The sultan of Upper Perak and other local chiefs attempted to end foreign influence in the region and remove the British administrator James W. W. Birch.
In 1875, the British Resident J.W.W Birch of Preak was killed by Lela Pandak Lam in 1875 after having assisted slave refugees from the royal harem of the Sultan of Perak.
A skirmish happened near a Malay-held stockade near Bandar Tua, Perak on 7 November 1875 involving around 106 British soldiers.
Encountering unexpected resistance, the battle ended with the retreat of the British detachment, who lost 4 men including Captain Innes, an officer.
In Lakaran Melayu by Sir Frank Swettenham, the bravery of two Malay scouts, Nakodah Orlong and Alang, is described.
The place was well defended, with a fort that had a six-foot rampart, coupled with a wooden wall on top and with a trench filled with sharpened spikes and traps.
By mid-1876, the war ended with the capture of prominent leaders and warriors, such as Lela Pandak Lam, Sultan Abdullah II and Ngah Ibrahim.