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 these 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 15
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 further 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 'nave 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-
proached 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 1»s
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 hia 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 a tree,
struck him on the left side, on his watch, and with
such force that it drove the watch itself into
hie body. He instantly felt that he was mortall
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 hither co
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 propel ion 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
every
it became absolutely necessary employ
who could be spared in carrying the erY
wounded. man
The dead were unavoidably left upon the field,
and, as it was impossible under these distress-
ing circumstances to carry off the guns the
were spiked and the carriages destroyed. , They enemy kept up a distant fire, but never ventured
which
to approach within fighting distance of the rear,
was manfully covered by the Grenadier
company of the 67th. For 12 dreary hours this
dejected band, who displayed in adversity the same
courage, discipline, and good-will they had so often
exhibited in success, advanced t towards Donabew.
Two of the mates, themselves painfully wounded,
succeeded in keeping up the spirit of the men
during this long march, under a burning sun, with-
out water, and heavily burdened with the wounded,
whom they had to.carry for nearly 24 miles. Cap-
tain Loch was removed to the Phlegethon, where
he expired on the morning of the Gth of February,
about 40 hours after he had received his wound,
and he was buried near the great Pagoda at Ran-