HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



22.1 



on the morning of the 4th of Sep- 

 tember. 



Colonel IVionson conducted the 

 attack with the utmost degree of 

 gallantry and judgment. liis party 

 moved on at halt" past four o'clock, 

 nnder cover of a heavy lire from the 

 British batteries, and arrived within 

 one hundred yards of the fort, be- 

 fore it was discovered. As soon, 

 however, as colonel Monson saw he 

 was perceived, he endeavoured, by 

 pushing on with the two liank com- 

 panies of the 7Gth, to enter the fort, 

 along with the guard statioTied out- 

 side its gates behind a strong breast- 

 work, which covered the entrance. 

 The colonel succeeded in passing the 

 breast-work, but found the first 

 gate shut : two ladders were imnic- 

 diateiy applied, on which major 

 M'Leod, of the 76th r>?;|iment,, and 

 two grenadiers, attempted to mount, 

 but they were forced to desist, by a 

 roost formidable row of pike-men, 

 who menaced every assailant with 

 iKrlain destruction. A twelve- 

 pounder was then brought upj but 

 some time elapsed before it could be 

 placed opposite to the gate, which 

 was sitaated in an inconvenient di- 

 ret^ion, near the Hank of a bastion. 

 Four or five discharges took place 

 before any ellcAt was produced, 

 during which time (nearly twenty 

 minutes) the storming party were 

 exposed to a most severe aud rak- 

 ing fire of grape, wall-pieces, and 

 matchlocks. The principal loss was 

 here sustained. Colonel Monson 

 was wounded by a pike, fired, it is 

 supposed, from a gun ; at the spot 

 also fell four grenadier oflicers, the 

 adjutant of the 76th regiment, and 

 lieutenant Turton, of the 4th native 

 infantry. As soon as the first gate 

 wa^s blown open, the troops ad- 

 vanced, in a circular direction, 



round a strong bastion of masonry, 

 along a narrow road, and through 

 two gate-ways, which were easilf 

 forced, to a fourth gate-way, lead- 

 ing into the body of the place ; dur- 

 ing which time they were much an- 

 noyed by a heavy cross fire in every 

 direction. It was some time, at- 

 tended with great difficulty and 

 danger, before the twelve-pounder 

 could be brought up, and when it 

 arrived, the gate could not be 

 forced. Upon this occasion, the 

 personal gallantry of major M'Leod 

 was again conspicuous. In deiianca 

 of all opposition, he burst open the 

 wicket, and the party entered the 

 fort with resistless impetuosity, and 

 soon compelled the enemy to sub- 

 mit. The commandant, M. Pedron, 

 was here taken prisoner, and soma 

 part of the garrison surreadcroxl ; 

 but far the greater proportion en- 

 deavouring, as is usual in India, to 

 escape in every dirc6lion, numbers 

 leaped info the ditch, and were 

 drowned. This aflair, which was 

 as brilliant as decisive, lasted more 

 than an hour, tTie besieged having, 

 during that time, olfered a most 

 gallant and vigorous defence. Tlieir 

 loss was very great, amounting, ia 

 killed alone, to mora than ^,000. — 

 The fail of Ally Ghur was a circura- 

 stance of considerable importance 

 to the future prosecution of tiie 

 war; it was the usual place of resi- 

 dence of iM. Perron, and the grand 

 depot of his warlike stores, a consi- 

 derable qujintity of winch, and some 

 tumbrils of treasure, fell into the 

 hands of the captors. The latter 

 was divided, on the spot, among 

 the storming party, as the reward of 

 their bravery. General Lake hav- 

 ing garrisoned the fort, and applied 

 a draw-bridge to th- gate way, tlie 

 place' may now be considered as im- 



prcgnabi'.-, 



