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First Anglo-Burmese War

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First Anglo-Burmese War
ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ် မြန်မာ စစ်

The Storming of one of the principal stockades on its inside, near Rangoon, on the 8th of July 1824.
Date5 March 1824–24 February 1826
Location
Burma, East Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Cachar and Jaintia
Result British Victory, Treaty of Yandabo
Territorial
changes		 Burma cedes Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim; loses influence in Cachar and Jaintia; pays one million pounds sterling in indemnity
Belligerents
British East India Company Kingdom of Burma
Commanders and leaders
Sir Archibald Campbell Maha Bandula †
Maha Ne Myo †
Minkyaw Zeya Thura
Strength
50,000 40,000
Casualties and losses
15,000 +10,000

Template:Contains Burmese text

The First Anglo-Burmese War (Burmese: ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ် မြန်မာ စစ်; [pətʰəma̰ ɪ́ɴɡəleiʔ mjəmà sɪʔ]; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826) was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese Empires in the 19th century. The war, which began primarily over the control of northeastern India, ended in a decisive British victory, giving the British total control of Assam, Manipur, Cachar and Jaintia as well as Arakan and Tenasserim. The Burmese were also forced to pay an indemnity of one million pounds sterling, and sign a commercial treaty.[1][2]

The war was the longest and most expensive war in British Indian history. Fifteen thousand European and Indian soldiers died, together with an unknown number of Burmese army and civilian casualties. The campaign cost the British five million pounds sterling to 13 million pounds sterling (roughly 18.5 billion to 48 billion in 2006 US dollars)[3] that led to a severe economic crisis in British India in 1833.[4]

For the Burmese, it was the beginning of the end of their independence. The Third Burmese Empire, for a brief moment the terror of British India, was crippled and no longer a threat to the eastern frontier of British India.[3] The Burmese would be crushed for years to come by repaying the large indemnity of one million pounds (then US$5 million), a large sum even in Europe of that time.[2] The British would make two more wars against a much more weakened Burma, and swallow up the entire country by 1885.

Chronology

Due to the difficult terrain, particularly during the rainy season in the summer, campaigning was largely confined to the first and last few months of the year.

Causes

Embassy of Michael Symes to King Bodawpaya at Amarapura in 1795

By 1822, the conquests of Manipur and Assam had brought a long border between British India and the kingdom of Ava. The British, based in Calcutta, had their own designs on the region, and actively supported rebellions in Manipur, Assam and Arakan. Calcutta unilaterally declared Cachar and Jaintia British protectorates, and sent in troops.[5] Cross border raids into these newly acquired territories from British territories and spheres of influence vexed the Burmese. Convinced that war was inevitable, Burmese commander in chief Bandula became a main proponent of offensive policy against the British. Bandula was part of the war party at Bagyidaw's court, which also included Queen Me Nu and her brother, the lord of Salin.[3] Bandula believed that a decisive victory could allow Ava to consolidate its gains in its new western empire in Arakan, Manipur, Assam, Cachar and Jaintia, as well as take over eastern Bengal.[5]

In January 1824, Burmese sent in one of his top lieutenants Thado Thiri Maha Uzana into Cachar and Jaintia to chase away the rebels. The British sent in their own force to meet the Burmese in Cachar, resulting in the first clashes between the two. The war formally broke out on 5 March 1824, following border clashes in Arakan.

In addition to protecting British Bengal's expanding sphere of influence, another reason for the war was the desire for new markets for British manufacturing.[6]

Western theater

By the Autumn of 1823, Lord Amherst, the Governor-General in Bengal, was faced with an issue he could not ignore: the loss of the island of Shapuree in the Arakan, and the rights of the East India Company. Burma attacked the island and reoccupied it, taking it to be Burmese territory under the King of Ava.[7]

From Burma side, the commander in chief of the Burmese army, Maha Bandula was supported by twelve of the country's best battalions, including one under his personal command, all totaling ten thousand men and five hundred horses. His general staff included some of the country's most decorated soldiers, men like the lord of Salay and the governors of Danyawaddy, Wuntho and Taungoo. Bandula's plan was to attack the British on two fronts: Chittagong from Arakan in the southeast, and Sylhet from Cachar and Jaintia in the north.[5] Bandula personally commanded the Arakan theater while Uzana commanded Cachar and Jaintia theater.[3]

