The Sun.
London, England, 1826-09-29 00:00:00

POLITICAL DEPARTMENT, MARcil 27, 1926.

The following 'copy. of a despatch from Major-General Sir Ar-
chibald Campbell, K.C.R., is published for general information :
TO GXOll.Ot SWINTON, SS CI, SIreitETARY TO GOVER/CIuNT,
rare Awn romtem. DEPARTMUNT, roity

hie -.Dry last communication made you acquainted with my
belief that the , enemy were concentrating upon Pagahm-Mew ;
subsequent intelligence established the fact. , Part of the ingitives
from Mefloon had been rallied at that point, and there reinforced
by fresh levies from Ave. Thu command•uf the whole, aninurit,
ing to 10,000 men, was given to Ta-Yea-Soogean Woondook
Nai.Woon Ilarien,* who had pledged himself to his Sovereign to
achieve some signal success at the expeuce of the British, whom,
in the insolent language of his. Court and nation, he styled the
Invading Army of Rebellious Strangers. •
A reeonnoisance effected on the the evening of the Bth dis-
covered the enemy in force,. and strongly posted about five miles,
in advance of the village of Yesseali, where I had that day en-
camped with my leading division.
The report of Burman prisoners gave us to understand that
the enemy had vesolVed to defend two positions ; the first having
for its appui the Logoh-Nunds Pagoda; the second, within the;
old walls of the city, which had undergone some partial repairs;
and the numerous Pagodas in and about Pegaltrn ;.....,the former te
be occupied hy'7,ooo, the latter by 9,000 men. At this parti4
cider crisis, I considered it of importance that • the decisions of they
Court of Avis should not be left to depend upon hopes cherished'
under a filer confidence in the promises of their new commander.'
I thereforirtook measures for attacking the enemy on the morning.
. .

of the 9th, and prdered Brigadier-General Cotton, whose division
was twelve miles in the rear, to march with three of his corps,
at such an hour during the night as would ensurchis joining me
by daylight. Thus reinfiweed, I marched at nine o'clock.
Four miles front our camp, I found, for the first time since
the Connneneatment of the. war, the enemy prepared to dispitte the
ground with UN in the field, in front of his first position ; the;
disposition ofbis troops, and his plans for receiving our attack,
exhibiting marks of considerable judgment.
The road from Yesseah to Pugahm leads through a country
much overgrown with prickly jungle, which, whilst it renders it
difficult to regular troops to diverge from its direct course, either
to the right or left, is in some places so thick, as completely to
mask the formations and other manueuvres of large bodies. The''
Burmese General, availing himself of these advantages, and pro-
bably ignorant of the reinforcement the leading division had re-
ceived during the night, drew' up his army in the form of a cre-
scent, both its flanks being considerably advanced, and the main
road running directly through its centre, thinking, no doubt, that
the must advance by it till opposed in front, when the wings would
close in to attack' us on both flanks and in the rear, which his
great superiority in numbers wOuld have enabled him to effect,
had we fallen into the snare. But the advance of the British
force was conducted in such a manner as soon to detect the object.
of his formation, and he was instantly as3,iiled upon both flanks.
His Majesty's ISth Light Infantry led the right attack (tinder my
own immediate direction), accompanied by four guns of the Ben-
gal Horse Artillery, and a small detachment of the Body Guard,
outmoded by his Majesty's 89th Regiment. ' His Majesty's 38th
Regiment, that on the left, supported by his Majesty's 41st, and
two guns of the Madras Artillery, under the direction of Briga-
dier-General Cotton ; whilst Lieutenant Colonel Pariby, with
the 43d Madras Native Mimicry, advanced on the bank of the Ir-
rawaddy, our extreme left, to prevent the enemy throwing troops
to our rear in that direetioe. They received our attack on both
flanks tolerably well-formed, and with a show of resolution, but
were soon obliged to give way before the rapid fire and steady
charge of British soldier's.
Part of their troops, broken by the SBth, retired into a well-
constructed field-ivork, but were so closely pursued that they had
not time to forM for itirdefence; here froM three to four hundred '
of them perished, either by the bayonet, or plunging into the
river to escape. The enemy, perceiving both his flanks attacked,
and seeing our centre apparently without troops, pushed a column
by the main road, towards an eminence in our rear, covered with.
Pagoda's but wee checked, and retired on seeing the 89th in re-
reeve. Several times during 'the- day they attempted, with their
cavalry, to turn, our. right, and vigilantly watched every oPPliOu-
oity which might offer to effect this purpose. They at one time
.lawn in great force and good order, towards a small party of
Majesty's 13th' Light Infantry. Unfortunately, my force in
cavalry did not enable me to avail myself of similar opportunities;
teal I had of the. Right Hon. the Governor-General's
hotm2l:_i_3'l4rds tauter the.command of &War Major Queue Welke
''-itets acquitted themselves with marked gallantry, anti en-
tirelyil4 ,ttnotir-nie,Yi,sati.sfaction. The first of the en c y'a after
being
/0,1 10
the
at
tet.he troopi, were re7fnitned, and, after a Arid halt,
mur.h of the second; which they soon forced without
The) enemy, thus defeated at:all points, left me
ms,
five
ja!ljno%uotjr.it'l4::";:fuos, of
ration, :11:3 ;;;:wet
ofh altlhiti
es stores,4 aoitrhdon:gnhce,
oafr
.d over four nines of ground, I am
happy 10 Nay, is com Y parativtl
small, a circumstance which I at-
tribute to the want of their usual sitcwity
behind works, whereby
true% st,reat .fer their arms,
they were not only rotected, but affo

* King of the Lower ttraione.