The Yuan Chronicle reports that only 700 men defeated a Burmese army of 40 @,@ 000 to 50 @,@ 000 with 10 @,@ 000 horses and 800 elephants . It also reports only one Mongol was killed , in trying to catch an elephant . According to Marco Polo , the Mongol army consisted of 12 @,@ 000 mounted archers , and the Burmese army numbered 60 @,@ 000 men with 2000 elephants , " on each of which was set a tower of timber , well @-@ framed and strong , and carrying from 12 to 16 well @-@ armed fighting men . " Even then , the 40 @,@ 000 to 60 @,@ 000 figures of the Burmese army strength were likely eye estimates and may still be too high ; the Mongols may have erred " on the side of generosity " not to " diminish their glory in defeating superior numbers . "