Chin-Lushai Expedition

Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889–90
Date November 15, 1889 – April 30, 1890 Location Chin Hills and Lushai Hills Result British victory Annexation of Lushai Hills Lushai Rising
Belligerents
British Raj	Tribes of the Chin Hills and Lushai Hills
Commanders and leaders
Maj.Gen. William Symons Col. Charles McD. Skene DSO Col. Vincent William Tregear	Lushai Commanders: Howsatta Jahuta Dokola Khalkam Lengpunga Jarok Kairuma Nikama Chin Commanders:
Strength
3,608 British and Indian troops	10,000+
Casualties and losses
3 officers 78 soldiers 916 invalided	500+

The Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889–90 was a British punitive expedition in Burma and India against the tribes of the Chin Hills and Lushai Hills.

Background

Following the Lushai Expedition of 1871–72, the border regions of Burma and India remained relatively peaceful with few raids occurring.

Murder of Captain Stewart

Liuetenant J.F Stewart of the 1st Battalion, Leinster Regiment accompanied by J.Mc.D Baird of the 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment was making a survey to the south-east of Rangamati for the building of a new road to be constructed. Stewart was to work southwards from Rangamati where Baird from Demagiri would meet up with him.

Stewart was accompanied by two men of his own regiment, Lance-Corpoiral McCormik and Private Owens along with a corporal and ten gurkha sepoy of the border police. He departed from Rangamati on the 16th of January. On the 18th of January, a friendly chief named Saipuialal warned C.S Murray, who relayed to Stewart of movements of war parties in the area. Stewart did not heed the warning due to several 'wolf' cries of war parties around Demagiri before. On the 2nd of February he received news while encamped of a second impending raid but did not regard it seriously. He even declined to post a sentry. Furthermore, five of his sepoys had been sent to bring elephants, letters and logistics.

In the early morning, most of the sepoys were awake with two asleep. Stewart got ready and dressed before a volley was shot. The two sleeping corporals were stabbed in their sleep. The shot which was fired hit a sepoy in the thigh breaking his bone. Two more shots followed in which one wounded an escort on the arm. Stewart's servants and coolies ran away along with one sepoy. Stewart was made to fight with two European soldiers, Commander Naick Kali Sing and Sepoy Gaja Ram. The two European soldiers failed to defend due to the ammunition of their rifles being taken with the escaping coolies. The party was outnumbered as there were an estimated 200-300 Lushais surrounding the encampment. Howsatta's father-in-law, Jahoota had also provided men in the raid.

Stewart fired shots at the attackers after emerging from the hut with his revolver and breech-loading gun. The Lushais were said to have numbered 300 and armed with a mix of muskets, spears and daos. The commander and sepoy aided him in returning shots to the attackers. Stewart retired to the hillside and continued shooting. However, Stewart was wounded in the chest by a bullet and died instantly. The two sepoys escaped after Stewart's death. The Lushais took the guns of the camp as a result. The Commissioner to Chittagong placed a reward of Rs. 200 to find Stewart's body, which a party of hillmen found and reported on the 25th of February. Stewart was found headless similar to other victims of the attack. Stewart's body which fell off the edge of the ravine had been tightly bound in bamboo and difficult to release from.

An investigation revealed that the motive was not an anti-British one, but a Lushai custom. The chief responsible, Howsatta had been obligated by his father-in-law Jahuta to bring him heads to prove himself as a son-in-law after a marital dispute. It was deduced that the war party had come upon Stewart's camp by chance which was unguarded.

Murder of Pakuma Chieftainess

Pakuma Rani was a British ally and chieftainess on the border near the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Within 10 days of the murder of Captain Stewart, the Lushais made a raid on Pakuma's settlement. They took away fifteen captives and thirteen heads of the slain inhabitants. In the course of the raid, Pakuma was also killed by the raiders. Pakuma had actually been under the protection of the British. She had moved her settlement of 150 households within the jurisdiction of British territory out of fear of Sailo chiefs wishing to raid.

Liutenant Widdicombe urged for punishment of this raid. The Government of Bengal believed that Khalkam was responsible for the raid on Pakuma Rani. An enquiry made by Rai Bahadur Haricharan Sharma led to the conclusion that Khalkam was not responsible. The sons of the Eastern Lushai chief Vuta were responsible, such as Nikama, Lungliana and possibly Kairuma. The government decided that instead of a simple punitive expedition, the new circumstances of the annexation of Upper Burma in 1886 exposed the Lushai Hills and Chin Hills on all sides must be considered. Hence an objective for annexation and pacification of the chiefdoms was decided.

