After the founding of Bathurst in 1816, Alexander Grant told the King of Niumi (Niumimansa), Kollimanka Mane, that the British had no intention of "depriving him or his people of any of their rights and privileges."

This was an attempt to draw commerce away from French posts such as Bakel in the upper Senegal river, but also cut out Niumi middlemen.

[1] In 1826, the British used gunboat diplomacy to force Burungai to cede a mile's breadth of land on the north bank of the river.

The force consisted of detachments from the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments, from the Sierra Leone Militia, and from the Royal African Corps.

Stewart's force managed to break through, and after an hour of fighting, they were driven from their entrenchments at bayonet point and pursued them for some distance through the bush.

At dawn on 17 November the British marched to attack Essau, leaving Fort Bullen in charge of the crew of the Plumper.

At noon, some of the Niumi troops left the rear of the town, and shortly afterwards a large force of Mandinkas appeared on the British right flank.

[3] On 7 December Lieutenant Colonel Hingston of the Royal African Corps arrived with reinforcements and assumed command of the British forces.

When conflict broke out between the Muslim marabouts and the traditional powers of Senegambia, the king relied on the British to maintain his position and turning Niumi into a protectorate.