In the month of March the Burmese army had advanced to within two leagues of the town. The progress of the army was arrested by the death of the commander from quinsy. It was considered expedient to conceal the fact of his death from the soldiery, but the news leaked out owing to dissensions among the chiefs who all were ambitious of command.
But soon reunited by the prospect of loot, they advanced to plunder the richest and most celebrated temple near the city.
They were in hopes of finding the base of the image which was of solid gold, but the King of Siam had taken the precaution of having this object of popular worship removed to the palace.
The Burmese, incensed on finding that their booty had been carried off, revenged themselves by pulling down the temple and constructing a building devoted to profane uses on the site. The other pagodas in the vicinity of the town were not spared. They were built of brick and surrounded by ditches which seemed to protect them against the assaults of the enemy. The Christian churches were constructed merely of planks and stakes which acted as fuel to the flames. But in spite of their defenceless condition, they were held by the vigilance and courage of their defenders, and the enemy were unable to set foot in them until after the Chinese and Siamese had experienced several defeats.
On September 7th, 1766, the enemy seized a strong position about a quarter of a league distant from the town, and from this point a park of artillery commanded the shore and thus rendered them masters of the river.
The danger became more imminent and the Christians whose heroic valour had been proved in the former revolution became the last resource.
The defence of the bastions was entrusted to them and they were supplied with thirty pieces of artillery and ammunition for the same. Six thousand Chinese were appointed to defend the Dutch compound and large temple in the immediate neighbourhood, and, as a special favour they were presented with the sum of ten thousand livres.
Among the Christians were eighty soldiers available for the defence of various posts exposed to the assaults of the enemy.
This brave array had had no military training whatever, and, gun and sword in hand, they would have been objects of laughter to a European soldier.
But in spite of their awkwardness, they formed the flower of the Siamese army. The first few days were occupied in skirmishes, shortly afterwards but the enemy united their forces and seized five large temples which became so many fortresses from whence they bombarded the outposts and especially the Church of St. Joseph, the roof of which was riddled without causing any casualties.