Chengri Valley raid

In January 1888, the Government of Bengal received reports of a raid on Chengri Valley. The raid saw 24 villages consisting of 545 houses burnt down. The raid killed 101 inhabitants and captured 91 individuals in total. Most of the captives consisted of children and mothers who were killed as they were unable to walk with their captors. The British attributed the raid to Lengpunga and Jarok, two sons of Sukpilal. John Edgar, Bengal's chief secretary, outlined that the Shendus needed to be reduced to submission.

Chin Hills

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 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.

Order of Battle

Burma Field Force

Column	Regiment	Number of Men
Northern Column	Col. Charles McD. Skene DSO
	1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment	300
	42nd Gurkha Light Infantry	477
	5th Company, Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners	95
	10th Bengal Infantry	460
	38th Bengal Infantry	290
Southern Column	Gen. William P. Symons
	1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers	500
	1st Bengal Mountain Artillery	84
	6th Company, Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners	151
	2nd Battalion, 4th Gurkhas	410
	2nd Madras Native Infantry	630

Chittagong Field Force

Column	Regiment	Number of Men
Chittagong Column	Col. V.W. Tregear
	2nd Battalion, 2nd Gurkhas	300
	3rd Bengal Infantry	250
	Detachment, 9th Bengal Infantry
	28th Bombay Pioneers	102
	2nd Company, Bengal Sappers and Miners	80
	Detachment, Chittagong Frontier Police	50

Lushai Campaign

The Chin-Lushai Expedition consisted of two expeditions. The expedition of 1889 focussed on the prevention of Lushai raids and punishing Howsatta's killing of Lt Stewart. The Chin-Lushai Expedition of 1889-90 was focused on the punishment of chiefs, releasing the captives taken in 1883 of a Lushai village and recovering weapons from the tribes and specifically focussed on freeing captives from the Chengri Valley raid.

Howsatta's Punitive Expedition

General Treager assembled a column known as the "Lushai Expeditionary Force," in Demagiri. Three objectives were outlined for the Lushai column.

• To construct a road in the direction of Shendu country.
• To punish Howsatta and Jahuta for the murder of Liuetenant Stewart.
• To establish an advanced post to be garrisoned during the season.

The original order didn't sanction a punitive expedition on Howsatta but this was modified by telegram on 12 March. The troops were assisted by 2,500 Chakma and Bengali coolies. They had been hired for the construction of a road from Demagiri to Lungleh. The Chakma coolies were originally intended to build encampments and huts for the sepoys until this task was delegated to the column directly. The construction of the road began on 16 January and was completed to Fort Lungleh on 11 March 1889. The path allowed for elephants to cross the terrain and for logistics to arrive smoothly. C.S Murray was allied with a local Lushai chief known as Saipuialal who supplied the column and auxiliaries with guides to his elder brother Vandula's village. The officers met with Vandula who supplied information about Shendu preparations in defending themselves which turned out to be false.

Another British ally was a friendly chieftess known as Darbili. Darbili supplied guides to nearby villages for C.S Murray to gather intelligence on Howsatta. During these investigations reports surfaced that Howsatta had already died and had been buried with Stewart's gun. Furthermore, the heads taken during the attack on Stewart and his party had been sent to a chief named Paona for safekeeping. Paona was one of the five chiefs implicated in the raid alongside Howsatta, his two sons and Jahuta. Two chiefs known as Dahuta and Zakapa sent delegates in an offer for submission during the column's activities. The delegates were informed that Colonel General Tregear would make the terms of peace. The reasoning for the submission of the two chiefs were described as the spreading of news of the Chin column's activities in destroying the Chin tribes.

Finding the gun of the late Lieutenant Stewart in the grave of the Chief Howsata, The Graphic 1889

The column was divided into two parties who encamped around Howsatta's village. The original plan for a nighttime ambush was aborted on account of Darbili's guides being unable to navigate the terrain in the dark. The force arrived at Howsatta's village on the 20th. The Lushais in Howsatta's village fired a signalling shot to burn down the houses. The force, in return, fired a few volleys and shots to halt the burning of the settlement. The village was deserted on arrival, with only two undefended stockades smeared with the blood of a dog to deter the advance. The guides identified the largest building as the chief's house and located Howsatta's grave. Howsatta was found dressed in robes and a turban. His grave was filled with his weapons, a power flask and some food for his journey in Pialral. Underneath Howsatta, the column located Stewart's double barreled gun. The column left his village and burned down Jahuta's village on its way to Lungleh.

In good faith, the British ally Saipuialal had given his old village to the British to develop Fort Lungleh. After the Fort was developed with the amenities required, it was handed over to the Frontier police on 15 April to form a garrison. Before leaving the Lushai Hills, a durbar was held at Fort Lungleh. Five Lushai chiefs attended, namely, Saipuialal, Lal Thuabunga, Lal Lunga, Sangliena and Lal Ruma. C.S Murray addressed the chiefs in the Mizo language and explained the expedition and its causes. The durbar ended with rewards given to the chiefs for their aid and cooperation with the British.

