3.10 Monbot
The principal obstacle to the pacification of
the country had been the heroic conduct of a Cassya leader named Monbot. Born
in the ignoble condition of a slave to Tirot, he had risen by his undaunted
spirit, to the chief command. Foremost in every fight, although often
discomfited, and once severely wounded, he had always breathed the same spirit
of defiance, and had proudly expressed his determination never to submit to the
British Government.
From a British point of view, however cruel and perfidious the conduct of the Cassyas may have been, it was impossible not to respect Monbot’s patriotic feeling. He had had no hand in the Nongkhlaw incident and would probably have continued to live the ordinary life of a Khasi villager but for the raid on his village and the burning down of his house.
From a British point of view, however cruel and perfidious the conduct of the Cassyas may have been, it was impossible not to respect Monbot’s patriotic feeling. He had had no hand in the Nongkhlaw incident and would probably have continued to live the ordinary life of a Khasi villager but for the raid on his village and the burning down of his house.
An official report stated:
“Mun Bhot (sic) is
highly spoken of... He was not concerned
in tile murder of Lieutenants Bedingfield and Burlton; but in the operations
against Teerut Sing on the occasion, his village was burned and he of course
joined the insurgents. He has been concerned in the various plundering
excursions into the plains attended with bloodshed and murder but he has never
been guilty of coldblooded murder of individuals who have fallen into their hands,
like Mookhin Sing the Chief of Mosmye (Mawsmai) who spares none - Mun Bhot only
puts the soldiers to death as he considers them as those who seek to destroy
him.”
This active leader cut up 4-5 of small
British detachments. He generally succeeded by planting his men in ambush,
either in long grass, or behind rocks. He would then spring up, or dart out
upon the Company’s men, cut them down before they had time to fire. On one
occasion, he pounced, sword in hand, upon a British party, at Myrung, whilst unarmed
and busily employed marketing in the bazaar. His sudden appearance produced an
instantaneous rout, and the men, with great difficulty, escaped to their
stockade. He managed to cut down one and wounded others.
In May 1830, his career was nearly over.
Vetch having received correct information as to his night haunt, surrounded the
house with a party. Monbot, seeing himself surrounded, broke down one side of
the house, with the intention of escaping, but his exit
was barred in that direction by Vetch, who had planted himself there with his
fowling piece. Sending an arrow through that officer's cap, Monbot made a last
desperate push for the door, and laying about him with his sword, broke in the
darkness, through the party and escaped.
An admirable shot and
horseman, and always disposed to take an interest in their amusements, these qualities endeared him to the young military
men around him, and induced them, on his account, to make exertions in the
public service, uncalled for by their strict military duty. Perceiving the vast
influence that Monbot exercised over the warlike councils of his countrymen,
Scott saw that unless he was secured or killed in battle, there was little
prospect of settling the country, and his mind naturally turned to the means of
accomplishing this.
But the only plan which seemed feasible was
that two or three Europeans with double-barrelled guns, should proceed close to
his haunts, in the hope that the smallness of their force would induce Monbot
to attack them. And in such a case, Scott calculated that a good shot would
inevitably bring him down, and that his disheartened followers, (who seldom
amounted to more than 10 or 12 men, unless on grand occasions) would desist
from the attack, appalled by the fate of their leader, and would thus enable
the party to retire.
So firmly persuaded was he of the
practicability of this, that he would have undertaken it in person, had not the
consideration of his rank deterred him. Scott thought rightly that his possible
fall would have afforded too great a triumph to the mountaineers, and the
attempt, from one in his high official situation, might not have been
favourably viewed by the European community. Considerations of delicacy
restrained Scott from proposing such an adventurous scheme to anyone, but he
had occasionally mentioned it in conversation.
In 1830 the
second uprising of Rambrai occurred in breach of the previous Treaty
acknowledging Jibor Singh's surrender to the Company. In the upsurge Jibor was
killed by his own people who also entrusted the Government to the headmen. The
King was slain by Nishan Kongor and Lal-chan, the former's kinsmen. More
strongholds were razed and the operation spread to the plains. The police and
revenue stations at Bungong were burnt[1].
Villages on the neighbourhood were sacked and Company posts were cut off.
Some Chiefs found it impossible to carry on.
In October 1829, Jubor Sing (Zubber Singh), Chief of Rambrai, decided to tender
his submission to the British Government. Some of the leading men of the State,
notably Nychun Koonwar and Lall Sing (probably the same men as Khein Kongor
and Lorshon) considered his act one of
betrayal and a few months later Jubor
Sing was killed by his own people. These same men were suspected or having led
subsequent raids into the Duars and
attacked police and revenue outposts at Pantan, Bongaon and other places on the
night of 5 January 1831, killing several police and revenue officials and
taking away four captives, after setting fire to a number of houses.
By the beginning of 183l, the local Garos and
the Khasis marched down to Bardwar. On 5 January 1831, a most serious assault
was made by Rambrai when a party of about 200 men fell upon the inhabitants of
Pantan, Bogee and Bungong[2]
in the Assam plains. Rambrai heavily assaulted the three Doars in the plains and this attack was considered to be the most
serious that had taken place since the catastrophe at Nongkhlaw in 1829. The Raja of Jyrngam was known to have taken
part in the uprising. Fresh troops were sent in from other places, and at
length Captain Halsam arrived with a strong contingent and restored order. A
heavy fine was imposed on Rambrai and an Agreement was forcibly signed.
The
incursion in the northern border spread as far as Goalpara and the Company had to
employ a number of ex-war prisoners to check further incursions. With Halsam's
operations, the Garos were dispersed and strict measures were adopted to
prevent Garo attacks from beyond the area. The Cassyas still remained in the
field, but overwhelmed by the British operation, they retreated to the hills. It
was here that Ensign Brodie of the 13th Native Infantry distinguished himself
in defending the area at Myriaw and the Duars from further Cassya attack. He
died in the last week of April 1831 of fever.
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