rked consisted of two British
regiments--the 13th and 38th--a battalion of native infantry, and
two batteries of European artillery, amounting in all to 2175 men.
The Madras force--of which one division was sent on at once, the
other was to follow shortly--consisted of the 41st and 89th
Regiments, the Madras European regiment, seven battalions of native
infantry, and four batteries of artillery, amounting to 9300 men;
making a total of 11475 fighting men, of whom nearly five thousand
were Europeans. In addition to the transports, the Bengal force was
accompanied by a flotilla of twenty gun-brigs and as many
row-boats, each armed with an eighteen-pounder; the Larne and
Sophia sloop, belonging to the Royal Navy; several of the Company's
cruisers; and the steamboat Diana. General Sir A. Campbell was
appointed to the chief command, and Colonel M'Bean, with the rank
of Brigadier General, commanded the Madras force.

The Bengal squadron sailed from Saugur in the middle of April; and
reached the rendezvous, Port Cornwallis, in the Andaman Islands, at
the end of the month. The Madras first division sailed at the same
time, and joined them a few days later; and the whole force, under
the escort of H. M. frigate Liffey and the Slaney, sloop of war,
left Port Cornwallis on the 5th of May, and arrived on the 9th at
the mouth of the Irrawaddy.

Forces were detached for the capture of the islands of Chuduba and
Negrais. On the 10th the fleet entered the river and anchored
within the bar and, on the following morning, proceeded with the
flood tide up to Rangoon, the Liffey and the Larne leading the way.
A few shots were fired as they went up the river; but the Burmese
were taken wholly by surprise, the idea that the English would
venture to invade them never having entered their minds.

There was considerable disappointment on board the fleet, when
Rangoon came into sight. It was situated on the north bank of the
main branch of the river, thirty miles from the sea. It extended
about nine hundred yards along the bank, and was six or seven
hundred yards wide, at its broadest part. Beyond the town were some
suburbs, outside the palisade that inclosed it. The palisades were
ten or twelve feet high, strengthened by embankments of earth
thrown up against them, on the inner side. One face of the defences
ran along the river bank, while the others were protected by a
shallow creek communicating with the river. The town itself
consisted,