386 OPERATIONS OE THE IRRAWADY COLUMN, UPPER BURMAH. 
guns No. 6 Mountain Battery (Bombay), under Lieutenant Baldwin, 
B/.A. Their rear-guard came in about 5 p.m., and the whole camped 
round the fort. Thus ended the siege of Sadon, in which the garrison 
had been under arms and in the trenches of the post for 14 days and 
13 nights, and lost four men killed and 29 wounded, including one 
British and two native officers. Two of the wounded subsequently 
died of their wounds. 
On afternoon of the 20th, 100 rifles visited a neighbouring village 
from which the Kacliins fired on us ; the village was burnt. About 600 
yards from the fort a tremendously strong stockade was found blocking 
the road to the village, it consisted of two earthwork block-houses, 
surrounded with rows of pangies and double-spiked fences six feet 
high, it was, however, empty. 
On 21st some 200 rifles and two guns visited neighbouring villages, 
and had several skirmishes; our loss, one corporal of the Devons severely 
wounded. The heliograph was seen from the Irrawady Column on 
hills some 20 miles off. This was answered, to their surprise, with the 
North-Eastern Column helio. They first inquired if I had arrived, as 
I had been reported destroyed, and then innocently asked if there had 
been any fighting, and if we had had any wounded. Our reply 
astonished them. 
The Irrawady Column arrived on 22nd, and after resting till 26th 
started off to the Chinese frontier. The enemy could be seen by a 
telescope from the post very busy stockading the road to Namliku, a 
village some seven miles off on the road to the frontier. Accordingly 
at 4 a.m. Lieutenant Drever and 60 Ghoorkas Mogany Levy started 
off to get behind the enemy’s works in the dark, with orders to lie 
concealed. This they managed to do, and got close enough to hear 
the Kachins working and talking. At 7 a.m. the column started, and 
engaged the enemy about 8.30 a.m. Fire was opened from two moun¬ 
tain guns, and the infantry extended and advanced in front of the 
enemy’s works. The Kachins kept up a constant fire, but a shell 
bursting close up to a stockade destroyed their confidence, and they 
retired from the unequal contest only to fall into the hands of the 
bloodthirsty Ghoorkas, who killed eight and fired away a lot of 
ammunition, with what effect is not known, as the Ghoorka military 
policeman is a terribly bad shot. Our loss was one man severely, and 
four slightly wounded. Kachin loss estimated at 12 killed and 30 
wounded. Kachins numbers, about 200 ; our own, about 180 rifles 
and two guns. Our troops captured 14 stockades, in front of some 
were pits full of spikes covered with grass and earth. The column 
after staying out five days returned, and has since been working the 
country round. On 5th March, General Stewart, Commanding in 
Burmah, and General Gosset, Commanding Mandalay District, arrived 
at Sadon and inspected the enemy’s works, etc. On 11th of March 
part of the column is to start out to visit Lakapyang, some 30 miles 
away, and on returning will remain at Sadon till the middle of April, 
when the post will be handed over to 250 rifles of the Ghoorka Mogany 
Levy. No more fighting is expected as the Kachins are coming in 
and ask for pardon, saying ^ We have made a mistake and had no idea 
