HC Deb 08 May 1827 vol 17 cc668-75
Mr. Wynn,

in rising to move the thanks of the House to the British Army in India, for their services in the late war, said, he felt no small satisfaction, after the recent discordant discussions, in bringing forward a question, on which he anticipated no difference of opinion. The House had no duty more pleasing than that of acknowledging the merits, and re- warding the services, of the public servants; but it ought, however, to be careful and attentive in the distribution of rewards, so as not to confer them where they were undeserved. His object on that occasion would be, to conciliate and unite all parties in support of the vote of thanks which he intended to propose; seeing that the value of the vote would mainly consist in the unanimous feeling of approbation with which it was carried. For this reason, he should omit any particular commendation of the political management of the war, as that was a part of the subject on which gentlemen held various opinions; not, however, that he would not contend, that much praise was due to the governor-general for the perseverance, constancy, and judgment, with which he had prosecuted the war. But, on the present occasion, he should confine his observations to military matters, putting aside those political topics which might tend to excite a difference of feeling. There had been several cases before the present, in which votes of thanks were given to the governor-generals of India, for their conduct of the warlike operations; for instance; to lord Minto, when in his capacity of commander-in-chief; and to the marquis Wellesley, as captain-general of the forces, when he contributed, by his personal management of the military operations, to carry his own plans into execution. But the present differed from those, as this vote would be confined to those who executed the operations of the war, and not to those who planned them. That army, while it equalled in gallantry any former body of men that ever took the field in India, had also overcome all the difficulties arising from a march through a country not previously explored, and in the season of the periodical rains. These sufferings they had surmounted with the greatest constancy and courage. In this war, which lasted two years, it was but just to state, that, with all this bravery of the land forces, it would have been impossible to succeed, had not their movements on the banks of the rivers been seconded by the active and valuable exertions of the flotilla. In this department, too, much assistance had been derived from the employment of a power, then for the first time introduced into war—steam. The steam vessel had been very useful, not merely in carrying on communications with despatch, but in overcoming formidable resistance. He would not occupy the time of the House, by detailing the several meritorious services of the many gallant officers who had distinguished themselves—as sir Archibald Campbell, who commanded the army before Prome; general Cotton, and others. He could not, however, omit one particular merit of sir Archibald Campbell; namely, the spirit of moderation with which he had checked the advance of his army, when within four days march of the enemy's capital, and the readiness with which the men yielded to his command, at a time when they might be said to have the city in their hands, and were glowing with the expectation of those pecuniary advantages that arise to soldiers from the forcible possession of an enemy's city. Sir Archibald, however, feeling that he had a higher duty than that of satisfying the personal interest of his soldiers, and his own, thought it more just and wise to effect a conclusion of the war, on almost any terms that the enemy would accept, than to proceed to such a melancholy extremity.—It would be his duty to move the thanks of the House to another body of troops engaged elsewhere, namely, lord Combermere, and the forces under his command, employed against the fortress of Bhurtpore. And here he should remark, that much praise was due to the conductors of the operations, for the activity and foresight with which they had brought together such an amount of force as rendered the capture of the place inevitable. That fortress was the only one which had formerly withstood the British arms, lord Lake having been repulsed from it about twenty years ago. This circumstance had given rise to a superstitious idea in the minds of the natives, that its works were impregnable, and incapable of being taken by European arms. This rendered the capture of it a matter of great importance. In fact, nothing could be more necessary to the honour and the security of the British arms, and the British empire, in India, than the precaution of making no attack on that fortress that would not be attended with certain success. The thanks of the House were due, therefore, to sir Edward Paget, the commander-in-chief, for the zeal and diligence with which he collected together, for that object, a larger force and more powerful means of assault, than had ever been assembled against it; and for the judicious promptitude with which he intrusted the command of that force, and the conduct of the enter- prise, to lord Combermere, an officer well worthy to succeed him in the chief command. Lord Combermere having received the appointment, immediately on his arrival, proceeded with all speed, and at much personal inconvenience and hazard, to take the command of the troops; and, to his lordship's zeal, energy, talent, and personal bravery, were to be ascribed much of the success of that glorious enterprise. Nor would it be just on this occasion, to pass over the merits of the native troops; particularly the readiness with which the Madras sepoys volunteered their services, and the cheerful fidelity with which they marched to the scene of hostilities, never losing a single man by desertion in the course of a long and laborious march. Of this merit, much, undoubtedly, was to be ascribed to the excellent arrangements of their commander, sir Thomas Monro, the governor of Madras. As the details of the campaigns were already before the House, he would not trouble it by a particular detail of the many instances of gallantry and good conduct displayed by the troops, but would move, "That the thanks of the House be given to general lord Comber-mere, commander-in-chief of the forces in India, for his able and meritorious conduct in command of the forces employed against Bhurtpore, and for the ability, judgment, and courage with which he planned and directed the assault of that fortress; the success of which brilliant achievement has highly contributed to the honour of the British army, and the permanent tranquillity of our possessions in the East."