Lengpunga's Punitive Expedition

Two columns were established. A northern column under Colonel G.J Skinner and a southern column under General V.W Tregear were established. Both columns were given separate objectives. The objectives for the northern column were:

• To punish Lengpunga for the raid on Chengri Valley.
• To punish the sons of Vuta for their raid and murder of Pakuma Rani.
• To establish a permanent outpost near Lengpunga's village as a garrison point.

The objectives of the Southern column were:

• The construction of a mule path to Haka to establish a road between Burma and India.
• The establishment of outposts on the route to secure complete pacification and annexation.
• The subjugation of tribes who are neutral into the sphere of British influence.

Many of the troops and elephants and coolies along the journeying began to develop afflictions from diseases such as Malaria, Cholera and a native disease known as Lurza. General Tregear arrived at Fort Lungleh on 24 December. Tregear presided over the surrender of Howsatta's brother's, Dokola and Vantura through a chief known as Lalruma. The chiefs had surrendered their guns and released their captives. They further offered to help cut through the jungle on the way to Haka.

Concerns were made about the invasion of the Lushai Hills and the inseucrity it may cause on the tea estates bordering the frontier. The plan was made to defend the Cachar frontier, occupy Changsil and attack Lengpunga with Manipuri coolies from the Burma side.

Southern Column

Captain John Shakespear accompanied C.S Murray to bring in all the chiefs who had neglected or refused to submit to British rule. Tensions with Lalthuama, son of Ropuiliani and Vandula was an influential chief among the Shendus. Rumours had formed of Lalthuama's involvement in anti-British chiefs. His harboring of the chief Paona who stored the heads of Captain Stewart's party. As the road builders came closer to Lalthuama's village, Murray was granted a further 100 men to set relations right with Lalthuama.

Murray reached a dependent village under Lalthuama which was deserted as a new settlement was being built nearby for jhumming purposes. Lalthuama upon entering his village was tied up by the party and returned to his main village. Lalthuama was fined 30 guns, a gayal, 10 pigs, 10 goats, 20 fowls and 100 maunds of rice. The force hunted some of the animals in the village and took Lalthuama to Fort Lungleh until the full extent of the fine would be paid off. Lalthuama arrived at Fort Lungleh on 19 January 1890. He managed to provide the 30 guns in the fine on 21 January, however spoke of difficulties in procuring so much rice. Lalthuama was permitted to return home on his promise that he will provide the amount of rice in the fine at an encampment for the forces at Mat river.

Captain Brown, Shakespear, Mulaly, Lieutenant Bythell and Mr Walker who were encamped on Mat River began a journey to Darbili's village. The news of Lalthuama's arrest had made Darbili hesitant to meet with the party, and she had fled to another settlement. The party reached the settlement where Darbili resided after fleeing on 4 January 1890. An oath of friendship was taken between Darbili and John Shakespear. Through Darbili, messages were sent to Howsatta's brothers, Dokola and Vantura, to come and meet with the party.

The party was met by Vantura's men upon their return journey on 7 February. The men stated Vantura was close by and wished to surrender. Vantura himself revealed himself and gave Lieutenant Stewart's revolver to the officer; he claimed to procure it through Jahuta, who held other stolen rifles. Vantura was made into a prisoner and brought into their encampment. His subjects followed him non-violently before being separated by threats of using bayonets. Vantura pleaded illness as the excuse for why Dokola was absent. Three Karbari accompanied Vantura, who was sent to summon Dokola. A karbari returned and claimed Dokola was too ill to travel.

The road construction continued further and a location in Darbili's old settlement was found to have amenities for a British outpost. Fort Tregear was established as a result. The party further ventured onwards towards the village of Lalleya. Lalleya initially resisted their entry before inviting them in after a display of force. He surrendered the field glasses and aneroid of Lieutenant Stewart.

North Lushai Column

Lengpunga's reputation among the Lushai chiefs was described as obnoxious. Many of the Howlong chiefs who disliked Lengpunga's tyrannical disposition readily allied with the British and aided them in cutting down the jungle to help the troops march through.

The force used rivers to navigate the Luhshai Hills with rafts. Several boulders and fishing dams were removed from the path. During encampment, Murray interviewed four northern Howlong chiefs, Mompunga, Vantonga, Lalthuama and Lallura who brought presents of eggs, vegetables and zu (rice beer). Messages were sent to northern chiefs such as Lalhleya and Lalbura to aid in guiding the force, cutting the jungle and inform about Lengpunga's whereabouts.

Mompunga, a Lushai chief, and Mr. Murray, Political Agent, taking the oath of friendship - ILN 1890

On 3 February 1890, Mompunga, a Howlong chief, met with Murray. The purpose of the visit was to seal a bond of friendship. Mompunga took an oath or thissa. Mompunga stated: "Until the sun ceases to shine in the heaven, and until yonder stream runs backwards, I will be your true and faithful friend."

