THE BURMESE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 10 September 1853, Page 7

THE BURMESE WAR.

We are now in possession of more full and authentic particulars of the late untoward occurrence near Donabew, on the lirawaddy,than could be transmitted by the telegraph which communicated the first news of this disaster.— It seems that a portion of the Burmese force, commanded by a chiefnamed Monng-mya-toon had possessed itself of a strong position at Donabew and in the neighbouring-jungles, from which it was judged necessary by the DeputyCommissioner in Pegue to dislodge it. In consequence of this determination, the commandant of the garrison at Rangoon resolved to detach a force, consisting of 300 men of the 67th Bengal Light Infantry, on this service, and Commodore Lambert:Oidered Captain Loch to join the expedition, having under his command 185 seamen, 62 marines, and 25 officers from her Majesty's ships Winchester, Fox, and Sphynx ; but of these 42 seamen and 5 officers were left in charge of the boats. This combined force was conveyed from Rangoon to Donabew on the 2nd of February, in the Phlegethon and the ships' boats. They landed at that place without opposition, and, having procured some natives as guides, and to assist in drawing two 3-pound field guns belonging to the Phlegethon, on the following day they proceeded to march towards the position which the enemy was supposed to occupy. It may here he remarked that it was known at Rangoon before the expedition started that the Burmese chief had under his command 4,000 well armed men stockaded in a strong position, with heavy guns and jinghals. Nevertheless, the force detached against him was considered amply sufficient by the

senior officers on the station, and perhaps the facility with which the Burmese had on many former occasions been driven from their guns, had given rise to an excessive degree of confi? dence.

The column marched all day on the 3rd of February along a pathway which lay through a deep jangle of forest trees and brushwood. They encamped for the night in a deserted village about 15 miles from Donabew. The camp was wellrguarded, but it was occasionally disturbed by the distant shots and horns of the enemy. Early on the following morning the detachment moved on about five miles further along the same path Jun til it abruptly on the side of a broad nulla or creek; the opposite bank 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,advanced guard, consisting of seamen and marines, appears to have been advancing with, difficulty two or three abreast, and the field guns were in the rear. At this momenta heavy and murderous fire was opened by the enemy upon the British , troops, the Burmese being wholly concealed behind breastworks and our men wholly exposed.. Almost every man who approached the edge fof that, fatal creek was mowed down. Lieutenant Kennedy, first Lieutenant of the Fox, and Captain Price, of the 67th Bengal Infantry, were amongst the first victims, and were killed on the spot. Capt. Loch led on his gallant followers with the utmost daring, and for ten minutes he still 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 post hand to hand,*but as he rallied the seamen and marines fora third attack, a ball fired by a man in a tree, struck him in the left side, on the watch, and with such force that it drove the watch itself into his body. He instantly felt that he was mortally wounded, but he had 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 wounded of the senior officers on iCommander Lambert, the son of the commanding officer on the station. The attack was again twice renewed, but in vain. Captain Lambert received four balls through his clothes, though he fortunately 7 escaped unhurt; but a large proportion of officers and men were already wounded. It therefore became indispensable to provide for the retreat of the column by the road by which it had advanced, the fire of the enemy being still severe, and the jungle impervious in every other direction.

The native Dhooly bearers and guides had, for the most part, decamped, not without suspicion of treachery, and it became absolutely necessary to employ every man who could be spared in carrying the wounded, The dead were unavoidably left upon the field, and, as it was impossible under these distressing circumstances to carry' off the guns, they were spiked and the carriages destroyed. The enemy kept up a distant fire, but never ventured to approach within fighting1 distance of the rear, which was manfully covered by the grenadier company of, the 67th. For twjslve dreary hours this dejected* band, who displayed in adversity the same courage, discipline, and good will they had so often exhibited in success, advanced towards Donabew. Two of the mates, themselves painfully wounded, succeeded in keeping up the spirits of the men during'this L>ng march, under a burning sun, without water, and.heavily burdened with the wounded, whom .they had to carry for nearly 24 miles. .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, and he was buried near the great Pagoda at Rangoon, amid the general grief of all who served under him or knew him.

The destruction ofllangoon by lire is another item of the intelligence brought by tins mail, which must be viewed with regret." As a part of the territory annexed to our empire, and as the principal depot of our military stores in Butmah, the -destruction of this city must ne-, cessarily entail a very considerable loss, and iriay possibly expose our troops to great inconvenience and hardship.— Times,