Mischief done by departure of steamers--Determine to establish the
Woon at Tamu--The Country quieting down--Recovery of mails--Letter
from the Viceroy--Arrive at Manipur--Bad news--I return to
Tamu--Night march, to Pot-tha--An engagement--Wounded--Return to
Manipur--Farewell--Leave for England.
We had gained immense prestige by the vigorous way in which we had
put down the revolt, and the people from the neighbouring country
began to come in and make their submission, but the departure of the
steamers was a great blow to it. Of course, the natives attributed
it to fear. Had they stayed, all trouble would have been at an end,
and the country would have quietly settled down. As it was, this
unfortunate retreat again upset the minds of all.
The Chindwin, and the route to it through Manipur, had not been
considered when the campaign was decided on. No part of a country
that it is intended to annex can with safety be neglected, and the
Chindwin valley was a very important part of Burmah.
As I have said before, a properly organised Manipur Levy would have
solved all difficulties at the outbreak of war; failing that, a
force specially devoted to the Chindwin valley, and entering through
Manipur, and aided by local knowledge acquired during many years
on that frontier, might have occupied the province of Kendat before
any time had been given for the spread of lawlessness. It is almost
incredible that, considering the part taken by Manipur, and troops
moving through Manipur during the war of 1885-6, showing the immense
facilities offered by that route, that no inquiry whatever was made
regarding it before the outbreak of hostilities.
I saw plainly that without the certainty of troops and one steamer at
least arriving to reinforce us, it would be unwise to attempt to hold
Kendat so far from our base at Manipur, therefore I made preparations
for escorting all British subjects and property to Tamu, within
the Woon's jurisdiction, advising the latter to establish himself
there for the present, and from that point gradually reconsolidate
his authority. He greatly approved of the suggestion, and I made
arrangements with a view to carrying it into effect.
It was not till the 10th of January that any post arrived from
Manipur. The Kubo valley had risen, it was said, in obedience to
orders received from the Kule Tsawbwa and a man called the Lay
Kahiyine Oke, and it was reported that we had been annihilated;
but the sight of all the captured guns, which I at once sent to
Manipur, told the people a different tale, and they soon subsided
and returned to their allegiance. I sent out a party to attack and
destroy the house of a hostile chief, east of the Chindwin, and it
was successfully accomplished.
Several letter bags which had been stolen were now given up, and I
issued proclamations to all the neighbouring chiefs calling on them
to remain quiet, and keep their people in order.
Two hundred of the troops I had sent for from Manipur, arrived at
Kendat, and 300 more I ordered to be stationed at different points
on the road. The 1000 men under Thangal Major were directed by me
to return to Manipur. Before leaving Kendat, I sent on the Woon,
with his family and 250 native British subjects, en route to Tamu,
with a strong escort. The road had been much improved during my
occupation of Kendat, and was now passable for lightly laden elephants.
I left some Burmese officials at Kendat with orders to report regularly
to the Woon, and collect taxes due, and having made all arrangements
that I could for the peace of the country, I quitted it, with the
remaining portion of my force, on January 14th, encamping at a place
called Mejong. We reached Tamu on the 17th, where the Woon was well
received.
I had written to the Thoungdoot (Sumjok) Tsawbwa, asking him to come
and see me, but he was nervous, and sent his Minister instead. The
man arrived on the 19th, with a very civil letter from the Tsawbwa,
making his submission. I explained to him that I should hold his
master responsible for the good behaviour of his people, and sent
him to pay his respects to the Woon, which he did. About this time I
received some very complimentary telegrams from Government, thanking
me for what I had done; these being followed by an autograph letter
from the Viceroy, Lord Dufferin.
Being completely worn out with the work and anxiety I had gone through,
so much so, that I could not sleep without a dose of bromide of
potassium, I set off for Manipur, to get a little rest, on the 20th
of January, and reached it, by forced marches, on the 22nd. Mr. Morgan
came with me, and my escort followed two days after. The men had kept
their promise, and not one man had "gone sick" for a day, and they
had always been ready for work; often, since the outbreak on the 3rd
of January, living for days on rice fresh cut from the enemy's fields
by the Manipuris.
I left a strong guard of Manipuris in a stockade at Tamu as a help
to the Woon, and let the Minister Bularam Singh and all the rest of
the party return with me.
Before leaving Tamu, I handed over one or two men, supposed to
be rebels, to the Woon, and gave him authority to execute them,
should he consider it necessary, as an example, saying, however,
that he must, in that case shoot, hang, or decapitate, as we could
not allow painful modes of putting to death.