Early in the war, battle hardened Burmese forces were able to push back the British forces because the Burmese, who had been fighting in the jungles of Manipur and Assam for nearly a decade, were more familiar with the terrain which represented "a formidable obstacle to the march of a European force".[1] Uzana had already defeated the British units in Cachar and Jaintia in January 1824. In May, Burmese forces led by Lord Myawaddy defeated units of British India Army in the Battle of Ramu, inside British territory, causing a great panic in Calcutta. But Bandula, not wanting to overstretch, stopped Myawaddy from proceeding ahead to Chittagong. Had Bandula marched on to Chittagong, which unbeknown to him was lightly held, he could have taken it and the way to Calcutta would have been open.(The Burmese, because of the disparity in arms, could not have won the war in any case. But had they been able to threaten Calcutta, the Burmese could have obtained more favorable terms in the peace negotiations later on.)[2]

Inside Burma

The Storming of the Lesser Stockade at Kemmendine near Rangoon on 10 June 1824

The British rulers in India, however, had resolved to carry the war into the enemy's country; an army, under Commodore Charles Grant and Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, entered the Rangoon River and anchored off the town of Rangoon on 10 May 1824. After initial resistance, Rangoon was surrendered, and the troops were landed. The place was entirely deserted by its inhabitants and the provisions were carried off to the defensive positions built by the Burmese army beyond the city or destroyed. On 28 May, Campbell ordered an attack on some of the nearest posts, which were all eventually taken by superior fire-power. On 10 June, another attack was made on the elaborate stockades at the village of Kemmendine. Some of these were battered by artillery from the war vessels in the river, and the shot and shells eventually led to a Burmese retreat.[citation needed]

It soon became apparent that the expedition had been undertaken with very imperfect knowledge of the country, and without adequate provisions. Denial operations, which were part of the defensive system of the Burmese, were carried out with unrelenting rigour, and the invaders were soon reduced to great difficulties. The health of the men declined, and their ranks were fearfully thinned. The King of Ava sent large reinforcements to his army at the front; and early in June an attack was commenced on the British line, but proved unsuccessful. On 8 June, the British launched a new offensive. The Burmese were driven back and their strongly built forts, battered by artillery, were gradually abandoned.[citation needed]

With the exception of an attack by the Prince of Tharrawaddy in the end of August, the Burmese allowed the British to remain unmolested during the months of July and August. This interval was employed by Campbell in subduing the Burmese provinces of Tavoy and Mergui, and the whole coast of Tenasserim. This was an important conquest, as the country was salubrious and afforded convalescent stations to the sick, who were now so numerous in the British army that there were scarcely 3,000 soldiers fit for duty. About this time, an expedition was sent against the old Portuguese fort and factory of Syriam, at the mouth of the Pegu River, which was taken; in October the province of Martaban was reduced under the authority of the British.

The rainy season terminated about the end of October; and the Court of Ava, alarmed by the discomfiture of its armies, recalled the veteran legions which were employed in Arakan, under their renowned leader Maha Bandula. Bandula hastened by forced marches to the defence of his country; by the end of November, an army of 30,000 men had surrounded the British position at Rangoon and Kemmendine, for the defence of which Campbell had only 5,000 efficient troops. The Burmese, in great force made repeated attacks on Kemmendine without success, and on 7 December 1824 Bandula was defeated in a counter-attack made by Campbell. The fugitives retired to a strong position on the river, which they again entrenched; here, too, they were attacked by the British on 15 December, and driven in complete confusion from the field.

Campbell now resolved to advance on Prome; about 100 miles (160 km) higher up the Irrawaddy River. He moved with his force on 13 February 1825 in two divisions, one proceeding by land, and the other, under General Willoughby Cotton, destined for the reduction of Danubyu, being embarked on the flotilla. Taking command of the land force, he continued his advance till 11 March, when intelligence reached him of the failure of the attack upon Danubyu. He retreated and on 27 March he linked with Cotton's force, he entered the entrenchments at Danubyu on 2 April without resistance, Bandula having been killed by a bomb. The British general entered Prome on 25 April 1825 and remained there during the rainy season.

