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CHAPTER XIII.

The Burmese AVar. 1824—1826.
The Bombay Marine in Burmah—The ' Mercury ' at Negrais—Capture of Ran-
goon—Defence of Kemmendine—Actions up thelrrawaddy of the 8th of July
and 4th of August, 1824—Capture of Tavoy and Mergui—Rejjulse of the Bur-
mese on the 5th of September by the Flotilla—Capture of Martaban— Gallant
attack by two Cutters of the Hon. Company's ship ' Hastings —Operations by
'
Captain Barnes at Ramree on the 17th and 18th of July, and lotli and 16th of
October, 1824—Unsuccessful Attack on Ramree on the 3rd of February, 1825
—R.epulse of the Burmese by tlie Hon. Company's brig ' Vestal,' Lieutenant
Guy—Commodore Hayes in Arracan—The Attack on Chambalia—Capture of
Ari-acan—Occupation of Ramree and Sandoway— Gallant Conduct of Lieutenant
Greer— Repulse of tlie Enemy at Kemmendine in November and December,
1824—Expedition to Tantabain—Capture of Bassein—Advance up tlie Irra-
waddy—Repulse at, and subsequent Capture of. Donabew—Occupation of
Prome—Actions of 1st, 3rd, and 5th of December, 1825—Occujjation of
Meaday—General Order of Sir James Brisbane—Capture of Mellown—Action
at Pagahm Mew— Conclusion of Peace—General Order by the Governor-
General—Votes of Thanks by the Court of Directors and the Houses of
Pai'hament—Honours for the Bombay Marine.
IN 1824, war broke out between the Indian Government and
the King of Burmah, and a squadron of the Bombay Ma-
rine, of which four vessels and the surveying ships 'Psyche'
and 'Discovery,' remained on the Persian Gulf station, was
employed throughout the operations, which were unusually ar-
duous and protracted.
Early in 1824, orders were given for the equipment of a
military force of from eight thousand to nine thousand* men,
* The troops embarked from Bengal in April, 1824, were :—H.M's. 13th and
38th Regiments. Detachment of 2nd Battalion 20th (afterwards 40th) N.I.
Artillery, with four 18-pounders, four 6-pounders, four Si-inch howitzers, and
four 8-inch mortars, and the usual detail of Engineers and Staff Services.
Total, two thousand and eighty-nine Europeans, or, three thousand two hundred
and thirty-one men in all, embarked in seventeen trans])orts. The Madras
Division consisted of H.M's. 41st Regiment ; the Madras European Regiment;
1st Battalion 3rd, 2nd Battalion Vth, 2nd Battalion 8th, 1st Battalion 9th, and
2nd Battalion 10th Regiments of Native Infantry. Artillery, with four 18-
pounders, six 12-pounders, six 6-pounders, six howitzers, and four mortars, also
details of Engineers and Staff Corps. Total, one thousand nine hundred and
eighty-eight Europeans, four thousand five hundred and thirty-eight Sepoys,
making, with camp followers, eight thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight
men, embarked in twenty-three transports. The army in Burmah was reinforced
four times during the war, and it appears tliat up to the 1st of May, 1825, there
were landed a total of two thousand live hundred and eighty five Bengal troops,