The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-06 00:00:00

THE BURMESE WAR.

We are now in possession of more full and au-
thentic particulars of the late untoward occurrence
near Donabew, on the Irrawaddy, than could be
transmitted by the telegraph which communicated
the news of this disaster, and, although our previous
knowledge of the operations in which the British
forces in Burmah had been recently engaged enabled
us to conjecture with great accuracy what must
have taken place, the details of the event will still
be read with melancholy interest. It seems that a
portion of the Burmese force, commanded by a
chief named Moung-mya-toon, had possessed itself
of a strong position at Donabew and in the neigh-
bouring jungles, from which it was judged necessary
by the Deputy-Commissioner in Pegue to dislodge
it. In consequence of this determination the Com-
mandant of the garrison of Rangoon resolved to
detach a force, consisting of 300 men of the 67th
Bengal Light Infantry, on this service, and
Commodore Lambert ordered 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 those 42 seamen and 5 officers were left in charge
of the boats. This combined force was conveyed
from Rangoon to Donabew on the 2d 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 Phlethegon, on the following day they pro-
ceeded to march towards the position which the
enemy was supposed to occupy. It may here be
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 officer 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 de-
gree of confidence.

The column marched all day on the 3d of Feb-
ruary along a pathway which lay through a deep
jungle of forest trees and brushwood. They en-
camped for the night in a deserted village about Jib
miles from Donabew. The camp was well guarded,
but it was occasionally disturbed by the distant
shots and horns of the enemy. Early on the fol-
lowing morning the detachment moved on about
five miles furthr along the same path, until it ab-
ruptly terminated on the side of a broad nullah, or
creek; the opposite bank of which was high enough
to command the approach, and the whole well en-
trenched 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 moment a 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 ap-
pioached the edge of that fatal creek was mowed
down. Lieutenant Kennedy, first lieutenant of the
Fox, and Captain Price, of the 67th Bengal In-
fantry, were among the first victims, and were killed
on the spot. Captain Loch led on his gallant fol-
lowers with the utmost daring, and for 10 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. Tice 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 for a
. _

third attack, a ball, fired by a man in va
tree,
struck him on the left side, on his watch, and with
such force that it drove the watch itself into

his body. He instantly felt that he was mortally
wounded, but had still strength and self-posses-
sion 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 wounds of the senior officers on Com-
mander Lambert, the son of the commanding officer
on the station. The attack was again twice re-
newed, but in vain. Captain Lambert received
four balls through his clothes, though he fortunately
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 jun-
gle 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
upon the field,
who
dc
eoaudl d
werebe s par
ae
vd 0
ii
dn a
bcarryingleft the man
wounded.
and, as it was impossible undfte. r these distress-
destroed. they
ing circumstances to carry
enemywere
kspikedepkept
napnad
distantthca
rrifireag°ebs ,ut never ventured
the guns
to approach within fighting
covered distance of the rear,
which was manfully
company of the 67th the. Grenadier
I.2bdyreary hours this
dejected baud,. who displayed. For in adversity the same
courage, discipline, and good-will they had so
exhibited in success, advanced towards Donabew.
Two of the mates; themselves painfully wounded,
succeeded
g
nr in this
longinkeepin up the spirit of the men
march, under a burning sun, with-
out water, and heavily
f burdened with the wounded,
whom they had to carry
for r nearly
p h 24ie g
etmiles.h
o 1 ,
where
of the
Cap-
tain Loch was removed t
he expired on the morning the 6th of February,
about 40 hours after heha had received his wound,
and he was buried near the great Pagoda at Ran-

(4:at
•
goon, amid the general grief of all wheV4'sdifik. w
der him or knew him. 5 "
. #
We are unwilling to offer any remarks
-error of judgment which led to this unhappy reel.
but it seems evident that the force sent was inade-
quate to perform the duty ; that it was unsupported
by guns, with the exception of the two 3-pounders
from the Phlegethon ; and that, although the na-
tive land force behaved with great steadiness and
gallantry, the brunt of the action was sustained to
an unusual degree by the seamen and marines.
The detachment of the 67th Regithent had 5 men
killed and 18 wounded in a force of 300 ; the sea-
men and marines had 7 killed and 52 wounded in a
force of 143 men, 60 marines, and 20 officers, in
the action. The force of the enemy amounted, in
fact, to a small army, in a position which could not
be attacked without:extreme difficulty; and though
we shall doubtless learn by the next mail that this
check has been avenged, nothing can compensate
for the lives of the officers and men who have fallen
in this service.
The following list of the killed and wounded is
taken from the official dispatches :

HER MAJESTY'S SHIP Fox.
KILLED.
C. B. D. Kennedy, aged 33, lieutenant, left dead on the
field.

