Great Rebellion of 1817–1818

This article may be unbalanced towards certain viewpoints. Please by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the talk page. (March 2021)

Uwa-Wellassa Uprising of 1817–18
Part of the Kandyan Wars
Date 1817 October – 1818 November Location Uva-Wellassa, British Ceylon Result British victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Kandy rebels	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Kingdom of Kandy loyalists
Commanders and leaders
Keppetipola Disawe Wilbawe Mudiyanse Doresami] (as assigned King) Unanthenne wasala mudiyanse Pilimatalavuva Maha Adikaram III Kivulegedara Mohottala Madugalle Disave Ehelepola Nilame Kohukumbure RateRala Butewe Rate Rala Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Ehelapola Maha Adikaram Gode Gedara Adikaram Thanne Adikarama Madulle Nilame Megaskumbure Nilame Kandepolla Nilame Dunuwila Nilame Iriyagama Nilame Dimbulana Disave Galagoda Mohottala Galagedara Mohottala Meegahapitiya Rate Rala Dambawinna Disave Kurundukumbure Mohottala Madugalle Basnayake Nilame Millawe Disawa Nanapurowa Raterala Allamulle Rala Baknigahawella Mudiyanse Nakkala Mudiyanse Ketakala Mohottala Maha Betmerala Kuda Betmerala Palagolla Mohottala Passerewatte Vidane Yalagomme Mohotalla Udamadure Mohottala Kohukumbura Mohottala Kohukumbura Gahawela Raterala Maha Badullegammene Raterala Bulupitiye Mohottala Palle Malheyae Gametirale Hapategamme Mohottala	Gen. Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet GCB Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy Molligoda Maha Adikaram Ratwatte Adikaram Eknaligoda Dissawa Molligoda Podi Nilame Kawigamuwa Nilame Mahawala Thanna Nilame Mullegama Disaawa Doloswala Nilame Ahaliyagoda Nilame Katugaha Maha Nilame Katugaha Podi Nilame Dibulana Nilame Godagedara Nilame Binthanne Adikaram Gonigoda Nilame James Gray Simon Sawers P.E. Woodhouse George Turnor James Sutherland Col. John Kelly Lt. Col. Hardy Lt. Col. Hook Hadji Muhandiram Major MacDonald Major Wilson Major O’Brien Capt. O’Neil Lt. Newman Lt. J. Maclaine Captain Ritchie Captain Fraser Lieut-MacCornell Lieut-Taylor Native Lieut. Annan Native Lieut. Cader-Boyet
Units involved
	Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot Green Howards 19th Regiment of Foot King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 51st Regiment of Foot Royal Berkshire Regiment 49th Regiment of Foot Royal Ulster Rifles 86th Regiment of Foot Madras Army 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry) Ceylon Rifle Regiment Lascarins
Strength
Unknown - From 20,000 to 100,000 in an islandwide network.	15000 to 24000
Casualties and losses
8000 to 10000 (entire male population above 18 in Uva allegedly killed by British in retribution)	900 to 2000

Great Liberation War of 1817–18 (Sinhala: ඌව වෙල්ලස්ස මහා විමුක්ති හටන), also known as the 1818 Uva–Wellassa uprising (after the two places it had started), was the third Kandyan War between native Kandyan rebels and the British, in what is now Sri Lanka. It took place in what is now Uva, then a province of the Kingdom of Kandy, against the British colonial government under Governor Robert Brownrigg, which had been controlling the formerly independent Udarata (up-country in Sinhalese).^[1]

Background[]

Following the annexation of the Kandyan Kingdom by the British under the terms of the Kandyan Convention in 1815, the British started to antagonize the Kandyan Chiefs who signed the convention through their actions. This included the breach of promises made by the British chiefs in terms of retaining the traditional privileges enjoyed by them during the era of the Kandyan Kingdom. They were further angered by the appointment of a Moor loyal to the British, Haji Muhandirum as Travala Madige Muhandiram of Wellassa, undermining the authority of Millewa Dissawa and sparking the uprising.^[2]

Leadership[]

Keppetipola Disawe was initially sent by the British government to stop the uprising, but ended up joining the rebellion and ordering the regiment he was commanded to return to their garrison. Keppetipola Disawe joined the uprising as its leader and is today celebrated for his actions in Sri Lanka. He assisted many regional leaders in providing men and material from various regions. The other leaders who supported this independent movement were: 2nd in-charge of Gode Gedara Adikaram, Wilbawe, II Pilima Talauve Adikaram, Kohu Kumbure Rate Rala, Dimbulana Disave, Kivulegedara Mohottala, [Madugalle Disave]], Butewe Rate Rala, Galagoda family members, Galagedara Mohottala, Meegahapitiya Rate Rala, Dambawinna Disave, and Kurundukumbure Mohottala.

