Our relations with our Burmese neighbours had never been marked with cordiality. They had been in the habit of committing unprovoked raids across the Assam or Cachar borders, and had misconstrued our verbal remonstrances into a sign of weakness. So far back as the year 1784 they had annexed Arracan in the most unprovoked manner, and since that date on more than one occasion considerable bodies of Burmese troops had actually violated British territory in pursuit of what they were pleased to call fugitives from justice. In the year 1823 they committed a series of aggressions in Sylhet and Cachar, and finally occupied an island in the vicinity of Chittagong, which was undoubtedly British. To our remonstrances they retaliated with a threat to invade Bengal and drive us back to our island home. War was reluctantly decided upon, and it was resolved to invade Burmah with four separate columns: I. A column composed entirely of Bengal troops under the command of Brigadier Richards, was to operate from the north, and, after capturing the old capital of Assam, was to threaten the kingdom from that direction. II. A second Bengal column under Brigadier Shuldham, was to penetrate by way of Sylhet. III. A mixed column of Bengal and Madras troops, under Brigadier-General W. Morrison, was to advance from Chittagong into Arracan, with the support of a flotilla of the Indian Marine. IV. The main attack was entrusted to a joint Bengal and Madras army, under Major-General Archibald Campbell, of the 38th (South Stafford Regiment), an officer who had done good service in the Peninsula. The troops composing the main army comprised a Bengal brigade, which consisted of the 13th (Somerset Light Infantry), 38th (South Stafford), and the 20th Bengal Infantry. The 1st Madras Brigade comprised the 41st (Welsh Regiment), the Madras European Regiment (now the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers), and five battalions of Madras sepoys, with two companies of artillery. The 2nd Madras Brigade consisted of the 89th (Royal Irish Fusiliers), five battalions of Madras sepoys, and two companies of artillery. The Bengal and Madras troops assembled in Cornwallis Bay, in the Andaman Islands; thence the main army proceeded to Rangoon, whilst Colonel McCreagh, of the 13th (Somersets), was detached to seize the island of Cheduba. Rangoon was occupied after very feeble resistance, but in the month of December the Burmese, finding we were not disposed to advance farther into their country, made desperate attempts to retake the city. They found, however, that we were as good behind stockades as they were, and from that date the war resolved itself into a number of desultory expeditions, in which stockade after stockade was carried at the point of the bayonet, often with heavy loss. There was little glory to be gained in such a war, nor was there scope for any display of military talent; but the gallantry of the officers and the ready valour of our men was never better exemplified.