A History of Assam c20.30

c20.30

The surrender of Rangpur and the ejection of the Burmese terminated the regular campaign, but the state of anarchy into which the country had fallen and the lawless conduct of the frontier tribes still afforded plenty of employment for the British troops. The Singphos in particular were in urgent need of repression. During the Burmese occupation, they had made constant raids on the hapless Assamese, carrying off thousands as slaves and reducing the eastern part of the country to a state of almost complete depopulation. Their bands, estimated to number 7,500 men, shut up the Sadiya Khowā Gohāin within his stockades and attacked the Bar Senapati in his own territory. Both appealed to the British, who sent them help, whereupon the Singphos desisted from their attacks and entered into negotiations. At this juncture, in June, 1825, the Burmese, to the number of about six hundred, again appeared on the Pātkāi, and the Singphos made common cause with them. Captain Neufville at once led a party of the 57th Native Infantry up the Noa Dihing, and, by a series of gallant assaults, defeated the allies and expelled them from the Singpho villages around Bisā, which he destroyed. The Singphos then submitted, and the Burmese made their final exit from the country. In the course of these operations, Captain Neufville is said to have restored no less than six thousand Assamese captives to freedom.