Sirdar Khan Singh his successor as governor of that town, Mr. Vans Agnew, of the Civil Service, and Lieutenant Anderson, of the Bombay Army, who had been sent to Mooltan to install Khan Singh were treacherously attacked and murdered. This was followed by a general outbreak at Lahore, and endeavours were made to expel the British from the Punjab. In this capital Maharaj Singh, a Gooroo or priest, raising the standard of rebellion, soon collected a numerous body of the disbanded Sikhs, and thus prevented the British troops at Lahore from marching against Mooltan, which was occupied by the enemy at the commencement of hostilities.

It was at this juncture that Lieutenant Edwardes* accomplished that for which he gained such just renown. By his gallantry and judicious skill he not only raised forces, but exerted so strong an influence that he succeeded in holding Moolraj in check until succours could be afforded; and having united his troops with those of Colonel Cortlandt, several successful encounters took place with the insurgents. On June 18th., Edwardes and Cortlandt with troops consisting chiefly of Sikhs and Mohammedans, after an action of 9 hours defeated the army of Moolraj at Kineyree, with great loss of men and baggage; six guns also were taken. In July they again attacked Moolraj, who with an army of eleven thousand men had taken up a strong position at the village of Suddoosam, and after a fierce fight of six hours drove him to seek shelter within the walls of Mooltan. MajorGeneral Whish arrived from Lahore on the 18th. of August, 1848, with a force of which Her Majesty's 10th. Foot formed part, and on the next day was joined by a column from Ferozepore, with which was the Queen's 32nd. regi

A superb gold medal, designed by William Wyon, Esq., was presented to this officer by the Honourable East India Company. The obverse bears the head of the Queen, superscribed VICTORIA REGINA, and on the reverse are Victory and Valour crowning the arms of Major Edwardes; these figures are resting on the lotus flower, and beneath is the infant Hercules strangling the serpents, in allusion to the youth of the hero; within the border thus formed is the following inscription:-FROM THE EAST INDIA COMPANY to LIEUTT. AND BREVT.MAJOR H. B. EDWARDES, C.B., FOR HIS SERVICES IN THE PUNJAB, A.D. MDCCCXLVIII.

ment. The village of Ramteerut was taken possession of on the 7th. of September, and the working parties having made good progress, it was resolved to attack the outworks on the 12th. of that month, when Shere Singh deserted with five thousand Sikhs to the enemy. This defection made it necessary to raise the siege on the 15th of that month, and a position was taken up some miles distant.

Meanwhile Lord Gough was marching into the Punjab, and the advance force, under Brigadier-General Campbell, C.B., (afterwards Lord Clyde,) was engaged at Ramnuggur on the 22nd. of November, 1848. Here the gallant Brigadier-GeneralCureton, C.B., commanding the cavalry division, (the flaxen haired boy of the Peninsula,) and Lieutenant-Colonel William Havelock, K.H., were killed. The brilliant charges of the 3rd. and 14th. Light Dragoons, and of the 5th. and 8th. regiments of Light Cavalry, against the enemy's horsemen, numbering between three and four thousand men, was specially noticed in general orders.

This engagement was followed by the action of Sadoolapoor, on Sunday, the 3rd. of December, 1848, by the troops under Major General Sir Joseph Thackwell, K.C.B., in which the 3rd. Light Dragoons, and the 24th and 61st. regiments shared. The enemy's loss was severe, but the British casualties were comparatively small, amounting to only seventy-three killed and wounded.

A gallant and successful attack was made with little loss, on a strong position of the enemy on the eastern side of the Grand Canal, by the troops under Brigadier-General F. Markham, on the morning of the 7th. of November.* This

Brevet-Major Edwardes, C.B., in his despatch to Major-General Whish giving such details of the action of the 7th. of November as concerned the Irregular Auxillary Force under his command, and Lieutenant Lake, stated:-"I regret to say that the head of the British line reached the east side of the nullah as our Irregulars arrived at the passage in the canal, which connected the entrenchments on the east and west, and a party of Sheikh Emamoodeen's Rohillas, disregarding the heat of the action the orders they had received to keep on their own side of the nullah, crossed over and had captured a gun on the eastern bank, when they were mistaken by the Sepoys for Moolraj's troops, and two were shot down before the error could be explained.

"I deem it my duty to bring to your notice the noble conduct of a

is known as the action of Sooroojkhund, in which the 10th. and 32nd. regiments shared, (the latter being commanded by Major Inglis, afterwards the heroic defender of Lucknow,) when the enemy's strongly entrenched position was carried, and four of his guns captured without firing a shot.

