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Battle of Prome
Part of the First Anglo-Burmese War
Prome (1825) Ava Rangoon (1824) Bagan (1826) Location and year of the major battles of the First Anglo-Burmese War, and Ava, the Court of Kingdom of Burma
Date November 1825 Location Prome, Burma Result British victory
Belligerents
British Empire	Kingdom of Burma
Commanders and leaders
Sir Archibald Campbell, Willoughby Cotton	Maha Ne Myo †, Kee-Woonghee, Suddoowoon
Strength
3,000 Europeans and 2,000 Indians	50,000-60,000 soldiers

The battle of Prome was a land-based battle between the Kingdom of Burma and the British Empire that took place near the city of Prome, modern day Pyay, in 1825 as part of the First Anglo-Burmese War. The Burmese army suffered a great defeat despite the advantage of a larger army, and the subsequent British army's march toward north threatened Ava, which led to peace negotiation by the Kingdom of Burma.

Following the defeat at Rangoon and the death of General Maha Bandula, the Kingship of Ava ordered the general Maha Ne Myo to capture Prome with an army of 50,000 to 60,000 men including Shan people. With superiority in number, the Burmese army divided into three divisions and positioned themselves around Prome in Simbaik, Napadi hills, and the western shore of Irrawaddy river. The Burmese army harassed the British position in outlying regions around Prome by leading small raids but did not commit to an attack on Prome itself.

The British army, led by Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet, composed of several regiments of Royal Foot infantry and Madras Native infantry and artillery. On December 1st, 1825, general Campbell initiated an attack on the left division led by Maha Ne Myo, while distracting the center division with a cannon barrage. The left division was stormed with a bayonet charge led by Lt. General Willoughby Cotton and a follow up attack by General Campbell caused a complete rout of the left division of the Burmese army. The British army attacked the center division on the Napadi hills the following day, and due to the bravery of the Native infantry, drove the Burmese troops from the hills. An attack on the right division, situated on the western shore of Irrawaddy river, caused a general retreat of the Burmese army.

Strand Road, Prome

Background

After defeating the Burmese army at Rangoon and Kemmedine and the death of General Maha Bandula, the British army travelled north along the Irrawaddy River towards the Court of Kingdom of Burma at Ava. The remnants of the Burmese army from Rangoon and the troops at Ava amassed during the rainy season of 1825; while the British army stationed at Prome. Following a brief armistice, the Court of Ava ordered General Maha Ne Myo to attack the British army at Prome.

Combatants

Burmese Army

Commander	Location	Troops
Maha Ne Myo	Sinbaik, Nawin (Naweng) river	15,000 men (Burmese, Shans, and Cassayers) including 700 Cavalry
Kee-Woonghee	Napadi hills	30,000 men
Suddoowoon	Western bank of the Irrawaddy River	N/A

British Army

Under the command of General Cotton:

• Royal Foot Infantry: 1st, 41st (270 men), and 89th (260 men) regiments
• Madras Native Infantry: 18th and 28th regiments
• 250 Royal Engineers
• 100 Pioneers
• Some artillery

Under the command of General Campell:

• Royal Foot Infantry: 13th, 38th, 47th, and 87th regiments
• Madras Native Infantry: 38th regiment

Defense at Prome:

• Four Madras Native Infantry regiments

Battle

Following the rainy season, the army of Kingdom of Burma approached Prome from Ava with 50,000 to 60,000 men, which was divided into three to envelope the British Empire's position at Prome. Both flanks of the British position were threatened, but the control of the river was maintained by the command of the flotilla and a detachment, 26th Madras Native Infantry, at Padaung on the right bank. Despite their superior in number, the Burmese forces remained in the protection of the cover of the jungle for several days after their arrival and maintained harassments against the British flanks. As noted by Burke, Burmese warfare style at that time involved, "creeping onwards slowly and certainly, stockading and entrenching ... at every step, risking no general engagement ...".

On December 1st, General Campell left four regiments of native infantry in Prome and marched against the division of Maha Ne Myo at Sinbaik, on the left position. To divert the attention of the center position, a cannon barrage of the flotilla, led by Sir James Brisbane, commenced against the works on the river coordinated with Campbell's march. The barrage was maintained for approximately two hours to maintain the diversion. At the Nawin (Naweng) river, the British army was divided into two columns, and the two columns marched parallel to each other along the river. The right column, led by brigadier-general Cotton, first encountered the left division of Burmese army, estimated 10,000 men strong, and stormed the enemy's position with a bayonet charge, causing the enemy to rout. The left column encountered the enemy as they were retreating and finished their rout. Despite their swift defeat, the Shans troops were noted for their bravery; according to Burke, the Shans " ... fought bravely ... [and] maintained the contest till the greater part of them were cut down."

On December 2nd, after the rout of Maha Ne Myo of the left division, Campbell was quick to follow up with an attack on the center division of the Burmese army, led by Kee-Woonghee, on the Napadi hills. An attack against the defense at the base of the hills was led by six companies of the 87th regiment, and the Burmese army was quickly overwhelmed, retreating to the defensive positions on the hills. The Burmese army maintained a strong position on the Napadi hills, which were accessible only by a narrow road and guarded with artillery. The British army employed a multi-prong attack on the hills: the 13th and 38th regiment of the 1st Bengal brigade engaged the Burmese army from the front while the 87th regiment engaged from the right. The Burmese army was driven from the hills subsequently, and as a result, the two divisions positioned on the eastern shore of the Irrawaddy river had been routed.

On December 5th, an attack on the Burmese division led by Suddoowoon commenced with the transport of the troops to the western shore of Irrawaddy river. A rocket brigade and a mortar battery opened fire at the Burmese position and the Burmese troops retreated from the artillery attack. A manned attack led by general Cotton, Brigadier Armstrong, and colonel Godwin stormed the Burmese position immediately following the artillery attack and dispersed the remaining Burmese troops.

Aftermath

With a large portion of the Burmese army dispersed at Prome, the British army led by Campbell advanced toward Ava unimpeded until they encountered a stockaded defense at Bagan. Due to a diminished military power, the Kingdom of Burma was more inclined to negotiate for peace and accept the terms and demands posed by the British. The first of such negotiations took place on January 1st, 1826.

Sources

• Knox, Thomas Wallace (1902). Decisive Battles since Waterloo: The Most Important Military Events from 1815 to 1887. G. P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 17–28.

• India. Army. Intelligence Branch.; India. Army. Intelligence Branch (1907), Frontier and overseas expeditions from India (Frontier and overseas expeditions from India. ed.), Simla: Govt. Monotype Press

• The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British and foreign India, China, and Australia, Volume 20. Parbury, Allen, and Co. 1825.

• Oriental herald and journal of general literature, Volume 9. New York Public Library: S.N. 1826. p. 440.

• Robertson, Thomas (1853). Political incidents of the First Burmese War. Richard Bentley. p. 252.