, which was eventually taken by
assault at the point of the bayonet, I am directed to assure you of
Lord Hardinge's satisfaction at the perusal of those despatches, and
that he considers the gallantry and steadiness displayed by the
troops on this occasion, and the judgment with which they were
directed by you, to be deserving of high praise.

"His Lordship further desired that the expression of his sentiments
might be communicated accordingly to yourself and to all the troops
concerned.

"I have, &c.,

(Signed) "C. YORKE,
"Military Secretary.

"Lieut.-Colonel O'Connor,
"1st West India Regiment,
"Commanding troops, Western Coast of Africa."

In the West Indies nothing of importance had occurred, and no change of
station had taken place, since December, 1853. In this year, however
(1855), No. 8 Company rejoined head-quarters at Jamaica from Dominica,
and No. 1 was moved from St. Christopher to Demerara. The distribution,
then, at the close of 1855, was: No. 2, No. 5, No. 8, the Grenadier and
Light Companies at Jamaica, No. 7 and No. 4 at Barbados, No. 1 at
Demer