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238 FBONTIEB dND OVElWtdff EXPldDITION8 PROM INDIA. before Mr. Edgar's return to Cachar a series of raids had begun which exceeded in magnitude and ferocity all that had gone before, The first raid occurred in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and was supposed to have been committed Raids in 1871. by a body of Shendus, 200 strong. Poyakukie in Hill Tippera was burnt on the 21~t January 1871, and Alexandrapur, a tea-garden in Cachar, was looted on the 23rd Mr. Winchester, a planter, was killed, and his daughter, aged six, was carried off as a captlive. About the same time the village of Ainakhal was burnt, twenty-five persons being killed and thirty- seven taken captive. On the 26th January the Lushais attacked the garden of Monier Khal. Fortunately the manager had received warning of the raid, and had removed his coolies. He himself, with two other Europeans and a guard of thirty-seven soldiers and police, remained in the stockade, where he was reinforced, by Mr. Daly of the Police,. with forty inen. The Lushais sustained the attack for seventeen hours, but were finally driven off with a loss of fifty-seven, the loss on the British side being seven killed and as many wounded. On the 28th a party of eight sepoys were over- powered, and all but one killed, not, however, before they had accounted for twenty-five Lushais. On the 23rd February seven coolies were killed and wounded on Jhalnachera tea estate. Similar outrages continued to occur in Sylhet, Tippera, and Manipur until well on in March. The identity of the tribes con- cerned in these several outrages was not clearly established for some time, but subsequent information leaves no doubt of the complicity of the Eastern Lushai chiefs, Lalbura, Lenkham, Bungteya, and Poiboi
of the Sylu chief Savunga, and his sons Lalagnura and Lal- jika
and of the Howlang chiefs Sanvunga, Benkora, and Saipuiya. In consequence of these raids the expedition of 1871-72 was despatched. It was completely success- The 1871 Expedition. ful, and peace was re-established on the following terms
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(i) That Government agents should have free access to Lalbura'e villages. (ii) That the guns taken at Monier Khal and Nandigram should be sur- rendered. 1 See page 244. {iii) That a he of two elephant tusks, one set of war gong, one neck- lace, ten goats, ten pigs, fifty fowls, and twenty maunds of rice should be paid. These were lenient terms, but their effect was that for nearly twenty years the Eastern Lushais gave no serious trouble. In November 1883 a party of police were attacked near on a party of police Demagiri by some Malliam Pois, acting in 1883. as scouts for a large body of Eastern Lushais. A follower was shot, and two of the police were drowned by the capsizing of a boat. After this the country remained quiet until the early part of 1888, when a small survey party, commanded by Lieutenant Stewart of the Leinster Regiment, was surprised and massacred by a head-hunting party of Shendus, who had ventured across the frontier. The outrage was entirely unprovoked, and it afterwards transpired that the motive of the attack was not any grievance against the British Government, but the fulfilment of an obligation which Howeata, one of the chiefs of the Shendus, was under, to obtain the heads of two foreigners for his father-in-law Jahuta. By accident the raiding party came across Stewart's camp, and, finding it absolutely unguarded, except for a sepoy sentry over the arms, they considered the opportunity to attain their object too good to be lost. Their first volley from the jungle killed the sentry and the two British privates, who were Lieutenant Stewart's assistants, and wounded the other sepoys of the Military Police. Two sepoys, with Lieutenant Stewart himself, were the only ones able to get at their ammunition when the attack began. They defended themselves with great gallantry, killing several cf the enemy, but at length Lieutenant Stewart was shot through the chest, and'the two sepoys, having exhausted their ammunition, then retired through the jungle,
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eventually effected their escape. The season being too far advanced, the idea of sending a puni- tive expedition had to be postponed until the following cold weather. When the time came, however, its despatch was again postponed on account of the unsettled state of the Chindwin district, which, in the opinion of Government, rendered it inexpedient to take any further action against the Eastern Lushais for the time being. Inatead of the expedition, 250 men of the 9th Bengal Infantry were sent to strengthen the police outposts with a view to preventing further raids, but these half-measures did not have the expected re- sult. In December 1888 an attack of unusual ferocity was made on a village