427 
An Accounu of the War m 1803 . 
mediately agree to them, as well for the security of his own person and dignity, as 
for the tranquillity and happiness of his subjects. In the mean time v/e liave given 
strict orders to observe the most exact discipline, by the British troops in the Candian 
territories ; that the temples, priests, and religion, of the inhabitants be respected, that 
all supplies which may be furnished may be regularly paid for, and tuat no disorders be 
allowed ; and we exhort all those who inhabit the countries through which our armies may 
pass, to afford them every assistance, to remain peaceably in their own homes, to con- 
tinue their ordinary occupation without fear or apprehension, and to submit themselves 
quietly to the authority of our commanders, who have our express directions to pro- 
tect them from injury and oppression. 
By His Excellency’s Command, 
(Signed) Robert Arbuthnot, 
By order of Council, &c. Chief Secretary to Government, 
Preparations were immediately begun for collecting a force to march into the Can- 
dian territory. On the 31st of January 1803, General Macdowal, the commander in 
chief, set out from Columbo with the following force under his command : 300 of the 
Jtst regiment, two companies of the 19th, the grenadier company of the 63th 
Colonel Ramsey’s native regiment, 100 Malays, with a detachment ot Bengal and 
Madras artillery, and a proportionable number of Lascars and pioneers; forming in all 
a force of about 2000 men. On the 2d of February Colonel Barbut inarched from 
Trincomalee, according to a concerted plan of operations, having with him 300 picked 
men of the 19th, 600 of the Malay regiment, a company of artillery and pioneers, 
with six six-pounders and two howitzers. After encountering a number of difficulties, 
and driving before them large bodies of the enemy who opposed their march, the two 
divisions of our army joined on the 20th of February at Candy. So admirably ’was 
the plan of operations in this instance arranged and executed, that both divisions ar- 
rived at the appointed place of junction within an hour of each other. 
The King and the chief Adigar immediately abandoned Candy with precipitation, after 
having first set fire to the palace and the temples. Our troops however soon succeeded 
in extinguishing the fire ; but found few things of value either in the palace or the town, 
as the inhabitants, previous to their flight, had destroyed whatever they could not carry 
away. The Candians soon after appeared near Candy in considerable force ; but a 
detachment of our troops quickly succeeded in dispersing them, with little loss on our 
part, but with a dreadful slaughter of the enemy. The following letter from an officer 
at Candy, dated February 23d 1803, gives some interesting particulars of the chief 
circumstances which that city presented to our army. 
Letter from an Officer at Candy February 23d, 1803 . 
“ Since I wrote last we have had many difficulties to surmount, our roads very trouble- 
some, nothing in fact but mountains to ascend and descend, w'ith a great deal of bush 
fighting. The country in which we now are amply repays our trouble ; it is undoubtedly 
one of the finest countries in the world, and well deserves the name ot Paradise. Mountains 
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