Raids and outrages were of yearly occurrence,[2] and on one occasion the Magistrate of Sylhet reported a series of massacres by "Kookies" in what was alleged to be British territory, in which 150 persons had been killed.

[1] In 1849 the Kuki attacks were so savage and numerous that Colonel Frederick George Lister, then Commandant of the Sylhet Light Infantry and Agent for the Khasia Hills, was sent in the cold weather of 1849–1850 to punish the tribes.

His expedition was only partially successful, for he found the country so impracticable that he considered it unwise to proceed further than the village of Mulla [1] which was about 100 miles (160 km) over the border.

[1] The expedition also did manage to free about 400 captives, but Lister was of the opinion that "this robber tribe will not cease to infest the frontier until they shall be most servilely dealt with".

[3] This expedition, however, had the effect of keeping the British Assam southern border tolerably free from disturbance up to the beginning of 1862, when raiding recommenced.

[1] In the cold weather of 1868–1869 the Lushais burnt a tea garden in Cachar and attacked Monierkhal, and an expedition was organized to follow the marauders, to punish the tribes concerned, and to recover the captives.

[4] The next season Mr. Edgar, the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, accompanied by Major MacDonald of the Survey Department and a police escort, made strenuous efforts to get into touch with the Lushais.

On 23 January 1870, James had breakfast with his host outside his bungalow when a raiding party of the Howlong chief Bengkhuia descended on him and his estate.

The following morning they attacked a rear-guard of eight men, 4th Native Infantry, soon after they had left Nundigram; these fought most gallantly, only one man escaping.

He would cooperate with Colonel Nuthall at Silchar to explore the route over the Burdban range before settling on a different entry point into the Lushai Hills.

[7] In addition to these two columns, a contingent of Meiteis accompanied by Colonel James Nuttall, the Political Agent of Manipur, made a demonstration across the southern border to co-operate with General Bourchier's portion of the expedition.

[4] The entire political and military conduct of the expedition was placed in the hands of the Military Commanders, who were specially instructed that the object of the expedition was not one of pure retaliation but that the surrender of the British subjects held in captivity should be insisted on, and that every endeavour should be made to establish friendly relations with the savage tribes and to convince them that they had nothing to gain and everything to lose by placing themselves in a hostile position towards the British Government.

he also instituted a system of integrating civil officers as advisors and channels of communications with the tribes who would answer to the column commanders.

[8] By the end of November, the column began to enter the Lushai Hills and was joined by John Edgar from Silchar on 6 December 1871.

[11] Colonel Frederick Sleigh Roberts joined General Bourchier on the 16th of November at the house of the civil officer and Deputy Commissioner of Cachar John Ware Edgar.

Blankets and waterproof sheets were labelled essential as the terrain would be exposed to heights of low temperatures, and dew from the dense forestry would be described as heavy rain.

[14][15] The Gurkhas and some local coolies used the abundant bamboo as construction materials in makeshift hospitals and store sheds with a camping ground for elephants.

[18] On 14 December, the progress from the river focused on water access for the next encampment, which required increased reconnoitre for suitable camping grounds.

After pushing through the dense vegetation until a mile within the river, the force would encounter a road blocked by a curious erection of gallows that hung two bamboo figures.

General Bourchier chose to return to the Kholel village on account of not wanting the Lushais to believe the force had been defeated.

A slight resistance was recorded at the first clearance, but upon reaching the ridge, the chief submitted and engaged in giving hostages keep communication at the encampment in Tipaimukh, which was a promise kept throughout the expedition.

Darpong would climb up a tree and make a call to the surrounding war parties and guerillas to stop to the firing of guns in the jungles.

It was described as a monument centred on a large stone platform surrounded by poles hanging with skulls of wild oxen, deer and goats.

The column's advances were unpopular to the Lushais under the vassal settlements of Chipooee and Tingridong under Poiboi, which was practically independent to some extent.

Poiboi was warned via envoys that a heavy fine of mithun and other accessories with complete submission could compensate the mistake in opposing the expedition or else all his villages will be burnt.

Five days of marching southwards through the elevated mountain ranges and ridges brought them into full view of Champhai, where Lalbura resided.

Difficulties were proclaimed in collecting the muskets but the quota was fulfilled by nighttime and three upas were chosen to accompany the column to Tipaimukh.

The frontier police of the Chittagong Hill tracts were further strengthened and better equipped with European officers, who were added to the force after Lewin had an interview with Lord Mayo.

Among the articles the scouts found a coat belonging to a man of the Frontier battalion under Lieutenant Stewart implicating the Vanlula as a participant in the raids.

General Brownlow ordered a depot to be improvised at the remains of Vanlula's village and to find any grains or stores to adequately live of the resources of the land.