State of Puhlic A fairs in Becemher. 
591 
iai€.] 
adv^ance under Colonel Gillespie occupied the 
city on the 9th. 
Very early on the morning of the 10th, I 
directed Colonel Gillespie, with his corps, 
to move from Batavia, towards the enemy’s 
cantonment, at Weltevreede, supported by 
two brigades of infantry, that marched be¬ 
fore break of day through the city, and fol¬ 
lowed his route. The cantonment was aban¬ 
doned, but the enemy were in force a little 
beyond it, and about two miles in advance 
of their works at Cornelis. Their position 
was strong, and defended by an abbatis, oc¬ 
cupied by 3000 of their best troops, and four 
guns of horse artillery} Colonel Gillespie 
attacked it with spirit and judgment} and, 
after an obstinate resistance, carried it at tlie 
point of the bayonet, completely routed their 
force, and took their guns. A strong co¬ 
lumn from their wotks advanced to their sup¬ 
port, but, our line being arrived, they were 
instantly pursued, and driven under shelter 
of their batteries. 
In this affair, so creditable to Colonel Gil¬ 
lespie, and all the corps of the advance, the 
grenadier company of the 78th, and the de¬ 
tachment of the 89th regiment particularly 
distinguished themselves, by charging and 
capturing the enemy’s artillery. Our loss 
was trifling, compared with the enemy’s, 
which may be estimated at alioutfive hundred 
men, with Brigadier-General Alberti dan¬ 
gerously wounded. 
Though we had hitherto been successful, 
beyond my most sanguine expectations, our 
further progress became extremely difficult, 
and somewhat doubtful. 
The enemy, greatly superior in numbers, 
W'as strongly entrenched in a position, between 
the great river Jacatra and the Sloken, an 
artificial watercourse, neither ot which were 
fordable. This position was shut up by a 
deep trench, strongly palisaded. Seven re¬ 
doubts, and many batteries, mounted with 
heavy cannon, occupied fhfi most command¬ 
ing grounds within the lines. The lort of 
Cornelis was in the centre, and the whole of 
the works w^s defended by a numerous and 
well organised arfiHery. Tfie season was loo 
far advanced, the heat too violent, and our 
numbers insufficient, to admit of regular ap¬ 
proaches. To carry the works by ussauit was 
the alternalive, and on that I decided. In 
aid of this measure, I erected some batteries, 
to disable the principal redoubts, and for two 
days kept up a heavy fire from twenty 18 
pounders, and eight tnortars ami howitzers. 
Their execution was great, and I had the 
pleasure to find, that though answered at the 
commencement of each day by a far more 
numerous artillery, we daily silenced their 
nearest batteries, considerably disturbed every 
part of fheir position, and were evidently su- 
gtrior in our fire. 
At dawfl of day, on the 2Gth| thf assault 
was made. The principal attack was en= 
trusted to that gallant and experienced officer. 
Colonel Gillespie. He had the infantry of 
the advance, and the grenadiers of the line 
with him, and was supported by Colonel 
Gibbs, with the 39ch regiment and the 4ch 
battalion of the Bengal Volunteers. They 
were intended, if possible, to surprise the 
redoubt No. 3, constructed by the enemy be¬ 
yond the Sloken, to endeavour to cross the 
bridge over that stream with the fugitives, 
and then to assault the redoubts within the 
lines, Colonel Gillespie attacking those to 
the left, and Colonel Gibbs to the right, 
Lieutenant-Colonel M‘Leod, with six com¬ 
panies of the 69th, was directed to follow a 
path, on the bank of the great river, and 
when the attack had commenced on the Slo¬ 
ken, to endeavour to possess himself of the 
enemy’s left redoubt. No. 2. Major Tule, 
with the flank corps of the reserve, reinforced 
by two troops of cavalry, four guns of horse 
artillery, two companies of the 69th, and 
the grenadiers of the reserve, was directed 
to attack the corps at Camporg Maylayo, on 
the v/est of the great river, and endeavour 
to cross the bridge at that post. 
The remainder of the army, under Major- 
General Wetlierall, was at the batteries, 
where a column, under Colonel Wood, con¬ 
sisting of the 78th regiment, and the 3th 
volunteer battalion, was directed to advance 
against the enemy in front, and at a favor¬ 
able moment, when aided by the other at¬ 
tacks, to force his way, if practicable, ami 
open the position for the line. 
The enemy was under arms, arvd prepared 
for the combat, and General Jansens, the 
commander-in-chief, was in the redoubt, 
where it commenced. Colonel Gillespie, 
after a long detour through a close and intri¬ 
cate country, came on their advance, routed 
it in an instant, and with a rapidity never 
surpassed, under a heavy fire of grape and 
musquetry, possessed himself of the advanced 
redoubt, No. 3. He passed the bridge with 
the fugitives, under a tremendous fire, and 
assaulted, and carried with the bayonet, tlie 
redoubt, No. 4, after a most obstinate re¬ 
sistance. Here the two divisions of the co¬ 
lumn separated. Colonel Gibbs turned to 
the right, and with the 59th and part of the 
78th, who had now forced their way io front, 
carried the redoubt No. 1, A tremendous 
explosion of the magazine of this work (whe¬ 
ther accidental or designed is not ascertained,) 
took place at the instant of its capture, and 
destroyed a number of gallant officers and 
men, who at the moment were crowded on 
its ramparts, w'hich the enemy had abandon¬ 
ed. Tile redout No. 2, against which Lieu^ 
tenant-Colonel M‘Leod’s attack was directed, 
was carried in as gallant a style, and i la¬ 
ment 10 state, that most valiant and e.xpe- 
rieaced pffice^ fell at the uf victory. 
i G ^ ih® 
