Knowledge (XXG)

Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889–90

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28 December, near Taungtek, when they acknowledged to having had 500 men and 300 guns against us, and to having sustained a great defeat, they gave up all hope of keeping us out of their hills. On 8 January two Yokwa Chins came into camp, and from this date onwards we were never again out of touch with the tribes. The objects of our coming, and our terms, were carefully explained to these two men, and they were dismissed to repeat them to their chiefs, who formally surrendered shortly after. The next day Lieutenant Foster and two other officers were strolling outside the camp when they were suddenly fired at by a few Thetta men in ambush, and Lieutenant Foster was shot dead. In consequence of this the nearest village, Lamtok, was burnt. Having dealt with the Yokwas, the column moved on Haka as soon as the mule path was sufficiently forward, arriving there on 13 February. The same procedure as that adopted with the Yokwas obtained the full submission of the important Haka community; and the surrender of these two tribes was virtually equivalent to the submission of the whole Baungshe country.
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small river, the Myittha, connected Kan to Kalewa on the Chindwin, but it was very shallow and swift, full of rocks, and generally difficult of navigation. Owing to the difficulties of land transport, however, Lieutenant Holland, of the Indian Marine, explored the 136 miles of this river between Kan and Kalewa, and pronounced that it would be possible to send stores up by this route. This form of transport was accordingly adopted, and, under the supervision of Lieutenant Holland, was worked with conspicuous success until the end of January, when the river became too shallow for navigation. During February the transport officers had to meet a fresh difficulty in cattle-disease, which broke out with great virulence in the Kale and Myittha valleys, and through which the number of pack bullocks available was reduced by two-thirds. The first troops of the Southern Column reached Kan on 7 December, and the Sappers of the party began work on the road to Yokwa and Haka the next day.
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rains the start of the expedition had been put off until November 23rd. The Northern Column was ready at Fort White, and only awaited the arrival of its hill coolies. It had been decided to establish ten posts along the western portion of the Burma frontier for its protection against Chin raids. All the garrisons for these posts were sent up the Chindwin river to Kalewa. The late rains had flooded the Kale valley, and up to the end of November the country was impassable to anything but elephants. The energies of the officers, however, overcame all difficulties, and by the end of December these ten posts were constructed, occupied, and rationed.
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making the road, sixty-four miles in length, it took the head of the column sixty-six days to get into Haka, while the mule road was not completed until the seventy-seventh day from commencing the work. This disappointing delay was not without its compensating advantages in dealing with the Chins. They expected us to make a quick advance, do some damage, and then retire. The steady persistent advance, together with the pains taken to get into touch with them, and to explain our objects and intentions, paralysed their efforts for resistance, and thus tribe after tribe submitted and yielded to our terms.
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the British posts. These facts, coupled with the advisability of thoroughly exploring and opening out the narrow strip of country which alone now divided British Burma from India, led to the undertaking, in the cold weather of 1889–90, of military operations from Burma and Chittagong into the country of the Chins and Lushais.
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The Chins first met with by the Southern Column were the Yokwas of the Baungshe tribe. From the outset it was resolved to try a lenient policy with the Southern Chins, who before these operations had not come into contact with us. After one poor attempt by the Yokwas at opposition to our advance on
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Before the expedition started it was believed that the Southern Column would be able to reach Haka in at the most twelve days from Kan, and all calculations were made on this surmise. Such, however, were the unexpected difficulties of the country that, with the whole strength of the force devoted to
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The rationing of Kan, however, the head-quarters of the Southern Column, was one of the greatest difficulties with which the General had to contend. Kan was 165 miles by road from Pakkoku, the main base, and on 23 November, owing to the floods, carts could only travel sixty miles of this distance. A
