The rapidity and success of the first movements of the British in
Burmah paralyzed the Burmese authorities; but their subsequent
inactivity again gave heart to the Government at Ava, and encouraged
the idea that it was possible to drive them back to the sea.
In consequence of the absence of all local government, robbers sprang
up in every direction, and being allowed to organize themselves,
devastated and almost ruined the country. Among the most noted of
these robber chieftains was Mya Toon. He burned down Donabew,
Zaloon, and many other villages. His stronghold was about 25 miles
inland from Rangoon. A small force only of British, under Major
Hill, being left in the pagoda of Pegu, was threatened by a
considerable body of Burmese. They cut off a boat with ammunition;
and a small squadron of man-of-war's boats, with 150 marines and 200
English troops, were afterwards compelled to retreat. This force of
Burmese was afterwards dispersed by a strong body of British troops,
but Mya Toon still held out in his stronghold, his followers daily
increasing. In consequence of the depredations he was committing,
Brigadier Dickenson, the commandant at Rangoon, and Commodore
Lambert, resolved to send a combined naval and military force to
dislodge him. The military force consisted of 300 men of the 67th
regiment, Bengal N.L, who, together with a body of marines and
blue-jackets from H.M.'s ships 'Fox,' 'Winchester,' and 'Sphinx,'
were placed under the command of Captain Granville Loch. There were
185 seamen, 62 marines, and 25 officers, but of these 42 seamen and 5
officers were left in charge of the boats. This force was conveyed
from Rangoon to Donabew on the 2nd July, in the 'Phlegethon' and
ship's boats. They landed at Donabew without opposition, and having
procured some natives to act as guides, and to aid in drawing the two
3-pound field-guns belonging to the 'Phlegethon,' they proceeded to
march on the following day towards the position the enemy were
supposed to occupy.
The whole of the 3rd of February they marched along a pathway, which
lay through a jungle of forest trees and brushwood. Encamping in a
deserted valley, about 15 miles from Donabew, they were disturbed
occasionally by the distant shots and noises of the enemy. Early on
the following morning, the column moved on about five miles further
along the same path, until it abruptly terminated on the side of a
broad nullah or creek, the opposite side of which was high enough to
command the approach, and the whole well entrenched, and armed after
the manner of the native fortifications of Burmah. The road at this
point had been narrowed by an abattis of sharp-pointed bamboos, which
rendered it impossible to deploy the whole strength of the column;
indeed, the advance guard, consisting of seamen and marines, marched
with difficulty two or three abreast, and the field-guns were in the
rear. At this moment a heavy and murderous fire was opened by the
enemy upon the British troops, the Burmese being wholly concealed by
breastworks, and the British, on the contrary, entirely exposed.
Almost every man who approached the edge of that fatal creek was
mowed down. Lieut. Kennedy, of the 'Fox,' and Captain Price, of the
67th Bengal Infantry, were killed on the spot. Captain Loch, with
the daring which had always distinguished him, led on his gallant
followers to the attack. For ten minutes he seemed, to use the
expression of one of his companions? "to bear a charmed life," for
he stood unhurt in the midst of that terrible fire. Twice he made an
unsuccessful attempt to lead his men across the nullah, to storm the
fort hand to hand, but each time he was driven back. As he again
rallied the seamen and marines for a third attack, a ball fired by a
man in a tree struck him on the left side, on his watch, and with
such force that it drove the watch itself into his body. He
instantly felt that he was mortally wounded, but had still strength
and self-possession to fall back about 15 paces to the rear.
The command of the naval force, which had hitherto sustained the
brunt of the action, devolved by the death and wounds of the senior
officers on Commander Lambert, the son of the Commodore. Twice with
his brave companions he made determined but vain attempts to get
across to the enemy, when many more lives were lost. He himself
received four balls through his clothes, though he fortunately
escaped unhurt; but a large proportion of officers and men were
already wounded. It therefore became absolutely necessary to
provide, without delay, for the retreat of the party by the only road
left open to them, the one by which they had advanced; the jungle
being impervious in every other direction. The fire of the enemy was
still very severe, and each instant more of the British were falling.
