one o'clock in the morning
Finding that the Burmese division that had entered Jyntea was intrenching itself , at a few miles ' distance , Major Newton , the officer commanding on the Sylhet frontier , concentrated his force at Jatrapur , a village five miles beyond the Sylhet boundary . Tom Pearson had introduced himself to Major Newton , and asked permission to accompany his force ; saying that his nephew would be able , if necessary , to communicate with the Burmese either before or after the action , and that both would willingly act as aides-de-camp . The offer was accepted with thanks , and they rode out with him , on the evening of the 16th of January , 1824 , to Jatrapur . At one o'clock in the morning the troops were roused , and marched an hour later . At daybreak they came in sight of the stockade , and a few shots were at once fired upon the advanced guard by the Burmese . A portion of their force was lying in a village hard by . Major Newton at once divided his command into two bodies .