First Burmese War — 1823-1826Siege of Bhurtpore — 1827
Second Burmese War — 1852-1853Third Burmese War — 1885-1887
The Burmese nation rose to power in the mid 1700's under a great king named Alompra, at about the same time that Clive was laying the foundation of the British Empire in India. Burmah was a rather barbarous state, but under the dynasty founded by Alompra it became powerful and conquered much territory in southeast Asia.
![]() |
Date | Battle Summary | |
---|---|---|
Battle of Kemendine (First )
British victory
Fought June 10, 1824, when 3,000 British troops, under Sir Archibald Campbell, stormed a series of stockades, occupied by a large force of Burmans, and drove out the defenders with heavy loss. | ||
Battle of Kamarut (First )
British victory
Fought July 8, 1824, when a small British force, under Sir Archibald Campbell, stormed a series of stockades held by 10,000 Burmans, under Tuamba Wangyee. The Burmans left 800 dead on the field, including their leader. | ||
Battle of Kokein (First )
British victory
Fought December 12, 1824, when 1,800 British troops, under Sir Archibald Campbell, stormed and captured two large stockades, garrisoned by about 20,000 Burmans, under Maka Bandula. | ||
Battle of Donabew (First )
British victory
Fought March 7, 1825, when General Cotton, with about 700 troops, attacked three strong stockades held by 12,000 Burmans under Maha Bandoola. The smallest of the three was carried, but Cotton's force was too small, and it was not till the 25th that Sir Archibald Campbell arrived, and, shelling the stockade, forced the Burmans to evacuate the position. Maha Bandoola was killed. | ||
Battle of Pagahar (First )
British victory
The only occasion during the war when the Burmans met the British in the open. In 1825 Sir Archibald Campbell, with 1,300 men, encountered 15,000 Burmans, under Zay-ya-Thayan but the battle was almost a bloodless one, for the Burmans failed to make any stand, their general being the first to flee. | ||
Battle of Watigaon (First )
Burmese victory
Fought November 15, 1825, when Brigadier-General M'Donell, with four native regiments, advanced in three columns, against a large force of Burmans, under Maha Nemyo. The columns failed to keep touch, and were repulsed in detail, with a loss of 200 men, including the Brigadier. |
British commander in charge of the first Burmese War | |
British ambassador to China, and then governor of India. Fought first Burmese War. |
First Burmese War in | Our Empire Story by H. E. Marshall |
Golden King in | India by Victor Surridge |
Annexation of Burma in | Growth of the British Empire by M. B. Synge |
The Burmese war did much to damage the prestige of the British military. It was highly controversial and everyone from the Indian sepoys involved in the campaign to the directors of the East India Company had serious complaints. Worst of all, rumors spread that the British had been defeated, which encouraged natives who were prone to rebellion. Very soon after the close of hostilities in Burmah, an Indian prince openly defied the British by seizing the throne of Bhurtpore. At first Amherst refused to interfere, because Bhurtpore was the most strongly fortified city in India, and the British had failed to take it on several previous occasions. But when the rebel raised an army of 25,000, Wellesley knew he would have to act. He raised a large force, but the British could make no progress by besieging the city using conventional methods. Instead, they dug an enormous mine beneath the walls and used a great deal of powder to blow the fortifications away. The effect was tremendous, and the British reclaimed Bhurtpore.
Date | Battle Summary | |
---|---|---|
Siege of Bhurtpur
(Siege of Bhurtpur )
British victory
The city was again besieged by the British under Lord Combermere in 1827, a dispute having taken place as to the succession, and the Rajah who was under British protection having been expelled. After a bombardment of two months, which had little effect on the fortress, it was taken by assault. |
British ambassador to China, and then governor of India. Fought first Burmese War. | |
Prince who murdered his uncle and siezed the throne of Bhurtpore |
Siege of Bhurtpore in | Our Empire Story by H. E. Marshall |
The Second Burmese war was brought about by a dispute over relatively minor treaty violations such that, had Britain desired to avoid war, it could undoubtedly have been avoided. Once commenced, it was a relatively one-sided affair. Britain was well enough established in the region to avoid most of the calamities of the first Burmese war. After encountering only slight resistance from the Burmese, the British annexed lower Burma, which contained most of the seaports that she was interested in, and withdrew her forces.
Made major reforms and increased British holding in India, shortly before the mutiny. |
Britain already controlled much of the coastal regions on the Bay of Bengal, and had absorbed the regions under her control into her colonial system. However, by the 1880's France had become very active in the Indo-China region, and when it appeared that the government of Burma was discussing treaties with France, Britain became concerned. It wasn't particularly difficult to find a pretext for war, since there were ongoing disputes between the British trading company in the area and the Burmese government. The British simply sent a very large naval force up the Irrawaddy, so quickly that the Burmese government had no time to prepare defense. It quickly capitulated and all of Burmah was annexed to the British empire.
Naval commander during the third Burmese War |
Image Links | ||
---|---|---|
![]() Through pathless forests and fever-laden jungles in India |