PERAK. November, 1875–March, 1876.
Reading edition
Perak is situated on the west side of the Malay peninsula, to the south of the Wellesley Province. Being the scene of almost constant strife between the Chinese and Malays, which often disturbed the peace of the adjoining British territory, culminating in a civil war between claimants to the succession as Sultan, Col. Sir W. D. Jervois, Governor of the Straits Settlements, in 1875, accepted a surrender of the sovereignty from Ismail, one of the claimants, and appointed Mr. W. J. Birch, as British Resident in Perak. For some time all went on well, but in November, Ismail, weary of the restraint of the Resident, and intending to seize the throne for himself, attacked the Residency at the head of a band of maurauders, tore down the British flag, and murdered Mr. Birch in his bath, afterwards shamefully mutilating his body. Most of the native rajahs joined Ismail, and an attack on a stockade held by one of them, by Captain Innes, R.E., with a handful of the 10th. regiment and some Sepoys, was repulsed, and Innes himself killed.
The news of this disaster reaching Singapore, General Colborne, 368with about three hundred men of the 80th. regiment, set out at once for Perak; artillery was sent from Calcutta, and a squadron consisting of the “Modeste” corvette, and the gunboats “Thistle,” “Fly,” and “Ringdove,” came from Hong Kong. An advance was made up the Perak river by a small party of troops, and a Naval Brigade under Captain Whitlaw of the 10th. regiment, and Commander Stirling, of H.M.S. “Thistle,” which captured and destroyed the fortified village of Passir Sala, the hold of the Maharajah Lela, and with other things gained possession of six guns, a quantity of small arms, and Mr. Birch’s books and papers.
General Colborne, commanding in Perak, on hearing that Ismail and Lela were at a town called Kinta, marched through the dense jungle against them, storming stockades in his route, and capturing Kinta, which he occupied with his troops. Ismail and the Maharajah fled into the jungle.
On January 4th, 1876, Brigadier-General Ross, with a column composed chiefly of a detachment of the 3rd. Buffs and Goorkhas, attacked and stormed Kotah Lama, the stronghold of the Malays, but in the affair Major Hawkins was killed. Kotah Lama, which contained large stores of rice, was burned, and the troops returned to Qualla Kangsa. On the 19th. Ismail was attacked and routed with loss, seventeen elephants with all his baggage being taken; and after much wandering in the jungle, on March 22nd. he himself was captured and sent to Singapore.
The war was ended, and Perak has since remained under British protection. The success of these operations were greatly due “to the aid given by the Naval Brigades[150] as rocket and gun parties, and in managing the country boats, which alone could be used.”
The British troops engaged were: Royal Artillery, 1st. Battalion of the 3rd. Buffs, and detachments of the 10th. and 80th. regiments.
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