up to Prome,for the protection of boats proceeding thither with provisions, &c. to form a depot for the ensuing campaign; to effect which every effort and exertion was still required.
In compliance with the repeated injunctions of the Supreme Government, that no opportunity should be omitted of entering upon pacific negociations, Sir Archibald Campbell judged it expedient, as the season for active operations approached, to address a letter to the Court of Ava, declaratory of his being authorised, and desirous, to abstain from further hostilities. The enemy, at this time, were making great exertions to collect a large force, which, as it was formed, advanced to positions approaching the British cantonments, and was stationed at Pagahm-mew, Melloone, Patanagoh, and finally at Meaday, where troops arrived in the beginning of August, to the extent of 20,000 men. The whole force in motion was estimated at double that number, under the command of Memia-boo, a half brother of the king, besides 12,000 at Tonghoo, or Taunu (said to be the second city in the empire), under his eldest brother (who bears the title of Prince of Tonghoo). To oppose them, and to garrison Prome, Sir Archibald Campbell had, at that place, 6,148 effective officers and men, and had ordered 2,148 to join him from Rangoon and Donoobew, in time for the opening of the campaign. The total number of sick at Prome, in the middle of August, exclusive of sailors, was 906 officers and men.
On receiving intelligence of the advance of the Burman army. Sir Archibald Campbell despatched Brigadier-General Cotton, in the Diana, with fifty soldiers and several gunboats, to reconnoitre.
The enemy was discovered on the morning of the 16th August, at Meaday, once a town of considerable magnitude and importance, on the left bank of the river. A large nullah runs into the Irrawaddy immediately below that place, from the mouth of which the enemy’s force was ranged to the extent of a mile and a half up the bank of the main stream. This bank had several pagodas upon it, for the most part near the nullah, all of which the Burmese had
