page_title: Second Anglo-Burmese War
section_title: War
hierarchical_section_title: Second Anglo-Burmese War / War
caption_attribution_description: English: Watercolour in pen and ink of a portrait of Moung-ghee (Maung Gyi), the son of the renowned General Maha Bandula, in Yangoon (R Zar Ni). Under the prestige of his father's name, and not from any display of military talent or disposition in himself, Moung-ghee was appointed General of the Burmese army sent against the British at commencement of the last war; when expectations of the wonders which he was to have accomplished being disappointed, or dissatisfaction in some way occasioned, he was recalled to the capital; but fully knowing this was but the prelude to the loss of his head, Moung-ghee very wisely came over to the British, by whom he was, and continues to be, kindly treated. He has a pension from Government; but he is said to be gratified in a yet greater degree by a small grant of land made to him by the Governor General, Lord Dalhousie. Moung-ghee is far above the ordinary stature of the Burmese, being full six feet in height, and well made in proportion. He is exceedingly cheerful, happy and contented.
context_page_description: The Second Anglo-Burmese War or the Second Burma War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and British forces during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence.
context_section_description: The first substantial blow of the Second Anglo-Burmese War was struck by the Company on 5 April 1852, when the port of Martaban was taken. Rangoon was occupied on the 12th, and next came the Shwedagon Pagoda on the 14th, after heavy fighting, when the Burmese army retired northwards. Bassein was seized on 19 May, and Pegu was taken on 3 June, after some sharp fighting round the Shwemawdaw Pagoda. During the rainy season the approval of the East India Company's court of directors and of the British government was obtained as to the annexation of the lower portion of the Irrawaddy River Valley, including Prome. After the fighting, the British troops looted the pagodas for their gold, silver and precious Buddha statues.
  Lord Dalhousie visited Rangoon in July and August, and discussed the whole situation with the civil, military and naval authorities. He decided that dictating terms to the Court of Ava by marching to the capital was not how the war should be conducted unless complete annexation of the kingdom was contemplated and this was deemed unachievable in both military and economic terms for the time being. As a consequence, Major-General Godwin occupied Prome on 9 October, encountering only slight resistance from the Burmese forces under the command of Lord Dabayin, son of Gen. Maha Bandula, who was killed in the First Anglo-Burmese War, though bitterly so, as the Major-General resented having to deal with the Royal Navy under the command of Lambert, a mere commodore, after the death of Rear Admiral Charles Austen, the brother of the writer Jane Austen.  Early in December Lord Dalhousie informed King Pagan that the province of Pegu would henceforth form part of the Company dominions.
caption: Maung Gyi, Lord of Dabayin
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