forts, all anchoring except for the Assaye. The British attack ships and the Persian batteries continued to fire on each other for three hours, while the British transports remained patiently at anchorage. At this point, Commodore Rennie hoisted the signal for the British flotilla carrying the troops. The Persian guns managed to cut the rigging and damage the hull of the Berenice, which carried Havelock and the 78th Highlanders, as she entered within 100 yards of the Persian battery. The transports disembarked about 100 yards above the Persian army's north battery. The disembarkation lasted an hour and went unopposed. As the Persian batteries fell silent, the brigadiers of their army, which was situated behind the fortifications, retreated while the British troops were called to halt to properly arrange their lines. The Persians effectively abandoned the city to a British force under Brigadier Henry Havelock, which captured it on 27 March. Khormuji sees the reason for the Persian retreat as resulting from confusion caused by an order from Tehran and the Persian border coast guard to avoid direct conflict the British navy due to their superior maritime prowess and their 66-pound cannons. The British reported losses of 41 men at the Battle of Mohammareh. A further five were wounded when two of their pickets accidentally fired on one another as the British troops attempted to chase down the retreating Persian army into the night. The Persian army of 13,000 made its way to Ahvaz along the Karun river. Battle of Ahvaz The sappers were now continually employed in destroying Persian batteries, making roads, landing stages and huts in the unhealthy climate and so could not be spared for the sortie to Ahvaz, where the Royal Navy and forces from the 64th Foot and 78th Highlanders attacked the Persian force. The town fell to the British on 1 April 1857. Treaty of Paris (1857) On returning to Muhammarah on 4 April, the force learned that a treaty had been signed in Paris on 4 March, and hostilities ceased. When news of peace arrived, Outram was planning an invasion into the Persian interior that likely would have significantly escalated the war. The expeditionary force had thus successfully carried out its purpose by capturing Bushire, defeating the Persians at Khoosh-Ab and capturing a foothold in southern Mesopotamia, thus forcing the Persians to sue for terms. Over the next few months, the force returned to