I found, on arrival at Manipur, that another detachment of the 4th
B.I. had arrived, and I very soon found use for them.
I had hoped to have had some much-needed rest, but on the 24th I
received a letter from the Woon telling me that two of the leading
rebels in the outbreak of the 3rd, who had fled towards Wuntho,
had returned, and were leading about bands of brigands. I heard from
another source that the men I had delivered into his hands had been
released on paying heavy fines, and had joined the rebel leaders. The
Woon had an ample force at his disposal, but, as I saw that another
storm was brewing, I sent off the new detachment of the 4th, towards
Tamu, on the 26th, and followed myself (Mr. Morgan having preceded me)
on the 28th; and on the 30th we marched into Tamu together.
I met the poor old Woon ten miles within the Manipur frontier; he
had evidently lost his nerve and had fled, the ill-treatment he had
undergone, and the narrow escape from crucifixion, were too much for
him. I at once sent him on to Manipur, with orders that he should be
my guest, and marched on.
As we crossed the frontier, the Burmese left the jungles where they
had hidden from the dreaded dacoits, and returned with us to their
villages. Tamu was quiet, the Manipuri guard had stood firm at their
posts, and held the stockade intact, a work Manipuris are admirably
fitted for, and thoroughly to be trusted with. My arrival seemed to
quiet down the valley for many miles, indeed all the inhabitants for
miles round were by the next day pursuing their ordinary avocations,
and the only fear was from the dacoits.
On January 31st, at about 6 P.M., I received a report that a party
of the enemy had hoisted the white flag (the Burmese Royal Standard),
and taken up their quarters at Pot-tha, a disaffected village twenty
miles from Tamu. This was an opportunity not to be lost, and I
prepared to strike a decisive blow. We left Tamu about midnight,
the force consisting of myself and Mr. Morgan, fifty of the 4th
B.I., seventy Manipuris, and fifty Kuki irregulars. We had to march
in single file through the forest, carrying torches to light us,
and a most picturesque sight it was, the long line winding in and
out under the tall trees, which the blaze of the torches lighted up,
producing a very weird effect. We took with us guides from Tamu, and
marched in deep silence, every now and then passing a village opening,
though we generally avoided them, if possible.
At last, just after daybreak, we heard the sound of a musket shot;
our Shan guides said: "This is the place," and instantly evaporated. I
can use no other term; I saw them one moment, the next they had gone,
where I know not. We went on, and after a hundred yards, passed
fortifications just evacuated, and soon after entered the village,
the enemy retiring before us without firing a shot; we rushed on,
and searched the houses. I saw the white standard planted outside a
large house on a platform; I ran up and seized it, close by was a tree
called in Bengali, "Poppeya," the papaw, I believe, of the West Indies,
with a soft trunk. A minute after, while I was looking about to see
if I could observe any of the enemy, a volley was fired, evidently
intended for me, the royal standard in my hand making me a conspicuous
mark. I was not struck (probably just at the moment I moved), but
the tree was, and fell, cut in two by at least twenty musket balls.
I then saw some of the enemy strongly posted, under a house,
built like all in those parts on strong posts, affording excellent
cover. I sprang down from the platform, calling to my scattered men to
follow. One man was ahead of me, and was shot down mortally wounded;
another minute, and I myself was struck by a shot on the left temple,
and almost stunned. I was able to rise, but with the blood streaming
down, not fit to pursue. I called to Mr. Morgan and asked him to head
a party of the 4th B.I. and clear the village, which was done with
great gallantry, the men, when they returned, greatly applauding
Mr. Morgan's courage and dash. Having driven out the enemy who, we
subsequently ascertained, lost seven killed and twenty-five wounded,
we set fire to the village and 10,000 maunds of rice stored there,
i.e., about 360 tons, which, of course, we could not carry away,
and marched back to Tamil which we reached about nightfall carrying
our wounded with us. Besides myself, we had one mortally wounded,
one severely and one slightly. I was able to march back. We took
three prisoners and heard that the enemy, who did not stop till he
had crossed the Chindwin, had a force of 400 to 500 men engaged,
commanded by Boh Moung Schway Le.
On February 6th, all the principal chiefs of the Kubo valley came
in and made their formal submission to me, promising to remain
quiet and obey the orders of the Tamu Myo Thugee, whom I appointed
to administer the valley till further orders. Next day, I made them
all go to the Pagoda, and swear allegiance to the British Government,
the oath being most solemnly administered by the Phoongyees. I gave
definite instructions to all, and urged them to keep the peace,
and buy, sell and cultivate as usual.
