After Brigadier General Willoughby Cotton’s disastrous attack against the stockade fortress at Donobyu in Burma on 7 March 1825, an attack in which the 89th Regiment had suffered what was to be their heaviest loss of the campaign in Burma, Cotton’s lesser force joined with Major General Sir Archibald Campbell’s troops and together they laid siege to the fortress.

By 2 April 1825, the siege preparations were complete; at dawn the batteries opened fire and the storming parties, including the 89th, had an early breakfast and then assembled for the assault. A short time later, two Bengali prisoners emerged from the fort and informed the British that Bundoola, the ‘invincible’ Burmese general, had been killed by a rocket on the previous day and that the garrison of 15,000 men had slipped away during the night. This was found to be true; the great stockade was deserted. The Burmese, by fleeing, had abandoned 130 guns and 250 wall pieces, as well as large stores of grain. Bundoola’s unexpected death was fortunate for the British; he was the most able of the Burmese generals.