Keppitipola went up to Alupotha and joined the fighters having returned all arms and ammunition of the British. Rev. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala of Asgiriya fled to Hanguranketa with the tooth relic casket, resulting in a more vigorous phase of the Great Liberation War, as the Sinhalese believed that whoever possessed this tooth relic would be the rightful ruler of the country. By September 1817, two leaders, Madugalle Basnayake Nilame and Ehelepola Nilame, surrendered to the British, and Pilimatalawe led the rebellion. The British captured Ellepola, who was the Dissawa of Viyaluwa; also captured was a brother of Maha Adikaram Ehelepola, and both were beheaded in Bogambara on 27 October 1818.

The 'Great Liberation War'[]

The Uwa-Wellassa Uprising was launched by Keppetipola Disawe. With the exceptions of Molligoda and Ekneligoda, many chiefs joined the uprising. The fighters captured Matale and Kandy before Keppetipola fell ill and was captured and beheaded by the British. His skull was abnormal — as it was wider than usual — and was sent to Britain for testing. It was returned to Sri Lanka after independence and now rests in the Kandyan Museum. The uprising failed due to a number of reasons. It was not well-planned by the leaders. The areas controlled by some pro-British chiefs provided easy transport routes for British supplies. Wilbawe, who was said to have a claim to the Sinhalese throne, was found not to have any relation.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

Aftermath[]

Casualties[]

The rebellion led to the British colonial government to adopt a scorched earth policy in order to suppress it.This included the killing of cattle and other livestock, the destruction of private property (including homes and stocks of salt) and the burning of rice paddies. In addition to the scorched earth policies, the colonial government also confiscated properties owned by insurgents.^[8] After the uprising was suppressed as a measure of stopping future uprisings the entire able bodied male population , at the time was stated to be around 100,000 were killed. It is estimated that about 500,000 - 1000000 people who were children, women,elderly died due to the scorched earth policy of the British.

Legacy[]

In the 'Journal of Uva', Herbert White, a British agent in Badulla after the Great Liberation war wrote:

It is a pity that there is no evidence left behind to show the exact situation in Uva in terms of population or agriculture development after the Great Liberation war. The new rulers are unable to come up to any conclusion on the exact situation of Uva before the Great Liberation war as there is no trace of evidence left behind to come to such conclusions. If thousands died in the battle they were all fearless and clever fighters. If one considers the remaining population of 4/5 after the battle to be children, women, and the aged, the havoc caused is unlimited. In short, the people have lost their lives and all other valuable belongings. It is doubtful whether Uva has at least now recovered from the catastrophe.^[9]

Gazette Notification[]

During the Great Liberation war, a Gazette Notification was issued by Governor Robert Brownrigg to condemn all those who fight against British Rule in Sri Lanka. All those who participated in the uprising were condemned as “traitors” and their properties confiscated by the government under the notification with some executed and others exiled to Mauritius. Several governments after the independence of Sri Lanka in the past have indicated their intention to revoke this Gazette Notification, but, however, did not take action to do so. The Gazette Notification issued by Governor Brownrigg was brought to Sri Lanka on the instruction of President Maithripala Sirisena.^[10] It was submitted to the Parliament and was formally revoked with the signature of the President in 2017. This allowed all those who participated in the uprising to be recognized as National Heroes, and their label as traitors officially erased. A National Declaration was awarded on their behalf to their descendants.^[11]

See also[]

• Kandyan Wars
• Matale Rebellion

References[]

Further reading[]

• The 1818 The Great Liberation war and the execution of Keppetipola Dissawe
• Keppetipola and the Uva The Great Liberation War
• Our darkest day.
• From John D’Oyly to Robert O’Blake
• Ceylon under the British By G.C. Mendis
• THE BRITISH IN SRI LANKA
• The Madulla massacre by the British (9th of Dec. 1817)
• The execution of keppetipola Dissawe
• Kandy: the roots of the Great Liberation war.

External links[]