that, if the general would
permit them to march out with their arms and private property, they
would give up the fort. The proposal stood on these grounds: their arms
were not worth ten pounds, and the whole of their property consisted of
what they stood in. Need there be a scruple in granting such a
proposition? Was there anything dishonourable in meeting such a
proposal, if only in mercy for human lives? Certainly not. The breach
was a most difficult one, and there is no question that, if they had
defended it, we should have lost fifty or more men; and it was by no
means clear to me, or any man who knew what a breach was, that our
success would have been at all a certain thing. Our brave and humane
general agreed at once to the terms proposed, much against the will of
some of the Company's officers, who attempted to attach some degree of
blame to his permitting them to march out with their arms. Our general,
however, by his own nice judgment, and the advice of his staff-officers,
some of whom had been years in the Company's army, overruled the
opinions of the firebrand sub in search of promotion, and the following
morning was appointed for their marching out. On viewing the garrison
the next morning, it was found to consist of fifteen hundred fine men,
well armed and equipped; so that we had no reason to regret that we had
not wantonly sacrificed men's lives. The garrison had been originally
two thousand strong, but was now reduced to about fifteen hundred, the
others having been killed and wounded. When we marched down, the gates
of the fort were closed, and the men had manned the ramparts. I was
desired to inform them, that the time for giving the fort up had
expired; and, if not at once complied with, the general must instantly
order the storming-party to proceed, for which purpose they had been
drawn up near the breach. At last the gates were thrown open, and the
keeledar, at the head of his men, marched out in column, with a firm
steady pace. He was a fine-looking man, and, indeed, so were all his
soldiers. Their wounded men were brought out by their comrades on cots.
These poor fellows we begged might be sent to our hospital, for the
purpose of being dressed. On passing the general, the keeledar saluted.
The general coolly returned; they marched out, and we marched in. The
inside of the gate was covered with dead bodies of men, horses,
bullocks, &c.; many of the houses were torn up by the roots, and the
smell was