Battle of Brunei Town

Battle of Brunei Town
Part of Anglo-Bruneian War
HMS Vixen firing on Pengiran Yusof's house and battery
Date 1845 Location Brunei Town Result Sarawakian victory
Belligerents
Bruneian Empire	United Kingdom Raj of Sarawak Pro-Brooke chiefs
Commanders and leaders
Pengiran Yusof	Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane Pengiran Budaruddin Pengiran Muda Hashim
Units involved
Bruneian Army Marudu privateers	Sarawakian Army Royal Navy
Strength
300	around 300
Casualties and losses
Likely heavy	Likely low

The Battle of Brunei Town was a battle that occurred in Brunei Town, modern day Bandar Seri Begawan. The battle was part of the Anglo-Bruneian War between the Royal Navy and the Sarawakian forces lead by Rear-Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Pengiran Badruddin and Pengiran Muda Hashim respectively and Kedayan warriors and later on privateers lead by Pengiran Yusof who would later be executed.

Background

in August 1845, Cochrane who previously arrived at Brunei in July, reappeared with a handful ships to release two Lascar seamen who were believed to be hidden there. ^{[1] [2]} Badruddin accused Yusof of being involved in the slave trade due to his close relations with a notable pirate leader Sharif Usman in Marudu Bay and the Sultanate of Sulu. ^[1] Denying the allegation, Yusof refused to attend a meeting with Cochrane.

Battle

Phase One

Fighting started when Yusof fired a cannon shot at Cochrane's squadron from his house. HMS Vixen fired on his house in retaliation, with Yusof fleeing. ^[3]

Phase Two

Two days after Cochrane and his steamers left, Yusof seized the hill behind his late house with 300 Kedayans, and commenced an attack on Brunei Town, with Badruddin defeating him with a force similar in manpower. ^[4]

Phase Three

He commenced another attack, this time using privateers likely from Marudu which were defeated by Hashim. ^{[5] [6]}

Aftermath

Yusof fled to Kimanis in northern Borneo, who was executed later. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. Saunders 2013, p. 76. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSaunders2013 (help)
2. Gott 2011, p. 374. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGott2011 (help)
3. Cree 1845. sfn error: no target: CITEREFCree1845 (help)
4. Keppel, Captain (1846). "THE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO OF H.M.S. DIDO FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY: WITH EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF JAMES BROOKE, ESQ., OF SARAWAK". The Daily Brunei Resources. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
5. Miller 1970, p. 95. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMiller1970 (help)
6. Royal Asiatic Society 1960, p. 292. sfn error: no target: CITEREFRoyal_Asiatic_Society1960 (help)