The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-03 00:00:00

TIE BURMESE WAR.

We have been favoured with the following extract of
a private letter from an officer actively engaged in the
Burmese war. Its contents will be deemed interesting :
"Rangoon, Schwee Dagong (Golden Temple),
Oct. 12, 1852.
"My dear G,—l have not written to you for a long
time, but I know you hear of me.
" Stockade, Oct. 16.

" I began the above, thinking I should have a long
talk with you, but was called away to superintend the
blowing up a part of the old stockade—experimental—
and our success was so good that I only wish his Ma-
jesty of Ava would give us another trial. lam sitting
in our messhou se with a dozen fellows, talking, laugh-
ing, eating, and drinking, at a luncheon which would
do credit to a London hotel. Supplies are plentiful,
and not dear ; and there is the finest beef in this land
which I have seen since I left Old England's roast
beef. Our mess is the best in Rangoon, and that's
a large word, when we have four European regiments,
two artillery messes, one medical staff, and four
Native Infantry messes (Bengal and Madras). Two
major-generals„ one a baronet, and most of the stall mess
with us as honorary members, sometimes General Godwin,
all Bengal and Madras Engineers—the mess going by
the name of the United Engineer and Sapper Mess of
the Army of Ava. Sounds well ! Our mess is in one of
the old Buddhist priest's house, and the room is a sight
that would astonish you quiet folks. No man in the
force has shaved for some months, and the fiercest looks
only accord with the fiercer weapons, lying about on
couches (plank and straw covered with nice country
cloths), revolvers, sharp swords, hunting-knives, guns,
rifles, &c. There is no regular hour for any meal, but
the evening dinner. Breakfast stands on the table from
eight to eleven, and luncheon from twelve to two or
three ; but fellows on duty are rushing out and in all
times as they best can, for we are hard worked. Beer
and soda water pops every ten minutes, and expletive
cries of heat, drought, and work, are frequent. The
Burmese are all around us, but will not stand. General
Godwin returned from Prome yesterday, and a few of
the heads of departments. Our force has been absent
eighteen days. On Saturday, 10th October, they all
rendezvoused at an island in the Irrawaddy, nine miles
below the ancient capital and famous city of Alompra
(Prome), and then sailed, in three columns in line, up
the broad stream, being nine steamers, with severel large
and small transports in tow. On getting within four or
five miles of the town they were fired upon from the
lofty wooded banks with gingals and heavy guns ; most
of the shot fell short, or did little damage. The war
steamers replied with grape and canister, and when they
could see the enemy, with shot ; but the canister cleared
the woods with great effect. Two heavy guns opened
at a bend in the river, from the top of a hill, 200 feet
above the river, but the fleet silenced them, passed on,
and her Majesty's 18th Royal Irish, and a company of
our Sappers, with ladders and powder-bags, landed at
2 p.m., on Saturday, the 10th. It was not intended to
attack day, but to encamp and make ourselves com-
fortable, and possibly get at them on Sunday or Mon-
day, when all was reconnoitered. They came down,
however, opened a shakp fire of musketry, and away
went Captain Gillespie of the 18th, with 200 men, and
our Sappers, 120, at them. They drove in all they could
see, without getting under the fire from the town, and
the Sappers returned at ten p.m., very `dry and weary',
having demolished several houses held by pickets of the
enemy. One night sentry had his head chopped off by
a sneaking, Burman.' All slept quietly enough at their
bivouac, and the next morning when the general went
on board the fleet, to order all the force to land, the
Irish and Sappers advanced to the town and found it—
what t Empty ! Alas for Ava, yes. Our spies, how-
ever, say that it never was their intention to hold Prome
nor any other towns on the banks, believing, as they all
now do, that steamers are his Satanic Majesty in propria
persona. They say that the Burmese army, 18,000
strong, occupy a strong stockaded position, 22 miles
inland from Prome, and I shall be able to tell you what
its calibre is in three. Weeks or .a
fortnight more, for I
start with three companies of .Sappers for Prome to-
morrow, in a small steamer. ,•
"We only lost two men; and; trly three or four were
wounded at Prome. The wboieloonntry round is deso-
lated by the Burmese, and tlftk poor country people
murdered by scores, and 'their Axiihies ill-treated. Not
an egg, or a fowl, 'or a deitirre'milk in the place ; but
English silver and • Englisli justice will very soon put
such things to rights ; at all events, as soon as we get
up and give an account of the '18,000,'. possibly only
1,800, for so little are reports to be relied on. I have
written to some of you by every ship which left the
river ; so I expect my letters must give you some amuse-
ment, tumbling in at all times and dates, confusion
worse confounded.' In haste, for I have to go and look
after my fellows' baggage at the wharf, three miles and
a half distant, and it is now six p.m."