A detail under Captain Carnegie accompanied the force commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Erskine, which proceeded to Chittagong in February and returned in June; and a detachment of 36 matrosses proceeded in June, under Captain Howell to Bencoolen, and were lost on the passage. Another detachment of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th companies, 2nd battalion, proceeded to the coast, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hussey, returning, however, in October.
The only portion of the regiment which was engaged in active service this year, 1794, was the 3rd battalion, three companies of which were employed with the army under Sir R. Abercrombie, in Rohilcund, in the short campaign against Gholam Mohummud, who had murdered his brother, and usurped the government of the district of Rampoor.
The following are the companies and officers employed:—
| Major C. Green, Commanding. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lascar Companies. | Company. | Battalion. | Captains. | Lieutenants. | Lieutenant-Fireworkers. |
| 1, 9, 20 | 1 | 3 | Hardwicke | Watkins & Macleod | C. Brown |
| 8, 17, 28 | 2 | 3 | Mordaunt | Baker, A. Dunn | Hoffer, Tilfer |
| 18, 19, 25 | 3 | 3 | Macintyre | W. Shipton | |
| Lt.-Firew. Clem. Brown was Adj. | F. Maynard (doubtful). | ||||
On the 26th October, the line (consisting of one European regiment, ten native, two weak regiments of native cavalry, and the artillery above mentioned and 28 pieces of ordnance) was under arms before daylight. The Commander-in-Chief and staff rode forwards to reconnoitre the enemy, whom they found some miles in advance, near Bittowrah. The line came up, the artillery in the intervals, and the Rohillas pressing forwards, the reserve was brought up into line; they moved so fast, that the artillery attached to the reserve were unable to keep up, and fell into the rear. The enemy at this time were in the jungle on the front and flanks, and some lamentable error committed by Captain Ramsay, commanding the cavalry on the right, wheeled it to the left, and brought it upon the infantry, throwing both into confusion, which was instantly taken advantage of by the enemy, who charged in a most daring and gallant manner (though suffering severely from the fire of grape, which was well directed, and caused great havoc), cutting up the regiments on the right fearfully. Lieutenant Tilfer and the artillerymen and lascars at the guns were cut down to a man. The confusion was great for a time; and the enemy in part reached the centre and rear. However, by strenuous exertions, the tide of victory was stayed, and turned in favour of the British, but not without a heavy loss, as is attested by a monument at the village of Futteygunge, erected by the order of the Governor-General in Council to the memory of Colonel Burrington and fourteen British officers who fell in the action, among whom were Captain Mordaunt, Lieutenant Baker, and Lieutenant-Fireworker Tilfer, of the artillery.
One serjeant, 2 gunners, and 20 matrosses, and 27 lascars also fell; and from the casualties being all in the same company (2nd company 3rd battalion), it was probably on the right where the confusion occurred.
The officers of the army considered that Rampoor ought to have been plundered, and probably made their opinion known, for in this case, as in the similar one of 1774, as a sort of compensation for plunder, the Nawab presented to the Governor-General for distribution among the troops engaged 11 lacs of rupees, and one lac for the families of the officers who fell. The division was made on a scale drawn up by the junior auditor-general, giving each person engaged a sum equal to 328 days’ batta of his rank; the amount of the shares is annexed.
| Colonels Rs. | 16,400 | 0 | 0 |
| Lieut.-Colonels | 13,120 | 0 | 0 |
| Majors | 9,840 | 0 | 0 |
| Captains | 3,936 | 0 | 0 |
| Lieutenants | 2,624 | 0 | 0 |
| Lt.-Fireworkers | 1,968 | 0 | 0 |
| Conductors | 1,312 | 0 | 0 |
| Serjeants | 218 | 0 | 8 |
| Gunners | 109 | 0 | 0 |
| Serangs | 54 | 10 | 8 |
| Tindals | 43 | 11 | 0 |
| Lascars | 21 | 13 | 10 |
The lac of rupees devoted to the families of deceased officers was divided—40,000 to Colonel Burrington’s; 20,000 to Captain Bolton’s widow; and 10,000 to Captain Mawbey’s children; the remainder was reserved for such purpose as the Governor-General might determine hereafter.
In September, 1795, a complete company of European artillery (5th company 1st battalion), with two companies (29th and 30th) of lascars, attached under command of Captain Barton, embarked for Madras, and a second (5th company 2nd battalion), under Captain Clark, soon followed. The following officers joined the force under General Stewart in the expedition against the Dutch possessions in Ceylon:—