The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c23.s4.60

v4.c23.s4.60

At length in 1769, after losing, from first to last, 20,000 men and great stores of arms and ammunition which went to equip Burmes levies, the Chinese were driven out of their great stockade at Shwenyaungbin and their generals asked for terms. The Burmese staff was adverse to granting terms, saying that the Chinese were surrounded like cattle in a pen, they were starving and in a few days they could be wiped out to a man. Luckily the Burmese commander-in-chief, Mahathihathura, saw that the loss of a few armies so far from breaking China would only stiffen her resolution. He sent back the messenger with a conciliatory reply. At Kaungton the Burmese and Chinese officers met and drew up a written agreement whereby the Chinese were allowed to withdraw, trade was to be restored, and to prevent misunderstanding decennial missions were to pass between the sovereigns. The Chinese melted down their cannon and then, while the Burmese stood to arms and looked down, their columns marched sullenly away up the Taping valley, to perish by thousands of hunger in the passes.¹