634 



J A V A.' 



Java. 



ropeans, and 450 Asiatics, under Colonel Gillespie, 

 T~ marched on the morning of the 10th of August from 

 Batavia in pursuit of the enemy. On approaching the 

 cantonment of Weltervreeden, they found theplace aban- 

 doned by the enemy, who had retired about a mile, to 

 a strong position, on the road to Cornelis. The ene- 

 my's right was protected by an artificial water course 

 called the Slokan, and their left by the great Batavia 

 river. Pepper plantations concealed their line, and an 

 abbatis, behind which were planted four horse ar- 

 tillery guns, blocked up the road to Cornelis. Dis- 

 positions being made to turn their flank, the object 

 was effected, after surmounting great obstacles; the Bri- 

 tish troops rushed forward, and charged their artillery 

 with the bayonet. The action lasted, however, two 

 hours, from the impediments and difficulties to be 

 overcome in closing with the enemy. A total defeat 

 at length ensued, with the loss of 500 men, and several 

 officers of distinction, together with four guns. A 

 large quantity of military stores, and 300 pieces of ord- 

 nance, were captured in the arsenal at Weltervreeden. 

 Preparations were now made to drive the enemy from 

 their strong position at Cornelis. Here the whole French 

 force, exceeding, 10,000 men, was stationed under the 

 Governor General Janssens, and General Jumel, senior 

 military officer The position was defended by two 

 rivers on the east and west, both unfordable, and was 

 shut up in a deep trench, strongly palisadoed. Seven 

 redoubts, and many batteries of heavy cannon, oc- 

 cupied the most commanding ground within the lines ; 

 the fort of Cornelis was in the centre, and the works 

 Avere defended by a numerous and well-organised artil- 

 lery. As the season for field operations was far ad- 

 vanced, the heat of the climate intense, and the Bri- 

 tish force too small to admit of regular approaches, the 

 commander in chief decided upon carrying the works 

 Assault of by assault. Batteries of twenty 18 pounders and 8 mor- 

 the lines of tars .were erected to disable the principal redoubts, by 

 Cornelis. the fire of which the enemy were greatly disturbed in 

 their : position, and their nearest batteries were silen- 

 ced. The 26th of August was fixed for the assault. 

 Colonel Gillespie, whom we always find at the post of 

 honour and danger, was appointed to lead the main 

 attack. He was supported by Colonel Gibbs at the 

 head of another column. Colonel Wood was directed 

 to advance against the enemy in front, and if possible 

 open the position for the line stationed at the batteries, 

 while other subordinate attacks were ordered to dis- 

 tract the enemy's attention, and to promote the main ob- 

 ject. This object was to surprise a redoubt beyond the 

 lines, and to cross the bridge leading into them with 

 the fugitives, then to assault the redoubts within the 

 lines, Colonel Gillespie attacking those to the left, and 

 Colonel Gibbs to the right. Advancing by a detour 

 through an intricate country, Colonel Gillespie, on ap- 

 proaching the works, learnt that the rear of his co- 

 lumn had not arrived. Relying on the prompt and 

 able assistance of Colonel Gibbs, as soon as the fire 

 of the main attack should point out its direction, 

 Colonel Gillespie resolved to advance. Twice he 

 was challenged by the enemy's sentries, and answer- 

 ing " patrole," passed on. An officer's .piquet next 

 challenging, the word " forward" was given, and 

 so rapidly was the command obeyed, that the piquet 

 was demolished in an instant. ' The redoubt was 

 next assaulted and carried with the bayonet, with 

 such celerity, that not a man escaped. Passing for- 

 -ward to secure the passage over the bridge, the at- 



tacking column was exposed to a tremendous fire, .'ova. 

 the spot being enfiladed by all the enemy's batteries. <- T""" ' 

 Having succeeded in gaining this point, the key to the 

 position, a second redoubt was warmly disputed by the 

 enemy, and it was not carried till after severe loss on 

 our part. At this moment Colonel Gibbs arriving, he 

 was directed to carry another large redoubt on the 

 right; which having effected in a most gallant style, an 

 explosion of a gunpowder magazine took place, by 

 which many lives were lost. The front of the position 

 was now open, and our troops rushed in from all dir.-o 

 tions. The enemy maintained themselves in -consider- 

 able force in front of fort Cornelis, but they were at- 

 tacked with the bayonet, and completely overthiovn. 

 Colonel Gillespie, enfeebled by a slow fevtr, was 

 overpowered by his extraordinary exertiont. On re- 

 ceiving a contusion in the attack of the park, he 

 fainted in the arms of Captains Dickson and Thorn. 

 Having, however, soon recovered, and seeing the ca- 

 valry come up, he cut a horse from the enemy's 

 guns, and immed ately mounted it. The arriv.il 'of Fnemy's 

 his own charger soon enabled him to head the di^rirc army de- 

 in pursuit of the enemy. The route became geii'-ral ; strayed. 

 and the pursuit was continued till the whole of the 

 enemy's army was killed, taken, or dispersed. Ge- 

 neral Janssens saved himself with difficulty during 

 the action; reaching .-Buitzcnzorsf, a distance of 80 

 miles, with a few cavalry, the sole remains of his army. 

 The enemy lost an immense number in killed arid 

 wounded, and 5000 men were taken prisoners 



After the victory at Cornelis, a verbal offer of terms Rejection 

 was sent to General Janssens, which he refused, on the of terms by 

 plea of still having resources. The commander-m- '><-:. c ai 

 chief determined to follow him in person to the east- JansseDf - 

 ward ; and learning, by intercepted letters, th.,t he had 

 repaired to Samarang on the sea coast, he concerted 

 with the admiral to conduct a force there, and to com- 

 pel him to abandon the position. A joint invitation 

 was sent to surrender at discretion, in order that the 

 horrors of war might be averted from the colonists ; 

 but this was again rejected. The fort of Samarang, 

 which it was deemed expedient first to reduce, was 

 discovered to be evacuated. Janssens, however, hav- 

 ing collected a force among the native princes, still 

 occupied a position near the town. The enemy were 

 posted on high and rugged hills, their flanks defend- 

 ed by the extreme difficulty of ascent ; 30 pieces of 

 cannon on platforms covered the front, and a valley 

 1200 yards broad separated the two forces. Notwith- 

 standing the formidable appearance of the position, the 

 Commander-in-chief, from imperious circumstances, de- 

 termined to attack the enemy in front. Colonel Gibbs, 

 at the head of the advance, assisted by the fire of our 

 guns at a great elevation, rushed across the valley. 

 The enemy, paralyzed by the unexpected attack and Enemy de. 

 imposing attitude of the attacking column, made but an feated neat 

 ineffectual use of their guns, and were already vanquish- oamarang. 

 ed. Their guns were abandoned; but the enemy be- 

 ing chiefly cavalry, eluded pursuit. After this last ef- 

 fort, General Janssens, finding himself deserted by his General 

 men, sent in a request to the commander-in- chief for Junssens 

 a cessation of hostilities, and an offer to submit to submits t* 

 terms. terms - 



Thus, after a short but brilliant campaign, the island 

 of Java was wrested from the dominion of France, and 

 annexed to the number of British colonies. Lord Min- 

 to, the governor-general of India, who had accompa- 

 nied the expedition, having witnessed the triumph of 