Mr. Hume

seconded the motion, and said, he was happy to be able conscientiously to do so. Indeed, in his opinion, the right hon. gentleman had much underrated the merits of the army and navy, particularly of the troops which had been employed in the Burmese war. No army had ever been in a situation more arduous, or one more calculated to appal brave men. Brave troops would face cannon with carelessness and alacrity; but it was a much more trying effort to encounter with resolution the attacks of disease and privation; and the extent to which the troops had to display this latter species of courage, might be estimated from one instance, in which, out of a regiment of nine hundred men, only fifty, in the course of a few months, were able to do duty. He was particularly happy at the course which the right hon. gentleman had taken, for he could not have conscientiously voted in favour of the justice of the Burmese war, or of the government which had planned and undertaken them. He must enter his caveat against what the right hon. gentleman had said about the merits of the government, to which he could allow no credit, although he was well pleased that those who had so well done their duty in the execution of the operations assigned to them, should receive the unanimous thanks of the House. He wished to know, however, whether it was intended to move a vote of thanks to the troops at Arracan? Those troops, although not actually engaged, had suffered, with utmost bravery, under the diseases occasioned by the pestilential climate; and a question might yet arise, as to the cause of their being placed in such a situation. As these troops were separated from the Burmese army by a ridge of mountains, so high, that the two armies could have no communication with each other, the Arracan troops ought to be separately noticed. The services of the navy had been particularly meritorious and useful, for without them the land troops could not possibly have carried on their operations; and he was the more anxious to do justice to the navy, as in the account of a general military officer (major Snodgrass), high in the confidence of the commander, these services of the navy had been passed over with the most unjust silence; when, even in the despatches of general Campbell, they had been noticed with high approbation. General Campbell deserved thanks for having brought the war to a conclusion in any way; and it was certainly a very proper moderation in him, when he was, with only two thousand men, within four days' march of a capital, where he would have found the enemy's troops fifty to one at least, to check his army, instead of marching the troops forward where they would have found no plunder, but most probably destruction. When the right hon. gentleman talked of the invaluable services of the steam-boats, what did he think of those who planned the expedition, with a view to land troops in a country of which they knew nothing? With respect to Bhurtpore, he recollected that lord Lake had been repulsed four times before it; and he thought that lord Combermere deserved the greatest credit, since he had so far restored the character of the British army—a matter of the greatest importance in India.

Mr. Wynn

said, that the officer who had commanded the Arracan troops was dead, and there was no other who could be particularly mentioned; but the thanks of the House would be conveyed to the Arracan troops, as part of the Burmese army.

Sir J. Yorke

was glad that the cause of the army and navy had been kept separate from that of the government, and he thought that captain Chad ought to be specially mentioned in the vote of thanks; as he had been one of the principal means of conducting the troops along the road to the very heart of the Burmese empire. The navy had well deserved the thanks of the House, and he was astonished how any one who knew anything of the matter could have written an account of the operations without doing them justice.

Sir John Bridges

said, that professionally as well as privately acquainted as he was with the brave commander, whose heroic deeds, together with those of his gallant companions in arms, were the subject of communication to the House that night, the few words he should say upon this occasion were dictated more by an indulgence of private feeling, than by any necessity that existed of calling forth due attention (if any thing that fell from him could, in any degree, have that effect) to a just appreciation of the splendid achievement now laid before them. Happily, the feeling and generosity of England never had wanted, nor ever would want a stimulus to acknowledge distinguished services, and to reward deserved merit. In a country peculiarly obnoxious to European constitutions, the war in the Burmese empire had, by the great talents of our commanders, both by sea and land, and the valour of our troops—a handful of brave warriors, opposed to legions of native soldiers, at least ten to one against them—been triumphantly terminated by a glorious victory; and still more, this victory over the enemy had been accompanied with a victory over themselves, the moral effects of which were of no mean consideration. Our gallant troops, passing through an invaded country, had everywhere, and upon every occasion, refrained from pillage, and protected the vanquished. True soldiers, they had felt and verified the maxim—"Parcere subject is, et debellare superbos." Such was the fruit of British discipline grafted on native courage; and which was mainly to be attributed to the admirable regulations established by the late illustrious ever-to-be-lamented commander-in-chief. To a soldier, his best reward was his country's approbation. This army had done its duty, and it now behoved that House to do theirs; and, in doing so, he felt confident that it would mark, by a loud expression of approbation, the sense it entertained of their brilliant services, and that it would humbly recommend to the fountain of honour which was prompt to reward merit, and to the fountain of riches—the East India Company, whose territories had been not only protected but extended, and whose coffers had been filled—such acknowledgments as they should feel were justly due to that eminent commander, whose innate courage, consummate skill, and ardent devotion to the service of his king and country, were not to be surpassed; and to those valiant troops who, heroically fighting under him, had successfully brought this contest to a glorious issue, and procured peace to that part of India. He would no longer take up the time of the House, but he should consider himself guilty of a dereliction of duty, if he sat down without expressing his ardent hope, that this great victory, which was unparalleled in the annals of warfare, and would be handed down to posterity as such in the pages of history, would in justice be followed up by a grant from the East India Company of the crore of rupees paid by the king of Ava, as the price of his capital being spared, to the gallant force under the command of sir Archibald Campbell, as a remuneration for service began, continued, and ended, with matchless glory to themselves, and endless benefit to the East India empire.

