Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/512

488 arrived in front of the barrier; and, having completed his réconnoissance, he began his return, when a running fire was instantly commenced from among the bushes. His party continued exposed during the whole of their retreat to this assault from an invisible foe, whom he could neither elude nor repel; and the casualties amounted to thirty killed and thirty-six wounded. Colonel Jackson, after considering this loss, and the reported strength of the position, thought it impossible to attempt carrying the stockade without further reinforcements, and fell back upon Coombla. This transaction was at first made a subject of official inquiry, but was ultimately decided to have arisen from inevitable circumstances, without any reproach on the commander.

The war, however, was decided by the main body of the force, under Brigadier-General Lindesay, in whom was vested the supreme command of the expeditionary army. Marching from Mysore, he entered Coorg on the 1st of April; but the troops were harassed by the difficulties of the road, which were much increased by large trees cut down and laid across it, so that they could scarcely accomplish above five miles in fourteen hours. The enemy, however, did not venture to encounter him, and all the stockades were found deserted. On the 6th the army entered Mudakerry, the capital, without resistance, and the British flag was hoisted under a salute of twenty-four guns. On the 10th of April the Rajah also entered Mudakerry in pomp, with about 2,000 attendants, mostly unarmed, and fifty palanquins, containing his female establishment. He then surrendered himself, in the hope, probably, of being reinstated on certain conditions: but his reign was at an end, all his treasures were seized, Coorg was permanently annexed to the Anglo-Indian Empire, and the Rajah and his family were sent state prisoners to Benares, the sum of £6,000 a-year being allotted for his maintenance. Prize-money to the amount of thirteen lacs of rupees was distributed amongst the army.