During encampment four chiefs, Lalhleya, Lalbura, Lal Chema and Lalova, met with Murray. The chiefs informed of the direction and distance of Lengpunga's settlement from the current encampment. Colonel Skinner would arrive to Lengpunga's village on 8 February. Lengpunga would surrender to Skinner the following day. Lenbgpunga gave up many of his captives from the Chengri valley raid and sent them to Changsil. The rest of the force reached Lengpunga's old settlement not too far away from his newer one. The village was armed, but no violence was committed by the men who opted to flee instead. Lengpunga made contact with Daly's camp on 9 February. Daly did not consider himself justified in seizing Lengpunga and allowed him to return to his village as he had already cooperated with Skinner and released captives. Lengpunga would subsequently escape the following morning. Colonel Skinner would be staying nearby in a village. In the morning the Lushais burned down the village as the force escaped and tried to put out the fires. In the end, the supplies were lost in the huts and neighbouring villages supplied their grain from their jhums. In the North Lushai Hills, the remains of Thanruma's village was seen as a desirable location for a permanent post on which Fort Aizawl would be built.

Nikama the perpetrator of the raid on Pakuma Rani was close to Lengpunga's settlement. A prisoner released by the party before their arrival to Nikama's settlement, introduced the party to the upas. The upas stated that Lungliena had died and that Nikama had escaped with Lengpunga. The upas however freed the captives. The British fined the settlement 60 guns and Rs. 300 for Nikama's absence. A deadline of one day was given to procure the fine. As the village failed to do so, the settlement was burnt down. This repeated a second time for another village under Nikama. Kairuma who was also implicated in the raid was not punished due to the lack of time to visit his settlement. The chiefs furthermore assembled before the force. Khalkam, Lengpunga, Sailenpui, Thanruma, Tangaola, Mintang, Senkhomga and Tolera with a large following met with Mr Daly at his camp. They negotiated the surrender of Lengpunga but failed to reach an agreement. As a result, Lengpunga was not given up by his brothers and followers. The force let him go as a result. The establishment of Fort Aijal took over the responsibility of operations in annexing and pacifying the Lushai Tribes. The force burnt down the remaining houses of Lengpunga's settlement.

Lengpunga's associates were subsequently captured. Political officers were appointed in the North and South to manage the annexation process.

Chin Campaign

From the book – Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India:

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 Southern Column was:

• 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.
• Second – To advance in combination with the Northern column to the capital of the Tashon Chins and compel their submission.
• 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 advance.
• 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.
• Fifth – To establish the necessary posts to hold the country after the withdrawal of the main body of the troops.

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 rains the start of the expedition had been put off until November 23. 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

Aftermath

India General Service Medal with clasp for Chin-Lushai 1889–90

The British and Indian soldiers involved in the campaign were awarded the India General Service Medal with the clasp Chin Lushai 1889–90.

Col Symons, Col Tregear and Brigade Surgeon Edward Corrigan Markey were appointed Companions of the Order of the Bath (CB) for their service during the campaign, and the following were appointed Companions of the Distinguished Service Order:-

• Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel Richard Westmacott, Bombay Staff Corps.
• Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel George John Skinner, Bengal Staff Corps.
• Surgeon-Major William Heed Murphy, Indian Medical Service, Bengal.
• Captain Arthur George Frederic Browne, Bengal Staff Corps.
• Surgeon Frederick Arthur Rogers, Indian Medical Service, Bengal.
• Captain John Shakespear, the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).
• Lieutenant Arthur Henry Morris, the Royal Irish Regiment.
• Lieutenant Edward James Lugard, Bengal Staff Corps.
• Gerald Edward Holland, First Grade Officer of Her Majesty's Indian Marine.

J.W.P. Peters served in the expedition as a Lieutenant on special service from the 7th Dragoon Guards.

Sources

• "War Medals and Their History". Archives.org. S. Paul & Co., London. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
• Chatterjee, Suhas (1985). British rule in Mizoram. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.
• Chatterjee, Subhas (1995). Mizo Chiefs and the Chiefdom. New Delhi: M D Publications PVT LTD. ISBN 81-85880-72-7.
• McCall, Anthony Gilchrist (1949). Lushai Chrysalis. London: Luzac.
• Reid, A.S. (1893). Chin-Lushai Land: Including a description of the various expeditions into the Chin-Lushai Hills and the final annexation of the country. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Co.
• Reid, Robert (1942). The Lushai Hills: culled from History of the frontier areas bordering on Assam from 1883-1941. Calcutta: Firma KLM. p. 49.
• Shakespear, L.W (1929). History of the Assam Rifles. London: Macmillan and Co, Limited.