The Pacification of BurmaCrosthwaite, C. H. T. (Charles Haukes Todd)
History
The Pacification of Burma
Crosthwaite, C. H. T. (Charles Haukes Todd)
Burma -- History -- 1824-1948
4. Against the Makau and other tribes in the neighbourhood of Sinbo,
who were responsible for the destructive attack on Nanpapa in May, and
for another in August on trading boats at Hlegyomaw on the Mogaung
River.
The control of these operations was taken by Sir George White at the
Chief Commissioner's request, the military police in the subdivision
being placed at his disposal. While the necessary preparations were
being made, letters of the nature of an ultimatum were sent to the
Sawbwas of Thama and Panga and other tribal chiefs, requiring them to
make formal submission to the subdivisional officer at Mogaung, to pay
for the damage done by them to traders, and to surrender Po Saw and Bo
Ti, who had lately added to their crimes the murders of Shwè Gya, the
best friend the British Administration had in Mogaung, and of the loyal
headman of Kamaing who had always helped us.
On the 7th of January, 1889, the force[49] detailed for these
expeditions left Mogaung under command of Captain O'Donnell.[50] The
first step was to occupy Kamaing, after a very slight opposition by
the Thama Sawbwa's men, and to establish a permanent military police
post there. Unfortunately smallpox broke out amongst the Gurkhas of the
Levy, and Captain O'Donnell found it necessary to halt at Kamaing until
the 15th of February, and thus a whole month of the most favourable
season for military operations was lost.
On the 15th of February, the men's health having been restored, the
force fell to work with energy, and engagement rapidly followed
engagement. On the 16th of February three villages were taken after
some resistance. On the 17th the Kachins were encountered on a strongly
stockaded position, which was taken and destroyed. On the 19th Thama
itself was taken. The enemy here showed more fight. Three men of the
Hampshires received gunshot wounds, and two officers and eleven men
were injured by bamboo spikes.
Captain O'Donnell's report gives the following account of this
engagement, which shows the nature of the fighting in these
expeditions:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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