414 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OE 
On the 4th August, 1811, the British force intended for its conquest 
arrived in the Bay of Batavia, on the 10th the advance drove the enemy 
from his first position. There were with the advance two guns of the horse 
artillery under Captain Noble. “ I cannot say too much of Captain Noble 
and the officers and men under his command, who so gallantly fought the 
two guns that drew a most terrible fire from the enemy; indeed, the zeal 
and ability displayed by Captain Noble throughout this service demand 
my particular attention.”— Col. Gillespie’s Dispatch . 
The enemy then retired to a strong fortified camp, Maister Cornelliis, 
mounting 280 guns. Heavy guns w r ere landed from our ships, batteries 
were formed and the place was attacked. Captain Napier, Ii.A., com¬ 
manded the batteries. “ On lie tarda pas a s'apercevoir que l'artillerie 
fran^aise quoique superieure en nombre a celle des Anglais, etait moins bien 
servie que celle-ci. Le feu des redotes fut etaint a pleusieurs reprises, les 
batteries endommagees, et vers le soil* pleusieurs pieces se trouverent 
demontees .''—French account of the Defence . 
On the 26th August the camp was assaulted and taken, though with 
heavy loss,—11 officers killed, 47 wounded, on our side. 
The enemy's losses were about 1000 killed in the camp, great numbers 
outside, 6000 prisoners, 263 brass guns and mortars, and 504 iron guns. 
Janssens made another stand just beyond Samerang, w T ith no better 
success. The operation is described in the following extract from the 
General's dispatch :— 
“The enemy retired to a strong position, with a force of 8000 men, 
cavalry, infantry, and artillery; his batteries and intrenchments are com¬ 
pleted in a pass of the hills. The British force consisted of 1100 infantry, 
four 6-prs. under , and some pioneers. As the leading 
detachment moved forward to turn the enemy's left, a fire was opened upon 
them with many guns, answered by our field pieces, with the effect, though 
fired from a considerable distance, and with great elevation, of confusing the 
enemy's artillery in directing their fire. • * * * The enemy 
abandoned the greatest part of their artillery, and were seen in great 
numbers and in great confusion in full retreat/' &c. 
Our loss was two killed, and a few wounded. 
Early in the night General Janssens sent in a flag of truce. His force 
had been 8200 men and thirty guns! 
The Adjutant's-General's (P. A. Agnew's) letter, which comes next, 
shews in a satisfactory manner how the latter victories were won:— 
“The spherical case shot were used against the position of the enemy at 
Maister Cornelliis with very considerable effect, at various distances. 
“ In the attack of the enemy's position on the heights of Gattee Ali, they 
were eminently useful. Though fired at a great elevation and long range* 
the enemy were after a few rounds driven from their batteries, which they 
abandoned before the troops ordered to attack them could descend the hill 
to come at all in contact with them. * * * Other shot were 
very seldom used.''* 
He also adds Various experiments at the several Presidencies in 
India had convinced the military authorities there, and particular orders 
were given for a large proportion of this kind of ammunition to accompany 
the expedition; 100 rounds of spherical case shot were sent with each field 
