Fifth company 1st battalion, Captain Barton, Lieutenants Humphries and Winbolt, Lieutenant-Fireworkers Clarke and Graham. Fifth company 2nd battalion, Captain Clark.
The first service they were engaged in was the siege of Trincomalee, in January, 1796, in which the artillery suffered both from climate and fatigue, and from a daring, and for a time successful attack the enemy made on the batteries, spiking the guns, and killing some of the artillerymen. The fort capitulated after a siege of three weeks.
Jaffna next surrendered, and the troops then proceeded to Negumbo, where they landed in February, 1796, and meeting no resistance, General Stewart marched on towards Colombo, a portion of the artillery accompanying his force. During this march, though the road ran through a jungle, and was intersected by many rivers, the army was unmolested by the Dutch. Not even at the Matwal river, a strong natural position which they had taken up, did they offer any resistance, but retired in the night, alleging afterwards as a reason their fear of a landing being effected from the shipping in their rear. The English passed the river without opposition; but the following morning were attacked unexpectedly before daylight by a party of Malays, under Colonel Raymond, a Frenchman in the Dutch service thoroughly ashamed of his associates: the attack was beaten off, and Colombo in a day or two capitulated.
The Indian Government granted medals to the native troops employed in this service, probably more as a reward for embarking on service beyond seas, than for the arduousness of its nature. A sketch of the medal is given on the opposite page.
CEYLON MEDALS.
The year 1796 is a memorable one in the annals of the Indian army, its constitution having been entirely remodelled, and many advantages granted it at that time, placing it on a footing of respectability which it had not held before; but the subject will be reverted to in a future chapter.
The artillery was converted into a regiment of three battalions, of five companies each, with thirty companies of lascars attached.
The command of the regiment was vested in the senior colonel, and a brigade-major was allowed as his staff officer.
The chief alteration from the organization of 1786 consists in the addition of three colonels and fifteen captain-lieutenants, and the reduction of fifteen lieutenant-fireworkers. The allowance of officers per company was five, and the rank of captain-lieutenant was a compensation for the necessarily slower promotion in a large than a small seniority regiment, thus keeping the artillery on a level with the infantry of the army.