After a time the Burmese forgot the lesson they had received, and having
frequently violated the treaty of 1826, it became necessary to bring
them to order. An army of about 6000 men, under General Godwin, who had
taken a leading part in the previous operations, was sent out; while the
commander-in-chief on the Indian station despatched a small squadron,
under the command of Commodore Lambert, of the _Fox_, 40 guns, with the
_Serpent, Rattler, Hermes_, and _Salamander_, to which the East India
Company added 13 steamers. A naval brigade was formed, and served on
shore, under Lieutenant D'Orville, first of the _Fox_. Most of the
places which had before been taken had again to be attacked, and were
captured much in the same way as before, though not without severe
fighting. The squadron was further increased by the arrival of the
_Winchester_, Captain Loch. Whereas before only one steamer belonged to
the squadron, it now consisted of a number of well-armed steam-vessels,
suited for the navigation of shallow waters. The boats belonging to the
ships co-operated on all occasions, while the troops were carried to
their destinations by the steamers.
A most important expedition was sent up the river Irrawaddy under the
command of Captain Tarleton, on board the _Medusa_. He had with him
three Company's steamers. They proceeded to Konnoughee, a short
distance below Proom, where a strong force, which appeared on shore, was
put to flight by the shells thrown from the vessels. Higher up they
found a Burmese army of 10,000 men assembled to guard the passage to
Proom and the capital. The river here divides into two channels, one of
which the Burmese believed to be too shallow for the passage of the
steamers. Captain Tarleton, however, having ascertained that there was
water enough for his vessels, pushed through it during the night,
leaving the Burmese general and his army in the rear, and by daylight
came off Proom. As there were no troops to defend the place, he carried
off a number of heavy guns from a battery at the south end of the town.
The iron ones were sunk in deep water, and the brass taken on board, to
the number of twenty-three. Captain Tarleton had been directed merely
to explore the river, or within four days he might have appeared before
Ava, and in all probability have captured the city. On his return he
was attacked by a large flotilla of war-boats, forty or fifty of which
he either captured or destroyed. In consequence of his report, a body
of troops was sent up the river on board steamers to Proom, which was
quickly captured. Several other expeditions were made up the river,
most of them under the command of Captain Granville Loch. Unhappily, he
led one on shore against a robber-chieftain, Mya-Toon, who with other
chiefs of the same character, had been committing depredations in all
directions. The party consisted of about 300 men of the 67th Bengal
Native Infantry, 62 marines and 185 seamen, with 25 officers. Having
landed at Donabew, they marched inland through a jungle till they
reached the robber's fortress. Before it was an abattis of
sharply-pointed bamboos, the road being so narrow that it was impossible
to deploy the whole strength of the column. Concealed by their
breast-works, the Burmese opened a murderous fire on the British force.
In vain Captain Loch endeavoured to force his way across the nullah or
trench. At length he fell mortally wounded, while several other
officers and a considerable number of men were killed and wounded. At
length Commander Lambert, on whom the command devolved, gave the order
to his followers to retire. The two field-pieces they carried with them
were spiked, and the carriages destroyed, and they commenced their march
back to Donabew, carrying their wounded companions, but they were
compelled to leave the dead on the field. They were bravely covered by
the grenadier company of the 67th, who kept the enemy at a distance
till, almost worn out, after twelve hours' march, they reached their
boats. The gallant Captain Loch expired on board the _Phlegethon_ about
forty hours after he had received his wound.
This disaster had no effect on the war, and the Burmese monarch being
defeated at all points, agreed to open the Irrawaddy to British trade,
and, shorn of much of his power, he has since remained at peace with
England.