(Fought between Kikrüma Nagas and the British in 1851)
K Puroh
In the mid-19th century, a significant and historic battle took place in the North-Eastern Frontier Hills between the British and the Kikrüma Nagas. Historically, this was the only battle worth mentioning in the context of British expeditions into this part of the Naga Hills. The bloodiest battle ever fought in the entire North-Eastern Frontier Hills occurred on February 11, 1851 at Kikrüma.
By 1851, Kikrüma Village had more than 1,000 households and over 2,000 warriors, as reported by Lieutenant Vincent. Among these warriors, some were known to have taken more than 70 heads. They were feared by neighboring villages, and even the powerful Raja Gumbhir Singh of Manipur hesitated to confront them.
In early 1851, the British were camping at Mezoma Village, defending the Jabeilie clan against the Neitholie clan. They had contacted villages around Mezoma, many of which became friendly, except Khonoma Village and the Neitholie clan of Mezoma. Upon hearing of the British presence at Mezoma, the people of Kekreemeh sent a message challenging them: “Why don’t the Sipahees come and fight us?”
Curious about these defiant people, on February 3, 1851, the British, under the command of Captain Reid and Lieutenant Vincent, along with the 1st and 2nd Assam Light Infantry, proceeded eastward with two 3-pounder guns, two mortars, and a hundred armed personnel to discover this “large village” (Kikrüma). On their way, they encountered villages below the foothills of Mount Japfü (present-day southern Angami villages) and faced minor resistance, which they eventually subdued. They halted at Pudunamai (Pushumi) a Mao village offering a panoramic view of Kikrüma.
When Captain Reid revealed his destination to the villagers, they warned him of the dreaded reputation of the Kikrüma Nagas. At one point, Captain Reid considered abandoning the mission due to logistical challenges, such as provisioning troops and transporting armaments.
However, on February 5, 1851, two young men from Kikrüma delivered another message, challenging the British to prove who held the greatest power in the hills. Unaware of British firepower, they scornfully declared, “Your Sipahees are flesh and blood, just as we are. We will fight with spears and shields and see who are the best men. Here is a specimen of our weapon,” handing Captain Reid a finely crafted spear.
The British, too, seemed apprehensive, as this was the first time a Naga village had openly challenged them twice. To uphold the honor of the British Empire and avoid the perception of retreating out of fear, Captain Reid decided to accept the challenge. He prepared meticulously, mobilizing all available arms and personnel. Hearing rumors that four other villages might join Kekreemeh, he called for reinforcements from Lieutenant Campbell, who was stationed at Mezoma.
Lieutenant Campbell, along with 50 armed personnel, mobilized 800 Naga warriors from villages previously subdued by the British. These warriors joined the British forces, eager to avenge past grievances against Kikrüma, whose warriors had taken many heads from neighboring villages.
On February 9, 1851, Captain Reid and his reinforced troops marched from Sopfüma Village (Pudunamai) toward Kikrüma via Kidima Village, located 3 kilometers from Kikrüma, with the Sidzü River separating the two. Meanwhile, the Kikrüma warriors prepared for battle on the western side of their village, where they expected the British to attack. They piled boulders and logs on steep hillocks to roll down on their enemies. However, Captain Reid observed their preparations from Kidima and decided to avoid this route, instead advancing north toward Kezoma Village.
The British encamped on the banks of the Sidzü River below Kezoma on the night of February 10, 1851. The Kikrüma warriors, unaware of this maneuver, initially thought the British had retreated. They were unprepared for an attack from the northern end of the village.
On the morning of February 11, 1851, the British troops and their Naga allies advanced toward Kikrüma from the north. The Kikrüma warriors, caught off guard, decided to fight within their village boundaries. The Naga allies, emboldened by the British presence, advanced ahead of the main troops and engaged the Kikrüma warriors. In the process many Naga allies of the British were killed singlehandedly killed by Muswüri a warrior of Kikrüma.
When the main British force arrived, the Kikrüma warriors were overwhelmed by the 3-pounder guns, mortars, and muskets, weapons they had never encountered. The battle raged throughout the day, resulting in heavy casualties on the Kikrüma side, with over 300 warriors, including Müswüri, killed. Despite Captain Reid’s objections, the Naga allies set the village ablaze, destroying most of it, including granaries and homes. Only six households in the village center were spared.
The British and their allies spent a harrowing night in the village, under constant attack from the Kikrüma warriors. The darkness and relentless assaults made the night seem endless. According to oral history, the moon and stars appeared to stand still, as if nature itself obeyed the wishes of the Kikrüma Nagas.
On February 12, 1851 as the British retreated, they discovered hundreds of elderly men, women, and children hiding in a secluded paddy field outside the village. The Naga allies, driven by vengeance, massacred these defenseless individuals. The British intervened to stop the slaughter, but the death toll from this massacre reportedly exceeded that of the previous day’s battle. Oral history recounts that the bloodshed was so severe that it stained nearby streams, washing away dry leaves.
This brutal episode remains largely unrecorded in historical accounts, as its inclusion would have cast a dark shadow over British colonial history in the Naga Hills.
The Battle of Kikrüma marked the 10th and final military expedition by the British in the Naga Hills. Its aftermath led the British Parliament to adopt a policy of noninterference in Naga affairs in March 1851, allowing the Nagas to determine their own destiny.
Subsequent events in the Naga Hills during the British era were limited to ambushes, raids, and punitive measures, with no battles as significant as the one at Kikrüma —until the Second World War in the 20th century.
Sources:
• Varrier Elwin, “Nagas in the 19th Century,” etc
• Oral history.