within British territory, and Renewed raids. only four miles from our outpost at - Demagiri. Twenty-one villagers were killed, and fifteen carried off captive. The event was soon followed by a series of raids on a Grger scale in the Upper Chengri valley early in January 1889, during which a hundred persons were killed, and ninety-one carried into captivity. while these raids were in progress a punitive expedition had Colonel Tregear9a Erpeditioo, been organized and was &ead on its 1888-89. way to Demagiri, which was chosen as the base of operations. This expedition successfully accomplished the punishment of the villages responsible for the murder of Lieu- tenant Stewart, and established a fortified post at Lungleh within the enemy's country, connected by road and telegraph with Demagiri. A much larger expedition was organized in the following year. Its general object was
To punish certain tribes that had raided Chin-Lushai and committed depredations in British 1889-90. territory
to subjugate tribes as yet neutral, but now brought by force of circumstances within the sphere of British dominion
to explore and open out as much as possible of the, as yet, only partly known country between Burma and Chittagong
and, if the necessity arose, to establish semi-permanent posts in the regions visited, so as to ensure corn- plete pacification and recognition of British power. As the operations were to be directed as much against raiding tribes of Chins on the Burma ,frontier, as against raiders in the Lushai Hills, and as the movements from east to west, and vice versa, were intimately connected, it was determined to treat the whole as one combined operation styled the Chin-Lushai Expedition, to distinguish it from other operations which had taken place in the past. This expedition succeeded in releasing a number of captives and destroyed the chief offending village. Previous to these operations, the policy of the Government since 1872 had been to maintain a line of outposte oonnwted by. patrol paths
and, while cultivating, as much as possible, friendly intercourse with the chiefs, to abstain from interference in their internal affairs. It was now decided to endeavour to put down raids once for all by prdving the British power to occupy their country, a& by establishing military posts in their midst. Two such out- posts, with a garrison of military police, were established at Aijal and Changsil. For a time the Lushais appeared to have accepted the situa- tion, and attended a durbar held by Captain Browne, the first Political Officer appointed to the Northern Lushai Hills, at which they swore an oath of friendship. On the 10th September 1890, how. - ~tt~a onAijd chang- ever, they, without any warning, suddenly ~il, 1890. rose in a body, made a combined attack on Aijal and Changsil, and killed Captain Browne, a sepoy, and a number of coolies. Repeated attacks on the stockades were successfully resisted by the garrisons of these two posts until the arrival of reinforcements from Cachar on the 28th September. The relieving party included 200 Military Police, the officer in command of which, Captain Swinton, had been killed while advancing up the narrow-channel of the Dhallesar river to Changsil. The garrison of Changsil was further augmented by the arrival - of 200 men of the 40th ~Ln~al Infantry Punitive mewures, 1890. on the 30th September; and on the arrival of Mi. McCabe, the new Political officer, punitive operation8 were immediately commenced, and severe punishment meted out to all the villages in the neighbourhood. The summer and winter of 1890 passed uneventfully among the tribes on the Chittagong frontier
but in January 1891, although the Lushais had shown no signs of further hostility it was considered advisable to move a body of troops into the hills, to visit as many villages as possible, and to establish British author- ity. The force, consisting of 400 men of the 43rd Gurkha Rifles under Colonel Evans, and 20 Military Police, visited Lalbura's and Poiboi's villages and returned to Cbangsil without encounter- ing any opposition. Meanwhile Mr. Murray, Assistant Political Officer, South Lushai Hills, proceeded on tour with an escort of fifty rifles, Chitta- gong Police. He found the Chief Jacopa recalcitrant, and attacked VOL IV. 2 1 20 FRONTIER AND OVt!R8EAB EXPEQITIONB FROM INDIA. his village