General Grosvenor

said, his right hon. friend had performed a gratifying task to himself and the House, and he would add, the country at large, by his proposal of thanks to the officers and troops who had so nobly sustained the honour of our arms in the Eastern part of the globe, and who by their valour and reputation have consolidated our oriental possessions, and raised the name of the British empire to the highest pinnacle of glory. To sir Archibald Campbell and to general Cotton, and lord Combermere, too much praise could not be given; and to the officers and soldiers under their command the utmost stretch of our admiration was due to their valour and perseverance. But, though coming tardily, as the thanks seemingly did, the brilliancy of the various features of the war was not dulled on our memories, nor ever could lose its lustre in the hearts and memories of their grateful countrymen. Happy was it for this great empire to reflect that, come what may, we had a rising description of officers, educated in the best school, and under the great captain of the field of Waterloo; so that England would know how to make herself respected in every quarter of the globe; and he would say, might the illustrious warrior, who had unhappily for the army and the country, laid down his truncheon, quickly resume that station, which he was so eminently entitled to fill. Might some of our counsellors step forth, and with the honey of their lips, sweeten the unlucky differences, that accident, more than design, seemed to have given rise to. And, highly sensible must the nation be of the refined delicacy of the conveyed compliment of our gracious monarch to the illustrious duke when his majesty named no subject to succeed to the station of commander-in-chief, but executed the office in his own Royal person. The motion was agreed to, nem. con

Mr. Wynn,

in rising to move a vote of thanks to those general officers who had so gallantly seconded the efforts of the commander-in-chief in the reduction of that important fortress, and in the accomplishment of the other objects of the government, observed, that he could have wished the hon. gentleman (Mr. Hume) had abstained on this occasion from any attacks upon the government of India. That government had, on the occasion of the late contest, done every thing which the most active and efficient government possibly could do in support of the forces employed. They had provided steam-boats; they had expended large sums upon the material of the army; and had neglected no means of contributing to the wants, or adding to the comforts, of those employed in their service. The reason why sir Archibald Campbell advanced up the country towards the capital with an army of only two thousand men was, that he conceived that number to be quite sufficient for the accomplishment of the objects in view in the then exhausted state of the army of the king of Ava. Another reason which influenced him was, that a larger number of men would have rendered it necessary for him to provide more supplies, and there- fore very much impeded his advance. The right hon. gentleman concluded by moving, that the thanks of this House be given to majors-general sir T. Reynell, sir J. Nicolls, sir S. Wittingham, sir I. F. Adams, and the officers, both European and native, attached to the army sent against Bhurtpore. He was certain that a vote of thanks had never been passed for any individuals who deserved it more than the gallant officers he had named. Most of them had, in person, headed the different storming parties who ultimately took the fortress of Bhurtpore, with the greatest coolness and intrepidity. To extol those who had fallen on that memorable day would be needless; but he need hardly say, that their merits were as great as those of the officers whose names he had mentioned.

The Resolution was agreed to nem. con. As were also resolutions, "that the thanks of the House be given to the noncommissioned officers and privates employed against Bhurtpore, for their gallant behaviour in the taking of that place—to major-general sir Archibald Campbell, for the ability and valour displayed by him in his late operations against Ava—to brigadier-generals William M'Bean, sir Willoughby Cotton, and Michael M'Creagh, for their indefatigable exertions in the expedition against Ava—to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the army employed against Ava."