Autumn 1825–Spring 1826

On 17 September 1825, an armistice was concluded for one month. In the course of the summer, General Joseph Wanton Morrison had conquered the province of Arakan; in the north, the Burmese were expelled from Assam; and the British had made some progress in Cachar, though their advance was finally impeded by the thick forests and jungle.

The armistice having expired on 3 November 1825, the army of Ava, amounting to 9,000 men, advanced in three divisions against the British position at Prome, which was defended by 3,000 Europeans and 2,000 native troops. However, the British still triumphed; after several actions, in which the Burmese were the assailants and were partially successful, Campbell attacked the different divisions of their army on 1 December, and successively drove them from all their positions, dispersing them in every direction. The Burmese retired on Malun, along the course of the Irrawaddy, where they occupied, with 10,000 or 12,000 men, a series of strongly fortified heights and a formidable stockade. On 26 December, they sent a flag of truce to the British camp. Negotiations having commenced, peace was proposed to them on the following conditions:

  1. The cession of Arakan, together with the provinces of Mergui, Tavoy and Ye, and the temporary occupation of large parts of southern Burma until the financial indemnity for the war was paid by the Burmese.
  2. The renunciation by the Burmese sovereign of all claims upon Assam, Manipur and the contiguous smaller states.
  3. The British East India Company to be paid a crore (10 million) rupees as an indemnity for the expenses of the war.
  4. Residents from each court of the Company to be allowed, with an escort of fifty men into the Burmese capital.
  5. British ships would no longer be obliged to unship their rudders and land their guns as formerly in the Burmese ports.

This treaty was nominally agreed to and signed by officials the British located. However, the ratification of the King could not be obtained, and it was suspected that the Burmese had no intention to sign it, but were preparing to continue the war. Accordingly, Campbell attacked the Burmese military positions at Malun on 19 January 1826. Another offer of peace was here made by some Burmese, but it was considered to be insincere, and the remainder of the Burmese army made a final stand in defence of the capital at the ancient city of Bagan. They were attacked and overthrown on 9 February. As the invading force was now within four days' march of Ava, the Burmese King decided to accept the treaty.

Dr. Price, an American missionary, who had been thrown into prison with other Europeans when the war commenced, was sent to the British camp with the treaty (known as the Treaty of Yandabo, signed on 24 February 1826) ratified, the prisoners of war released, and an installment of 25 lakhs (2.5 million) rupees. The war was thus brought to an end, and the British army moved south. The British army remained in the territories surrendered to it under the treaty and in the territories such as the Rangoon area which were occupied for several years in guarantee of the financial terms of the treaty.

The territories of Ye and Tavoy had been taken by the British as a bargaining chip for use in future negotiations with either Burma or Siam. They were unprofitably administered by the East India Company after the war. Serious consideration was given to abandoning the territories in the 1830s.

In fiction

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Phayre, Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. (1967). History of Burma (2 ed.). London: Sunil Gupta. pp. 236–237.
  2. ^ a b c Maung Htin Aung (1967). A History of Burma. New York and London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 212, 214–215.
  3. ^ a b c d Thant Myint-U (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps--Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 113, 125–127. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6,0-374-16342-1. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  4. ^ Webster, Anthony (1998). Gentlemen Capitalists: British Imperialism in South East Asia, 1770-1890. I.B.Tauris. pp. 142–145. ISBN 1860641717, 9781860641718. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  5. ^ a b c Thant Myint-U, The Making of Modern Burma, pp. 18–19
  6. ^ Wolpert, Stanley (2009). A New History of India (8th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford UP. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-19-533756-3.
  7. ^ Woodman, Dorothy (1962). The Making of Burma (1 ed.). London: The Cresset Press. p. 60.
  • Hall, D.G.E. (1945). Europe and Burma, 1824-26. Oxford University Press.
  • Blackburn, Terence R. (2009). The Defeat of Ava: The First Anglo-Burmese War, 1824-26 (Hardcover ed.). A. P. H. Publishing. ISBN 8131305449.

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Burmese Wars".

Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

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