but being assailed by very superior numbers he eventually retired to the Kaledan post. A punitive expedition was sent off on the 20th, consisting of 100 men of the 2-2nd Gurkhas and 46 rifles, Chittagong Police, under command of Captain Hutchinson. It burned Jacopa's village, destroyed his grain, and returned to the Kaladan post on the 3rd March. No further operations took place on the Chittagong side during the cold weather. In 1892 the Western Lushais were in a state of submission; but Lalbura, a chief of one of the eastern tribes, resisted the Raid, 1892. British authority. In February he attacked the Political Officer, who was visiting his village, and in April raided the tea estate of Boorun- cheria, killing forty-two and carrying off thirteen prisoners. There being reason to expect more trouble, the forces in the North Lushai Hills were reinforced by 300 men of the 18th Bengal Infantry under Colonel Rennick, and those of the South Lushai Hills by 300 of the 3rd Bengal Infantry. The local troops were at this time 640 Frontier Police in the seven posts of Lungleh, Demagiri, Lungsin, Fort Tregear, Lalthuama, Rangamatia, and Burkhul. On the ham side, retributive measures were commenced Punitive operations, 1692. by the police on the 10th of April 1892. This party consisted of 225 men of the - Assam Frontier Police, and 75 men of the 18th Benga! Infantry, all under the command of Captain Loch, Commandant of the Surma Valley Frontier Police Battalion. The force left Aijal on the 10th of April 1892 fcr PoiEoi's village, which, after some resist- ance, was captured and destroyed. The force then destroyed all the grain in the neighbourhood, and hunted the -Lushais out of all their temporary camps, thus depriving them of shelter at an inclement season of the year. A somewhat smaller force of 250 men captured Bungteya's village, and pursued the same tac- tics as those mentioned above. A good many of the minor chiefs now made their submission, but Lalburlt resolved to make a stand at MaitB. This place was captured on the 25th of May 1892, and again the same tactics were pursued. As the men had suffered - much from the climate, and Lalbura was now a fugitive with a small following, Captain Loch's force returned to Aijal, which was reached on the 8th of June 1892. All the principal chiefs, except Lalbura, and most of the people implicated in the late rising had surrendered at various times during the above operations, and agreed to furnish free labour. Although the power of the hostile Lushais was broken by these operations, it was found advisable to despatch another expedition in December 1892, in order to protect friendly villages, our convoys, and communicntions, and to impress on the native tribes oLce for all a sense of British superiority. This force, acting in concert with a column from Aijal, conipletely effected its object
and without meeting any resistance established the authority of Gov- ernment throughout the whole tlact of country where it had been resisted. At the beginning of 1893 the Lushais might be considered as having been divided into four main groups,--the Western Lushais, the Eastern Lushais, the Howlongs, and the Kairuma group. Of these the last named, which consisted of seven villages, were by far the strongest combination in the hills. The first three groups had settled down quietly, but the Kairumas remained .sullen, and dis- - Operations, 1893. regarded the orders of the Political Officer. Consequently, late in 1893 three small columns were sent against them from Aijal, Lungleh, and Falam respectively. Their movements coincided exactly in accord- anco with the pre-arranged plans, and severe punishment was inflicted on the recalcitrant villages. This was the last of the long series of military expeditione; and since that time the record of the Lushai Hdls has been one of peaceful and steady progress. The internal management of the country is left to the chiefs, subject only to a general supervision by the Superintendent, who administers justice. CHAPTER XVI. MILITARY OPERATIONS. The Expedition of I 87 I -72. THE first expedition against the Lushais which calls for detailed mention was that of 1871. It consisted of two columns, starting from Cachar and @ittagong, respectively, and each column included half a mountain battery, a company of Sappers and Miners, and 1,500 - - Native Infantry. In addition, a separate contingent was supplied by ' the Raja of Manipur. Transport was reduced to a minimum
no tents were allowed, the numbers of followers were cut down as far as possible, and only six seers of baggage were allowed to each sepoy. The objective of the left or Cachar Column, under command of Operations of the &har Genera1 Bourchier, was the village of Column. Lalbura, son of Vonolel, who had been mainly concerned in the raids of Monier Khal. Tipai Mukh, on the Barak river, was selected as a secondary base of operations. Up to this point water communication was to a certain extent available, and the route of the force was, roughly speaking, along the course of the Barak valley. The column reached Tipai Mukh on the 9th December and at once began to build store-houses, hospitala, and stockades, pleparatory to its advance into the enemy's country. On the 13th the advance began, and except some threatening demonstrations, no opposition was experienced till the 23rd December. On the latter date, the troops, while ascending the hill on which the Kholel - villages lay, were