I proclaimed the passes into Manipur open to traders, which gave great
satisfaction to all, and having satisfied myself that everything
was quiet I set out for Manipur to consult Dr. Eteson, the Deputy
Surgeon-General, who was passing through, about my wound. I arrived
by forced marches on February 9th, and found that the sepoy mortally
wounded on February 1st, had died on the 8th.
Dr. Eteson urged me to go to England on sick leave, and I very
reluctantly determined to follow his advice. But, before leaving, I
had the satisfaction of seeing the whole of the Kubo valley in a state
of profound peace for a month and a half. Provisions were no longer
a difficulty. They were freely brought in, and the little luxuries
that Hindoostani troops require over and above what can be bought on
the spot, were taken down by traders. So great was the energy of the
latter, that 2000 buffaloes were exported through Manipur to Cachar
during this short period, and when I finally bade adieu to my friends
at Tamu, Mr. Morgan and I both expected that war was at an end, and
that perfect peace would prevail. It was not our fault that it did not.
Let me here offer a tribute to one who stood by me nobly in the hour
of need, but who, unfortunately, died of cholera at Kule, after his
return from well-earned leave in England. Morgan was a thoroughly good
fellow all round, a devoted servant of the Bombay-Burmah Corporation,
and one who put their affairs before everything. As gentle and kind
as he was brave, he was a great favourite with the Burmese, and had
evidently much influence with them. He was always in favour of mild
measures, unless strong ones appeared absolutely necessary.
While still in Burmah, I had sent in my despatches to General Sir
H. Prendergast, K.C.B., who commanded the army of invasion, in which I
strongly commended to his notice the admirable services of my escort,
mentioning specially several men whom I thought particularly deserving
of it, though all had done so well, and shown such devotion to duty
and soldier-like spirit, that it was a difficult task to select any
one in particular. General Prendergast forwarded my recommendation
to the Commander-in-Chief, and it was a great satisfaction to me
when I heard afterwards that Baluk Ram Chowby, then Subadar Major
of his Regiment, had received the Order of British India, with the
title of "Bahadur," and that other decorations and promotions had
been bestowed. The detachment of the gallant 4th Bengal Infantry,
took with them, as trophies to their regiment, a standard they had
captured, and also one of the sixteen guns taken at Kendat.
I left the old Woon at Manipur, having strongly recommended him to the
favour of Government. He stood by our people in a dark hour, and saved
them from torture and death. He was of high family, and had fought
against us in 1852. He had the air of a thorough gentleman, and was,
with all his family, most amiable in conversation and demeanour.
Before leaving, I paid one last visit to Kang-joop-kool and saw my
child's grave, [37] and the peaceful scenery and lovely views over
the hills and the broad valley, thinking of the past and its many
memories connected with the place. I paid my last visit to the Rajah,
when I told him that I had strongly urged the restoration to him of
his old possession, the Kubo valley. I visited all the familiar spots
round the capital. I said good-bye to old Thangal, Bularam Singh,
and all my old followers, and, on the 19th of March, bade adieu to
Manipur, which I felt I had raised out of the mire of a bad reputation.
I left it as it had been of yore, a faithful and devoted, though
humble, ally of the British Government to whom it had done transcendent
service. Alas! little did I think of the fate that would befall it
before a few short years had passed by.
My escort turned out to salute me as I left the Residency gate,
and I gave them an address, thanking them for their services. Then
the Subadar Baluk Ram Chowby insisted on their accompanying me for
some distance. When time for them to return, he halted his party,
drew them in line by the side of the road, and presented arms, and as
they did it they gave a loud shout of "Colonel Sahib Bahadur ke jye,"
i.e. "Vive Monsieur le Colonel Victorieux;" we have no equivalent for
it in English. My heart was too heavy to say much; I said a few words,
and we parted.
As I crossed the summit of the Lai-metol range I gave a last look at
the valley, and saw it no more.
I passed through Shillong, where I was hospitably entertained by the
Chief Commissioner, Mr. Ward, and on reaching Calcutta received a
command to visit Lord Dufferin at Benares. He received me very kindly,
and under his roof I spent a most enjoyable day. I left Bombay on the
9th of April, and reached home on the 28th, thus practically finishing
my active Indian career, after nearly twenty-eight years' service.