154 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OE 
The Landslip, Top, and Gorge Torts were out of range, but the capture of 
these was left to the column whose appearance we momentarily expected. 
The morning was very lovely, the trees and vegetation budding and 
freshening anew into life, and the scenery one of uncommon beauty; at our 
feet ran the clear rapid waters of the Toolsa, and beyond its stony bed rose 
up a steep wooded hillside, the colouring of which varied from the brightest 
green of spring vegetation to the deep dark hue of the foliage of the evergreen. 
The white walls of the Landslip glittered in the sun, and the ominous-looking 
stockading and forts of the enemy crowned the most prominent heights above. 
The presence of the force, the varied uniforms of the different regiments— 
the scarlet-coated Tandy, the green of the Ghoorka, grey of the Patan and 
Sikh, and the blue of the Artillery, gave life, while the boom of the mortars 
and sharper report of the Armstrong seemed quite in keeping with the 
character of the whole scene. 
Suddenly our attention was attracted by a glimmering of bayonets in the 
open ground in front of the Landslip Stockade; the advance of the left 
column was rapid and successful, a rush was made, and the above work 
instantly surrounded, but not before we saw several Bhooteas fly therefrom, 
and puffs of smoke issuing from the work. At the same time a shout arose 
from the enemy in Tassagong at this sudden appearance of our troops in so 
totally unexpected a quarter. 
But let me return to the left column, which, under Major Buggies, had 
been toiling the whole night to accomplish their march through the water¬ 
course and up the hill path by the appointed hour the following morning. 
The road was worse than was anticipated, and so slow was the pace main¬ 
tained by the elephants and coolies attached to the artillery, that the infantry, 
leaving an escort with the guns, pushed on alone. The artillery, left without 
the assistance of the sappers to repair the path, were scarcely able to pro¬ 
gress at all. 
The infantry, however, at last came in sight of the Landslip Stockade, and, 
as expected, the ground was found to be open, level, and peculiarly advan¬ 
tageous to an attack when compared with the difficulties that attended a 
direct advance up the steep and strongly stockaded road to Tassagong. 
The Landslip Stockade was carried at once, and a rush immediately made 
towards the Top Fort, the key to the position. The Bhooteas never flinched ; 
the small garrison inside fired upon the Sepoys, who, however, soon scram¬ 
bled up the almost inaccessible sides of the fort, their bare feet giving them a 
great advantage over their English officers, who, in boots, could not find so 
good a footing in the crevices. Once inside, no resistance was offered by 
the Bhooteas, who, I regret to say, were killed to a man, it being im¬ 
possible to check the savage bloodthirstiness of the Patan and Sikh. 
No sooner was the capture of this fort beheld by the enemy who held the 
other works, than they fled wildly; but before they left Tassagong, that 
strongly stockaded place had been set on fire by a shell, and the flames soon 
reduced the place to cinders. 
Our loss was, 8 killed and 15 wounded; and that of the enemy, 37 dead 
bodies found in the Top Fort, and 18 in Tassagong; the latter killed by 
the reconnoitring party, and by the fire from the mortars and Armstrongs. 
The wounded had been taken from Tassagong, but the marks of blood 
along the paths showed that there must have been a large proportion of 
these. 