received by a volley from a number of Lushais in ambush. The village was at once taken with a rush, and was then destroyed. On the following days several hostile villages in the neighbourhood were similarly dealt with, On the 26th December ( 24.4 the force evacuated Kholel, and returned to camp in the valley below. A few days later,. the enemy made complete submission. On the 30th and 31st, peace offerings were accepted, and the year closed in comparative quiet. Early in January the force continued its advance, and towards the end of the month began to close upon Poiboi, one of the most powerful chiefs in that quarter. On the 25th the General was warned by Poiboi's'ministry that he would be attacked if he went on. No regard was, of course, paid to this, and the troops were accordingly attacked on all sides, while traversing n particularly bad piece of ground. The men, however, behaved with great coolness, and the Lushais were driven off with considerable loss. This attack proved that Poiboi and Lalbura had joined their forces to oppose our advance. Parties were sent out to burn Poiboi's villages, and the artillery came into action for the first time, striking wonder and terror into the minds of the Lushais, and causing them to abandon their stockades in a panic. Poiboi now desired to come to terms with the General, but the latter replied that he would only treat in Chelam, the chief village of the tribe. The column'accord- ingly proceeded to occupy this village, which was found deserted by Poiboi and his followers. Nothing could persuade this chief to come in personally and tender his submission, nor was he ever captured. Preparations were now made for the final stage of the operations, the capture of Lalbura's village, for which service'400 men and two guns were detailed. On the 12th February, the troops started, and after five days' marching arrived in view of the valley of Cham Phai, Lalbura's head-quarters. On the 17t11, the village itself was reached, And being found deserted mas at once burnt to the ground. It appeared that the Soktes, old enemies of the Lushais, had taken advantage of the panic caused by the advance of the British column to make a fierce attack on Lalbura. The latter had succeeded in beating them off with loss, but their attack had created a diversion and prevented Lalbura from occupying a stock- ade prepared across the route of the column, from which he intended to oppose, our advance. On the 20th February, the conditions were complied with, and next day the force, having accomplished its fa& set out on its 246 PBONTZER AND OVEBBEM EXPQDITZONB PROM INDIA. return to Cachar. While these events were occurring, the right, mttWq Columa or Chittagong Column, under command of Brigadier-General Brownlow, was accomplishing its task with equal success. The object of this force was primarily to reach and punish the Syloo Chief Savunga, who had been concerned in the raids on West Cachar, and in the murder of Mr. Winchester. General Brownlow arrived in Chittagong on the 28th October, and at once began operations by establishing a dep6t at Kasalong, up to which point troops, stores, and provisions could easily be conveyed by means of the Karnafuli river. Above Kasa- long the river was found broken at intervals by rapids, bLt by dint of considerable labour these difficulties were overcome, and a boat service was established as far as Uemagiri, which was converted into an advanced dep6t. About ten miles from Demagiri the force left the Karnafuli val- ley and commenced their regular hillwork, marching north by east to attack Vanunah, the first great Syloo chief on the Belkai range. On the 14th December this man's village was taken and burnt by a party of 160 men, 2nd Gurkhas. Head-quarters was established there and parties were despatched against the neighbouring village, which were all destroyed together wit,h immense quantities of grain, without any loss on the side of the British. Head-quarters occupied the village of Savunga on the 11 th Janu- Rutton Poirr to tmat ary 1872, and Rutton Poia, our ally, was with Howlongs. despatched to treat with the Howlongs. The force in the meantime bivouacked and awaited his return, A week later Rutton Poia was succkssful in inducing the Howlongs to surrender Mary Winchester, the child who had been captured in the raid on Alexandrapur in 1871. She had been well treated, and was found none the worse for her captivity. Negotiations were carried on with the Howlongs for some' considerable time, and finally, on the 18th of Bebruary, the chiefs Sangbunga, Lalbura, and Yatama, who represented the whole of the northern portion of the tribes came in. An oath of friendship was taken with these chiefs, and on their returning all the captives, peace was proclaimed and presents exchanged. On the 27th the Lushais made their submisuion, and peace - was granted them on the same terms,~ to. the Howlongs..
