When war broke out with the British in March 1824, Sa was assigned as a general under Supreme Commander Maha Bandula in the Arakan theater. In May 1824, Sa led a column (about 4000) into Bengal, and defeated British troops in the Battle of Ramu, 10 miles east of Cox's Bazar on 17 May 1824. He then joined Bandula's column on the march to defeat British forces at Gadawpalin, and went on to capture Cox's Bazar. Sa's success caused extreme panic in Chittagong and in Calcutta but a cautious Bandula stopped Sa from proceeding too far ahead.