BURMAH. 



117 



they have in former wars, that they can defend 

 their national style of fortifications, which they 

 are able to construct with the utmost facility 

 and rapidity, with great obstinacy, so long as 

 their flank is not turned. The Indian troops 

 had to carry three stockades before reaching 

 the Minhla fort, against which the steamers 

 directed their fire. They had no artillery, 

 while the Burmese had seven light guns 

 mounted on their stockades, the heaviest of 

 them, as in the other forts, nine-pounders, 

 but worked by men having some knowledge 

 of gunnery, which was unusual among the 

 Burmese. The Madras infantry advanced 

 against the first stockade through a difficult 

 jungle country, but a harassing rifle -fire on 

 their flanks, and the single cannon that opened 

 fire on the column caused them to hang back, 

 until, encouraged by the officers, two of whom 

 were wounded, they carried the stockade with 

 the bayonet. The second stockade was taken 

 without difficulty. The third and strongest 

 one, mounting five guns, which were well 

 served, was stoutly defended. The column 

 was once on the point of retreating, but at 

 length charged the works, one officer losing 

 his life. The Minhla fort was defended by 

 500 troops from Mandalay, strong and well 

 trained, but with little heart in the conflict. 

 The officer who led the storming party was 

 killed. When the sepoys rushed in, the Bur- 

 mese retreated down a staircase, and, as they 

 were crowded together, were mown down by 

 a murderous volley. When they issued from 

 the gate, they encountered a Bengal regiment 

 that poured volley after volley into the dense 

 mass. Many rushed into the river and were 

 shot in the water, until the officers stopped 

 the slaughter. The 280 Mandalay men who 

 were left were sent down to Rangoon. They 

 belonged to the King's standing army, and 

 have no occupation but fighting. The other 

 Burmese soldiers, who are peasants in time 

 of peace, were all paroled. When Kuligon 

 was taken, the " Irrawaddy " and " Kathleen " 

 moved up the river close to the western shore. 

 As they approached Minhla, two masked bat- 

 teries suddenly opened fire on them. A smart 

 artillery duel followed. The Burmese worked 

 their guns with great determination, although 

 their range was very short. They were sup- 

 ported by a number of riflemen. The " Irra- 

 waddy " and u Kathleen " replied to the rifle- 

 fire with their Nordenfeldts. One of the bat- 

 teries which fired on the " Irrawaddy " was 

 placed in the fort at Minhla, which is sur- 

 rounded and overlooked by houses. A shell 

 from the " Irrawaddy " struck one of the 

 houses near the fort, the town took fire, and 

 was nearly completely destroyed. It burned 

 fiercely for about two hours. The " Kath- 

 leen " had a narrow escape from destruction. 

 After Minhla had taken fire and the Burmese 

 were driven out of the fort, she approached 

 the shore, and moored close to a barge fast- 

 ened to the shore. The barge was suddenly 



fired by a mine concealed in her, and blew 

 up with a loud explosion, severely shaking 

 the "Kathleen," but doing no other injury. 

 The battle took place on the 17th. The ex- 

 pedition remained at Minhla two days, during 

 which the floating batteries, with the naval 

 brigade and steamers with troops that had 

 been delayed, came up. A strong garrison 

 was left at Minhla. The two Italian officers 

 in the Burmese service came and surrendered 

 themselves. When the flotilla started there 

 were twenty-one large steamers. 



The ascent of the river was slow and diffi- 

 cult. On the 19th, Mag we, a town of 9, (500 

 inhabitants, was occupied without serious re- 

 sistance by the naval brigade ; Yaynankhyown, 

 22 miles above, on the following day ; and 

 two other towns were taken possession of and 

 garrisoned before they came to Pagan on the 

 22d. Here a force of 1,500 was found in 

 position ; but they were driven out after a 

 brief bombardment, and the fortifications were 

 occupied. 



No further resistance was encountered until 

 reaching Mingyan, the principal trading-town 

 between the frontier and Mandalay. There a 

 large body of troops were drawn up around 

 a stockade on a hill behind the town, out of 

 the range of the ships' guns. Hlaythin Atwin 

 Woon, or the Burmese admiral, their best gen- 

 eral, was in command. Along the banks were 

 two batteries, mounting nineteen guns, and a 

 series of well-constructed stockades and rifle- 

 pits. The batteries were shelled for two hours 

 before they were silenced, while the stockades 

 were swept by Gatlings and Nordenf eldts. The 

 Burmese returned to their positions again and 

 again as soon as the ship that had silenced 

 them had passed on. On the morning of the 

 24th the British landed and occupied the forti- 

 fications, which had been abandoned, but did 

 not venture to attack the army encamped two 

 and a half miles away, commanded by high offi- 

 cers, who could be distinguished by their golden 

 umbrellas. A short distance above Mingyan 

 they found a large number of flat-boats filled 

 with stones, which the Burmese were attempt- 

 ing to sink in the channel. This attempt they 

 abandoned after placing two or three in posi- 

 tion, only to see them overturned and swept 

 away by the current. 



On the 26th, when the squadron was about 

 30 miles from Ava, it was met by a royal 

 barge bearing a flag of truce. Two Burmese 

 ministers brought a letter from the King beg- 

 ging for an armistice and offering terms of 

 peace. He said that as he had always pro- 

 tected the interests of the flotilla company, of 

 the teak-trade, and of British subjects in gen- 

 eral, he had expected that friendly conditions 

 would prevail. When the English invaded his 

 country he felt obliged to resist in order to 

 maintain the national honor. In his concilia- 

 tory reply to the ultimatum he had conceded 

 some of the rights and privileges demanded, 

 but could not decide on the others because 