Most of the native dhooly-bearers and guides had cowardly and
treacherously decamped, and it was therefore necessary to employ
every man in carrying the wounded. As, under these circumstances, it
was impossible to carry off the guns, they were spiked, and the
carriages destroyed. The party were compelled even to leave their
dead on the field. The enemy kept up a distant fire, but never
ventured to approach within fighting distance of the rear, which was
manfully covered by the Grenadier company of the 67th.
For twelve hours of a most fatiguing march did the dejected and
mourning party retreat towards Donabew, displaying in adversity the
same courage, discipline, and goodwill they had so often exhibited in
success. Lieuts. Glover and Bushnell, and also Messrs. Hinde and
Wilson, mates, though themselves painfully suffering from their own
wounds, successfully exerted themselves in keeping up the spirit of
their men, who, under a burning sun, without water, had to carry the
heavy burden of their wounded for nearly twenty-four miles.
Commander Lambert speaks of the gallantry of Lieut. Horatio Nelson,
and the assistance he received from him under the trying
circumstances in which they were placed, as also from all the
officers and men in the expedition.
The name of Horatio Nelson alone would excite our interest. May he
ever prove, as he appears to have done on this occasion, "a true chip
of the old block." At Donabew, the seamen and marines embarked in
their boats, and the troops were conveyed in the 'Phlegethon' to
Rangoon. The gallant Captain Loch was removed to the 'Phlegethon,'
where he expired on the morning of the 6th of February, about 40
hours after he had received his wound. He was buried near the Great
Pagoda, at Rangoon, amid the general grief of all who served under
him, or knew him. "It would be impossible," says Commodore Lambert,
"to find a more gallant or intelligent officer, or one more devoted
to his profession, which, by his untimely death, has lost one of its
brightest ornaments.
In this lamentable affair, the 67th lost 5 men killed and 18 wounded,
and the seamen and marines had 7 killed and 52 wounded, in a force of
143 men, 60 marines, and 20 officers.
The officers killed were Captain Loch and Lieut. C. B. D. Kennedy, of
H.M.S. 'Fox;' Captain Price, of the 67th Regiment; and George Mills,
corporal of marines. Wounded, Lieut. J. H. Bushnell, Mr. H. A.
Hinde, mate; Mr. W. C. F. Wilson, mate of H.M.S. 'Winchester;' and
Lieut. J. H. Glover, of H.M.S. 'Sphinx.'
The disastrous consequences of this expedition arose entirely from an
over-confidence in the leaders of the party, in the too common fault
of the British of despising their enemies, and in a want of proper
precautions to ascertain the nature of the position to be attacked,
and the force guarding it. We have few other naval events to recount
during the war. Our old friend the 'Nemesis' was employed in some
active affairs in the Bassein river, under Commander Rennie, I.N.,
senior officer commanding there, in which her first officer, Mr. A.
Baker, distinguished himself. After, however, the advance of General
Steel, and the annexation of Pegu, no naval operations of any
importance were undertaken. The robber chieftain, with his little
army, for such he commanded, was afterwards dislodged by a strong
force, which left Prome under Sir John Cheape, and then not without
great difficulty and some warm fighting, in which Lieut. Cockburn, of
the 18th Royal Irish, Lieut. Taylor and Ensign Boileau were killed,
and many other officers wounded.
Sir John Cheape speaks in his despatches of the effective aid given
by the naval force in this expedition, and expresses his thanks to
Commodore Lambert, to Captain Tarleton, and all the officers and men
employed. Commodore Lambert has been engaged in the arrangements of
the treaty, which we trust will, by this time, have brought this most
unsatisfactory war to a conclusion. We have no doubt that, ere long,
there will be ample work to be done by the Chips of the Old Block.