Chapter III

The Northern Boundary (Contd.)

Troubles started afresh with the Angamis. On 14 Oct, 1879, Damant went to Merema Angamis of Kohima to try and enforce some demands on them. The Agent had long been informed that the tribe meant mischief and, therefore, several loyal Nagas had implored him not to go there. Finding him deaf to their entreaties they even begged him to proceed through the quarters of friendly Sememas of Kohima. Demant insisted on having his own way and went upto the gate of the Meremas;¹⁵ and while demanding an entrance he was shot to death along with a large number of his followers. The Angamis invaded the administrative head quarters, killed a large number of the British subjects and besieged the remaining along with Cawley, the Assistant Political Agent, Naga Hills.¹⁶ On receipt of the news, Johnstone hastened to Kohima with an escort of 34^th Bengal Infantry. Chandrakirti Singh extended his help both in men and money. He sent a force of two thousand Manipuri soldiers under the command of his eldest son Surachandra singh, accompanied by Tikendrajit Singh and Thangal.

The arrival of reinforcement from Manipur had its immediate effect.¹⁷ Since then no major raids and counter raids occurred in that frontier. However, the Manipuri War of 1891 made a significant change in the territorial possession of Manipur towards this frontier and as a result, the northern boundary of Manipur was confined, for the administrative convenience of the British Government, to the Mao Thanna. Since then no loss or gain in the territorial possession of Manipur has ever been made in this direction and Mao continues to be the boundary between Manipur and Nagaland.

1. Lahiri, R.M., Annexation of Burma, P. 110

2. Johnstone, James, op. cit., P. 34.

3. P.C. 25 February 1835, Nos. 1-5, Mackenzie, op.cit. P. 102

4. Johnstone, op.cit., P. 23.

5. Administrative Report of the Manipur Political Agency. 1874-75, P. 13

6. Johnstone, op.cit., P. 36

7. P.C., 5 May 1854, No. 63, Anand Ram Phukand to Jenkins, 21 March, 1854

8. Ibid., Jenkins to Beadone, 24 March, 1854

9. P.C., 25 May, 1855, Petition of Heekalay and Nephoo to the Agent to the Governor-General, 2, January, 1855

10. Administrative Report of the Manipur Political Agency, 1875-76, P.2

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid., 1877-78, P. 10

13. Johnstone, op.cit., P. 99

14. Ibid. P. 102

15. Ibid. P. 174

16. Ibid. P. 150

17. Ibid. P. 174