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An Account of the War in 1803. 435 
Fort Macclowal * June 27th 1803. The following voluntary declaration was this day 
made by corporal George Barnsley of his Majesty’s 19th regiment, in the presence of 
Captain Madge, Captain Pierce of the 19th regiment, and assistant Surgeon Gilles- 
pie of the Malay regiment : — That on the 23d June, a little before day light, the 
Candians commenced an attack on the hill guard in rear of the palace, on which 
was a 3-pounder, and took it. That soon after a strong body of the enemy, headed 
by a Malay chief, made a charge on the eastern barrier, to endeavour to take a 
gun which was there ; they w'ere opposed by Lieutenant Blakeney, at the head of 
a few men of the 19th, who himself fell in the conflict. That an incessant fire 
was kept up until two o’clock in the day, when, as the enemy was endeavouring 
to break in at the rear of the palace. Major Davie hung out a flag of truce, offer- 
ing to surrender the town, on being permitted to march out with his arms. This 
they consented to, and Major Davie, after spiking the guns, marched out about 5 
o’clock and proceeded to Walapaloa, where he was obliged to halt all night, being 
unable to pass the river. Next morning the Candians sent out 4 Moodeliers to 
propose, that if Major Davie would give up Budoo Swammy, the King whom 
Governor North placed on the throne of Candy, and who retreated with our troops, 
thev would assist him with boats and rafts to cross the river ; on which Major Davie 
gave him up by his own consent. After which another message was sent, that therd 
was plenty of bamboes and other materials at hand, and they might make rafts 
themselves. All that day was employed in endeav’^ouring to make rafts, but they 
could not succeed in getting a rope across the river, owing to the depth and rapi- 
dity of the current; but next day about 10 o’clock Captain Humphreys of the 
Bengal artillery came and reported that he had succeeded in getting a rope across. 
About this time some of the Malays and gun Lascars began to desert in small 
parties ; upon which Major Davie ordered the remainder to ground their arms and 
follow him with all the officers back to the garrison. As soon as they had pro- 
ceeded 200 yards on their way thither, the Candians stopped them, took the officers 
on one side, and kept them prisoners for half an hour; when, this declarent says, 
he heard shot in the direction of the place where the officers were prisoners, and 
which was followed by their massacre. That immediately after they took the Euro- 
* Fort Macdowal is a post on the Trincomalee side of Candy, I 6 miles from it, com- 
manded by Captain Madge of the 19 th with 30 Europeans and 50 Malays, under 
Lieutenant Driburgh ; most of the Europeans however were sick, and very few fit for duty. 
This post with all, the others in the Candian country, was attacked on the same day, and held 
out till the arrival of the above intelligence, on which Captain Madge retreated in the 
night with only 12 Europeans and about 25 Malays, being under the necessity of abandoning 
the sick, and arrived at Trincomalee the 3d July with the above dreadful intelligence. 
This brave officer had for two or three days to maintain a hard fight with a great num- 
ber of Candians, till he fell in with a party of Malays going up to Candy, who re- 
turned with him, and in six days of long marching reached Trincomalee. Lieutenant 
Driburgh of the Malay regiment died the day after his arrival. 
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