Lord Amherst and Anglo-Burmese War

Lord Amherst served as Governor-General of India from 1823 to 1828, presiding over a crucial phase of British territorial expansion into Northeast India and Southeast Asia. His tenure was defined by the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826), the first major ocean-going military expedition launched from British India, as well as the capture of the formidable fortress of Bharatpur in 1826. Driven by border disputes along the Bengal frontier, the war forced the East India Company to adapt to jungle warfare, resulting in massive financial strain and heavy human casualties while securing strategic territories along India’s northeastern frontier.

Background and Causes of the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826)

Expansionist policies pursued by the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma under King Bodawpaya and King Bagyidaw brought the Burmese Empire into direct contact with the borders of British India.

Burmese Westward Expansion

• Burma conquered Arakan in 1784, forcing thousands of Arakanese refugees (Maghs) to cross into British-controlled Chittagong.
• Burmese forces annexed Manipur in 1813 and Assam in 1817–1819, placing aggressive military garrisons directly along the borders of Bengal.
• Burmese general Maha Bandula led campaigns toward the western frontiers, aiming to capture Chittagong, Dacca, and Murshidabad.

Immediate Triggers and Border Conflicts

• In September 1823, Burmese troops attacked and drove out a British sepoy guard from Shapuri Island (Shahpuri), a small island near Chittagong.
• Burmese forces invaded Cachar and Jaintia in early 1824, regions that Lord Amherst had formally placed under British protection.
• Lord Amherst issued a formal declaration of war against the Kingdom of Ava (Burma) on March 5, 1824.

Course of the War and Military Campaigns

The First Anglo-Burmese War was fought across three main fronts: the maritime campaign against Rangoon, the overland campaign in Assam and Manipur, and the Arakan front.

Maritime Expedition and the Rangoon Front

• Major General Sir Archibald Campbell commanded a joint amphibious expeditionary force of British and Indian troops that landed at Rangoon in May 1824.
• Burmese forces under General Maha Bandula utilized guerrilla tactics, stockades, and trench warfare to block British advancement along the Irrawaddy River.
• Maha Bandula was killed by rocket artillery fire during the Battle of Danubyu in April 1825, breaking the primary Burmese military defense.

Northern and Western Fronts

• British forces under Brigadier General Alfred Richards drove Burmese troops out of Assam, capturing Rangpur (Sivasagar) in 1825.
• Prince Gambhir Singh of Manipur raised the Manipur Levy with British assistance, driving Burmese garrisons completely out of Manipur.
• General Morrison captured Akyab and cleared Burmese forces from Arakan by mid-1825.

Casualties and Disease Impact

• Out of nearly 40,000 British and Indian troops deployed, around 15,000 soldiers died, with over 70% of casualties caused by tropical diseases like malaria, cholera, and dysentery rather than combat.
• The total military expenditure reached approximately £13 million, plunging the East India Company into a severe financial deficit.

The Treaty of Yandabo (1826) and Peace Settlement

Facing the advance of Sir Archibald Campbell’s army within 45 miles of the capital city of Ava, King Bagyidaw sued for peace and signed the Treaty of Yandabo on February 24, 1826. | Treaty Provision / Clause | Key Details and Strategic Terms | | | | | Territorial Cessions | Burma ceded the coastal provinces of Arakan and Tenasserim to the East India Company. | | Renunciation of Claims | Burma renounced all claims over Assam, Manipur, Cachar, and Jaintia. | | Recognition of Rulers | Recognized Gambhir Singh as the independent Maharaja of Manipur. | | War Indemnity | Burma agreed to pay a massive war indemnity of 1 crore rupees ($1 million pounds sterling). | | Diplomatic Representation | Agreed to receive a permanent British Resident at Ava and post a Burmese envoy at Calcutta. | | Commercial Access | Signed a commercial treaty granting British merchant ships access to Burmese ports. |

Domestic Crises, Military Unrest, and the Capture of Bharatpur

While fighting the external war in Burma, Amherst faced severe domestic mutinies and political instability within central India.

Barrackpore Mutiny of 1824

• In October 1824, the 47th Bengal Native Infantry stationed at Barrackpore refused to march toward the Chittagong front for the Burmese War.
• Sepoys objected to traveling by sea due to caste taboos (Kala Pani) and protested the lack of transport animals and adequate bullock carts.
• Commander-in-Chief Sir Edward Paget ordered artillery fire on the unarmed sepoys, suppressing the regiment, executing leaders, and disbanding the unit.

Fall of Bharatpur (1826)

• A succession dispute broke out in the princely state of Bharatpur when Durjan Sal usurped the throne from the young child ruler Balwant Singh.
• Amherst dispatched British forces under Lord Combermere (Stapleton Cotton) to capture the mud fort of Bharatpur, which had successfully resisted Lord Lake’s siege in 1805.
• British troops mined and blew up the earthen walls in January 1826, capturing the fort and restoring Balwant Singh to power.

Administrative and Diplomatic Changes

• John Crawford was sent as an envoy to Ava in 1826 to negotiate a trade agreement following the Treaty of Yandabo.
• Major Henry Burney was appointed as the first regular British Resident at the Court of Ava in 1830.
• Amherst became the first Governor-General to make Simla his official summer retreat in 1827, establishing the practice for future colonial administrations.
• The annexation of Assam brought the British into direct contact with native tea plants, paving the way for the establishment of the Assam Tea industry by C.A. Bruce in the 1830s.

Key Historical Facts for Quick Revision

• Lord Amherst was raised to the title of Earl Amherst of Arracan in 1826 in recognition of the annexation of Arakan during the First Anglo-Burmese War.
• The First Anglo-Burmese War was the longest and most expensive war in British Indian history up to that point, lasting nearly two two years.
• King Bagyidaw of the Konbaung Dynasty ruled Burma during the First Anglo-Burmese War.
• The mud fort of Bharatpur, known as Lohagarh, was breached for the first time in January 1826 using gunpowder landmines placed by British military engineers.
• Prince Gambhir Singh liberated Manipur from Burmese occupation using a localized guerrilla force known as the Manipur Levy.
• The Treaty of Yandabo brought Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim under British influence, creating the modern northeastern frontier of British India.
• Major General Sir David Ochterlony resigned his post as Resident at Delhi in 1825 after Amherst initially overruled his military plan to intervene in Bharatpur.