Dictionary of Indian Biography/Bandula, Mengyee Maha
BANDULA, MENGYEE MAHA (? –1825)
Burmese Statesman and General: in Oct., 1819, he led a successful expedition against the chief of Manipur: in 1821 he attacked Assam: in 1823, the Burmese invaded British possessions near Chittagong, occupying the island of Shapuri on Sep. 24, 1823: in March, 1824, Bandula marched to Arakan, attacked an English force at Ramu, near Chittagong, and defeated it: Lord Amherst declared war against the Burmese. On May 11, 1824, the British. Army took Rangoon, but were unable to advance. Bandula was recalled from Arakan and ordered to proceed against the English forces. As C. in C., he approached Rangoon and stockaded his 60,000 men: but was attacked and defeated, Dec, 1824. He retired to Donabew, a strongly defended position, which the British Army under General Campbell reached on April 1, 1825. The siege of the place by the English had just begun when Bandula was killed by a shell from the British' Artillery, and the Burmese army fled.