“During a six hours’ march, in an almost impenetrable jungle, through which, for the greater part of the way, a path was cut by a division of the seamen (the remainder of the party having been appointed to carry the scaling ladders) that ardour so common to British sailors was eminently conspicuous; and in the assault made on five batteries successively, all of which were carried in half an hour, I cannot sufficiently commend their intrepid behaviour while exposed to a heavy fire in advancing with the troops, as well as their spirited exertions in cutting down the fences which surrounded the batteries.
“The very animated exertions of Lieutenant Henry Hoghton, of the Hussar, and Mr. William H. B. Proby, midshipman, during the whole of this service, entitle them to my warmest thanks and every possible praise.
(Signed)“S. Leslie, Captain H.M.S. Volage.”
“To Captain George Sayer, H.M.S. Leda.”
We should here observe, that the ground immediately surrounding the first battery was thickly planted with bamboo spikes, which in some instances inflicted very severe wounds; but fortunately Captain Leslie escaped with only a slight one in each leg. The following is an extract of a public memorandum issued by Captain Sayer to the squadron under his command, July 2, 1813:–
“Captain Sayer regrets, that the scale of operations did not afford to his brother officers the occasion he is well aware each was ambitious of; yet he congratulates Captain Leslie, of the Volage, on the good fortune he so zealously availed himself of, with Lieutenant Henry Hoghton, Mr. Proby, midshipman, and the seamen of the Hussar, who were attached to the division under the command of Colonel Watson, of the 14th regiment, to whose brilliant exploits in the successful assault of all the enemy’s strongest works, on the 28th June, the service owes the highest obligations.”
Colonel Watson’s thanks were also conveyed, in public orders, to Captain Leslie and the officers and seamen under his command “for their zealous co-operation” with his division; and Sir Samuel Hood, commander-in-chief of the naval force on the East India station, expressed himself as follows, in a letter to Captain Sayer, dated Aug. 27, 1813:–
“The very able, judicious, and gallant manner in which the co-operation of the navy with the army against Sambas, under your orders, has been executed, claims my warmest encomiums: and I beg you will accept my public thanks thereon, and communicate to Captain Elliot, the other officers, and men, how sensibly I feel their exertions.
“To Captains Leslie and Norton, with the officers and men who had the good fortune to defeat the enemy and carry their works, with the gal-