Strahan immediately fired his pistol
among them, with a shout of, "The fort is mine!" and then gave three
rousing cheers.
The enemy leaped to their feet and ran off for a little way. Then,
seeing Strahan was alone, they rushed back and attacked him, firing as
they came. Strahan, drawing his cutlass, defended himself vigorously
for some time; but his weapon broke off at the hilt, just as a number
of Sepoys and men of the 39th, who had been awakened from their sleep
by the shouting and firing, came running up. Reinforcements of the
garrison also joined their friends, but these were dispirited by the
sudden and unexpected attack; and, as the troops continued to stream
up the breach, the garrison were pressed; and, losing heart, fled
through the opposite gate of the fort.
The only casualty on the British side was that Captain Campbell,
marching up at the head of the Sepoys, was mistaken for an enemy by
the sailors, and shot dead. Strahan was, in the morning, severely
reprimanded by the admiral for his breach of discipline; and, retiring
from the cabin, said to his comrades:
"Well, if I am flogged for this here action, I will never take another
fort, by myself, as long as I live.
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