George Mills, aged 24, corporal of marines, left dead oz
the field.

WOUNDBD.
George Mills, aged 28, A. 8., dangerously fractured
skull.

Charles Lillywhite, aged 26, coxswain of launch, dan•
gerously, right thigh and cheek.
John Faucet, aged 30, A. 8., severely, left shoulder.
James Gale, aged 21, ordinary seaman, slightly, right
arm and side.
Henry Deviznols, aged 29, captain of mizentop, danger-
ously, right arm, left arm, and side.
James Byrnes, aged 20, ordinary seaman, slightly.
John Lampshfre, aged 26, A. 8., slightly.
Thomas Percival, aged 23, private marine, severely, left
11131.

Charles Hounsom, aged 36, private marine, severely,
right breast.
Thomas Stears, aged 24, rivate marine, severely loft
thigh and back. p ,
George Fry, aged 27, private marine, severely, left arm.
MIA MAJESTY'S SHIP WINCHESTBIL
BILLED.
John Hockey, aged 27, A. 8., left dead on the field.
Barnard Connell, private marine, left dead on the field.
George Stanton, private marine, left dead on the field.
woUNDRD.
Granville G. Loch, captain, R.N., dangerously, in left
side of abdomen, wounding intestines ; lived 40 hours.
J. H. Bushnell, aged 23, lieutenant, severely ; hand
burnt in firing a rocket.
I H. A. Hindu, aged 23, mate, very severely, right arm
rind left hand.
W. C. F. Wilson, aged 23, mate, very severely, through
neck.

Henry Reeves, aged 21, ordinary seaman, slightly, in
the head.

,
David Harris, aged 30, A.B.' severely, in left arm.
George Chambers, aged 24, A. 8., severely, in left
shoulder.

William Lamb, aged 25, LB., severely, in left lower
jaw,

Charles Ashcroft, aged 36, A.B.severely, in left thigh.
Malcolm Gilbraith, aged 32, A. 8., slightly, in belly.
Thomas Stobin, aged 23, A. 8., severely, in left hip.
John Scott, aged 46, A. 8., severely, in face.
Michael Coinsinon, aged 24, A. 8., severely, in right arm
and side.
Roger Pepperel, aged 26, A. 8., severely, in right arm.
Edward Jones, aged 24, A. 8., severely in chest and side.
Thomas Brampton, aged 33, captain of forecastle, se-
verely, in right knee.
John Iluxham, aged 21, ordinary seaman, severely, left
hip.

i Joseph Lillycrap, aged 30, captain of maintop, severely,
right knee and right shoulder.
John King, aged 31, A. 8., slightly, in left knee.
Wm. Bryant, aged 21, A. 8., severely, in right side.
Henry Boys, aged 22, A. 8., very severely, neck and
I aw.

Michael Harris, aged 22, ordinary seaman, severely, in
Edit arm.
Frederick Wheatley, aged 32, private marine, severely,
[Oft wrist and thigh.
Henry Holland, aged 29, sergeant marine, dangerously,
loft lung, face, and shoulder.
John Banks, aged 21, private marine, severely, left
thigh.

Cloorge Lock, aged .18, private marine, severely, in left
knee.

Timothy Courtney, private marine, slightly, in right
cheek.

James Bolton, aged 39, private marine, slightly, in right
arm.

William
Meeson, aged 25, private marine, severely, in
right arm.
William Fulton, aged 22, private marine, severely,
through ball of thumb.
George Blanchard, aged 24, private marine, slightly.
George Hobbs, aged 23, private marine, slightly, in left
arm.

Henry Jervis, aged 27, private marine, slightly, in ohin.
James Collins, aged 22, private marine, severely, in right
Leg.

-John Ayres, private marine, slightly, in ear.
Charles Battlebury, aged 40, private marine, danger-
ously, left shoulder, ball passing through chest.
John Mew, aged 22, private marine, dangerously, in
left lung, ball lodged.
HER MAJESTY'S STEAM-SLOOP SPHYNX.
" KILLED.
Mark Batty, gunner, Royal Marine Artillery, left
dead on the field.

WOUNDED.
5. IL Glover, aged 23, lieutenant, severely, in face ;
ball entered under right eye, passed out at ear.
John Randall, aged 28, stoker, severely, in left hip,
behind trochanter.

Edward Chandler, aged 29, boatswain's mate, severely,
in right upper arm.
George Palmer, aged 25, gunner, Royal Marine Artil-
lery, severely, scalp wound.
George Warnock, aged 25, gunner, Royal Marine Ar-
tillery, severely, in back; ball removed from right side.
Y SLADE, Assisttant-S.
The detachment ofITENR the 67th Regimen had five men
killed (including Captain Price), and 18 wounded.