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General Symons assumed command of the Burma Columns, Chin-Lushai Field Force on November 15, 1889, and about this time the preparations for the expedition were in the following state: The Southern Column had concentrated at Pakokku for its march of 165 miles to Kan. On account of the unusually late
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To the Northern column were assigned the duties of continuing and completing the subjugation and pacification of the Siyin, Sagyilaing, and Kanhow tribes of Chins, and of operating against the Tashons in conjunction with the Southern Column. The task of Brigadier-General Symons as Commander of the
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Throughout the summer of 1889 the Political Officer kept up negotiations with the Soktes and Siyins, but though they surrendered a large number of Burman captives, they continued to give trouble by cutting the telegraph wires, ambushing convoys, and firing into
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Third – To advance west from Haka, and, in co-operation with the Chittagong Column, complete the opening of the road between Bengal and Burma, coercing the tribes, and obtaining submission to our authority on both sides of the line of
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Having destroyed the enemy's villages and crops for many months, and captured a few stockades, the chiefs of the tribes believe surrender was necessary, and on April 30, 1890, the expedition was ended and disbanded.
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First – To drive a mule road through the heart of the Baungshe Chin country to Yokwa and Haka, subjugating these tribes as he advanced; and obtaining the restoration of captives.
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Fourth – To visit villages; force the Chins to cease raiding and give up all captives; to explore the Chin Hills in every direction as far as the limits of time and the working season would permit.
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Frontier and overseas expeditions from India: Record of the expeditions against the North-west frontier tribes, since the annexation of the Punjab
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Second – To advance in combination with the Northern column to the capital of the Tashon Chins and compel their submission.
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Fifth – To establish the necessary posts to hold the country after the withdrawal of the main body of the troops.
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and his surveying party were murdered by Chin tribesmen, and the government was determined to stop the raids.
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Col Symons, Col Tregear and Brigade Surgeon Edward Corrigan Markey were appointed Companions of the
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served in the expedition as a Lieutenant on special service from the 7th Dragoon Guards.
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Finding the gun of the late Lieutenant Stewart in the grave of the Chief Howsata,
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Gerald Edward Holland, First Grade Officer of Her Majesty's Indian Marine.
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The British and Indian soldiers involved in the campaign were awarded the
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Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel George John Skinner, Bengal Staff Corps.
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The expedition advanced on November 15, 1889, in two columns,
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Surgeon-Major William Heed Murphy, Indian Medical Service, Bengal.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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Surgeon Frederick Arthur Rogers, Indian Medical Service, Bengal.
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India General Service Medal with clasp for Chin-Lushai 1889–90
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Captain Arthur George Frederic Browne, Bengal Staff Corps.
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Lieutenant Arthur Henry Morris, the Royal Irish Regiment.
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Lieutenant Edward James Lugard, Bengal Staff Corps.
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Skene DSO 814: 396:2nd Madras Native Infantry 282:42nd Gurkha Light Infantry 197:against the tribes of the 535:proceeding against the 494:Bengal Sappers and Miners 166: 153: 104: 74: 34: 533:Brigadier-General Symons 139:Vincent William Tregear 118:Maj.Gen. William Symons 605: 554:Southern Column was: 528: 408:Chittagong Field Force 335:Gen. William P. Symons 105:Commanders and leaders 635:, Bombay Staff Corps. 603: 522: 167:Casualties and losses 481:28th Bombay Pioneers 319:38th Bengal Infantry 307:10th Bengal Infantry 614:Chin Lushai 1889–90 470:9th Bengal Infantry 457:3rd Bengal Infantry 410: 237: 772:The London Gazette 633:Richard Westmacott 606: 529: 406: 233: 621:Order of the Bath 512: 511: 432:Col. V.W. Tregear 426:Chittagong Column 404: 403: 270:Cheshire Regiment 235:Burma Field Force 183: 182: 70: 69: 16:(Redirected from 805: 777: 776: 763: 757: 756: 754: 752: 737: 726: 720: 719: 715: 705: 546:From the book – 411: 238: 136: 135: 127: 126: 116: 115: 87: 85: 84: 36: 35: 27: 21: 813: 812: 808: 807: 806: 804: 803: 802: 783: 782: 781: 780: 765: 764: 760: 750: 748: 739: 738: 729: 717: 707: 706: 681: 676: 652:John Shakespear 612:with the clasp 598: 517: 443:2nd Battalion, 382:2nd Battalion, 346:1st Battalion, 329:Southern Column 268:1st Battalion, 253:Northern Column 231: 229:Order of Battle 211: 175: 173: 146: 130: 129: 121: 120: 110: 82: 80: 66:British victory 58: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 811: 809: 801: 800: 795: 785: 784: 779: 778: 758: 727: 678: 677: 675: 672: 665: 664: 661: 658: 655: 648: 645: 642: 639: 636: 597: 594: 573: 572: 569: 566: 562: 559: 516: 513: 510: 509: 506: 503: 500: 499: 496: 490: 487: 486: 483: 478: 475: 474: 472: 466: 463: 462: 459: 454: 451: 450: 447: 441: 438: 437: 435: 428: 422: 421: 420:Number of Men 418: 415: 402: 401: 398: 393: 390: 389: 386: 380: 377: 376: 373: 367: 364: 363: 360: 357: 354: 353: 350: 344: 341: 340: 338: 331: 325: 324: 321: 316: 313: 312: 309: 304: 301: 300: 297: 291: 288: 287: 284: 279: 276: 275: 272: 266: 263: 262: 260: 255: 249: 248: 247:Number of Men 245: 242: 230: 227: 213:Following the 210: 207: 181: 180: 177: 169: 168: 164: 163: 160: 156: 155: 151: 150: 141: 107: 106: 102: 101: 93:Tribes of the 91: 77: 76: 72: 71: 68: 67: 64: 60: 59: 50: 48: 44: 43: 40: 32: 31: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 810: 799: 798:1890 in India 796: 794: 793:1889 in India 791: 790: 788: 774: 773: 768: 762: 759: 746: 742: 736: 734: 732: 728: 724: 723:public domain 713: 712: 704: 702: 700: 698: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 686: 684: 680: 673: 671: 669: 668:J.W.P. Peters 662: 659: 656: 653: 649: 646: 643: 640: 637: 634: 630: 629: 628: 626: 622: 617: 615: 611: 602: 595: 593: 589: 585: 581: 577: 570: 567: 563: 560: 557: 556: 555: 551: 549: 544: 542: 541:Lushai Tribes 538: 534: 526: 521: 514: 507: 504: 502: 501: 497: 495: 492:2nd Company, 491: 489: 488: 484: 482: 479: 477: 476: 473: 471: 467: 465: 464: 460: 458: 455: 453: 452: 448: 446: 442: 440: 439: 436: 434: 433: 429: 427: 424: 423: 419: 416: 413: 412: 409: 399: 397: 394: 392: 391: 387: 385: 381: 379: 378: 374: 372: 369:6th Company, 368: 366: 365: 361: 358: 356: 355: 351: 349: 345: 343: 342: 339: 337: 336: 332: 330: 327: 326: 322: 320: 317: 315: 314: 310: 308: 305: 303: 302: 298: 296: 293:5th Company, 292: 290: 289: 285: 283: 280: 278: 277: 273: 271: 267: 265: 264: 261: 259: 256: 254: 251: 250: 246: 243: 240: 239: 236: 228: 226: 222: 220: 216: 208: 206: 204: 200: 196: 192: 188: 178: 176:916 invalided 171: 170: 165: 161: 158: 157: 152: 149: 148:Lushai Tribes 145: 142: 140: 134: 125: 119: 114: 109: 108: 103: 100: 96: 92: 90: 79: 78: 73: 65: 62: 61: 57: 53: 49: 46: 45: 41: 38: 37: 33: 28: 19: 770: 761: 749:. Retrieved 745:Archives.org 744: 710: 666: 618: 613: 607: 590: 586: 582: 578: 574: 552: 547: 545: 530: 468:Detachment, 430: 425: 407: 334: 328: 257: 252: 234: 223: 219:British Army 212: 203:Lushai Hills 186: 184: 99:Lushai Hills 75:Belligerents 56:Lushai Hills 767:"No. 26106" 751:22 November 537:Chin tribes 525:The Graphic 445:2nd Gurkhas 384:4th Gurkhas 174:78 soldiers 144:Chin Tribes 89:British Raj 787:Categories 674:References 209:Background 199:Chin Hills 172:3 officers 95:Chin Hills 52:Chin Hills 596:Aftermath 650:Captain 565:advance. 515:Campaign 417:Regiment 244:Regiment 154:Strength 47:Location 162:10,000+ 414:Column 241:Column 86:  63:Result 195:India 191:Burma 137:Col. 753:2022 527:1889 485:102 461:250 449:300 400:630 388:410 375:151 352:500 323:290 311:460 286:477 274:300 201:and 193:and 185:The 179:500+ 97:and 54:and 39:Date 627::- 550:: 508:50 498:80 362:84 299:95 789:: 769:. 743:. 730:^ 682:^ 616:. 205:. 755:. 725:. 20:)

Index

Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889-90
Chin Hills
Lushai Hills
British Raj
Chin Hills
Lushai Hills
British Raj
Maj.Gen. William Symons
British Raj
British Raj
Vincent William Tregear
Chin Tribes
Lushai Tribes
Burma
India
Chin Hills
Lushai Hills
Lushai Expedition of 1871–72
British Army
Cheshire Regiment
42nd Gurkha Light Infantry
Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
10th Bengal Infantry
38th Bengal Infantry
Gen. William P. Symons
King's Own Scottish Borderers
Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
4th Gurkhas
2nd Madras Native Infantry
Col. V.W. Tregear

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