While these events were occurring Major-General Whish renewed the siege of Mooltan; and having been joined on the 26th. of December by Brigadier the Honourable H. Dundas, C.B., of the 60th. Rifles, with the Bombay column, which, in addition to native corps, comprised the 60th. Royal Rifles, an attack was made on the entrenchments on the 27th. of December; and the enemy being driven from the suburbs, a position was taken up by the British within four hundred yards of the walls. The gallantry and discipline of the 60th. Rifles were specially noticed; they had Major Gordon killed, and Major Dennis wounded. Three companies of the 32nd. shared in the re-occupation of the suburbs on this occasion.

By a shell from one of the mortars on the 30th. the principal magazine, containing 400,000 lbs. of powder, in the citadel was blown up, destroying the grand musjid and several houses, and costing the lives of about eight hundred of the garrison. Nowise dismayed by this misfortune, Moolraj refused to surrender, and continued the defence, saying he had powder enough left to last him for twelvemonths; but breaches were effected during the nights of the 30th. and 31st., one near the Delhi gate, and the other near the Bohur gate. A sortie was made by the garrison on the last day of the year, but this was repulsed by Major Edwardes and Lieutenant Lake, the enemy being driven back with severe loss. The place was eventually stormed in the afternoon of the 2nd. of January, 1849.

Colour-Sergeant John Bennett, of the 1st. Bombay Fusiliers, performed a most gallant act. He planted the Union Jack in the crest of the breach, standing beside it until the troops had passed. Both colour and staff were riddled with balls. The private of Her Majesty's 32nd. Foot, who at this juncture, perceiving what was going on, leaped down the canal, and putting himself in front of my Pathans, faced the British troops, and waved his shako on the end of his bayonet as the signal to cease firing. Thus many friendly lives were saved. The name of this brave man is Howell."

suburbs between the Delhi gate and the left breach were occupied by pickets from the first brigade, under Major Dennin of the 60th. Rifles, a company of that regiment, under Captain Douglas, being stationed in the houses opposite the breach is, the Khoonee Boorj, to cover the advance of the storming party, and two companies, under Captains Young and Sibthorp, to perform the same office for the Bengal column.

Two practicable breaches having been made, orders were issued to storm the citadel (into which Moolraj had retired) on the 22nd.; and when the British troops were about to commence, the Sikh chief, with the whole of the garrison, surrendered.* Moolraj was subsequently tried for the murder of Mr. Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson, but the capital sentence was changed into imprisonment for life. This siege cost the British a loss of nearly one thousand two hundred killed and wounded. After this brilliant success, Major-General Whish proceeded with a considerable portion of his troops, to join the army immediately under the command of Lord Gough.

The 10th., 32nd., and 60th. regiments took part in these operations. These three regiments, after the fall of the place, proceeded to join the army under Lord Gough, and by forced marches succeeded in being in time to share in the final struggle at Goojerat. The Native regiments present were the Royal Bombay Fusiliers, 5th. Bengal Cavalry, 1st. and 2nd. Scinde Horse; 3rd., 7th., 9th., and 19th. Bombay Infantry; and Bengal and Bombay Sappers and Miners.

BATTLE OF CHILIANWALA.

13TH. JANUARY, 1849.

LORD GOUGH having received information on the 10th. of January of the fall of the fortress of Attock, which had been defended for a lengthened period, by Major Herbert, and of the advance of Chuttur Singh, in order to unite his forces It con

*

During this siege, the first Naval Brigade was organised. sisted of about one hundred men from Captain Powell's steamers of the Indus flotilla, who worked a battery of eighteen-pounders, in the most effective manner.

with those under his son, Shere Singh, resolved to attempt the overthrow of the Sikh army in his front; and, accordingly, at daylight on the morning of the 12th., moved on the Dingee from Loah Tibba, and thence on the following morning towards the village of Chilianwala, the army making a considerable detour to the right, partly to distract the enemy's attention, but chiefly with the view of keeping as clear of the jungle as possible. The village was reached about noon, when a strong picket of the enemy's cavalry and infantry was discovered on a mound close to it. This was at once dispersed, and from the elevation was obtained a very extended view of the country and of the enemy drawn out in order of battle.* The ground in front although not a dense was still a difficult jungle; and as the day was so far advanced, Lord Gough decided to take up a position in rear of the village.

While ground was being selected for the encampment the enemy advanced some horse artillery, and opened a fire on the skirmishers in front of the village. Orders were given for this fire to be silenced by a few rounds from the heavy guns, which was instantly returned by that of nearly the whole of the enemy's field artillery, thus exposing the position of his guns, which had hitherto been concealed by the jungle. As it was evident that the Sikhs intended to fight, and would probably advance their guns so as to reach the encampment during the night, the British were at once drawn up in order of battle. After about an hour's fire that of the enemy appeared to be, if not actually silenced, at least sufficiently disabled to justify an advance upon his position and guns.

The left division, under Brigadier-General Colin Campbell (afterwards Lord Clyde), was then ordered to advance. This had to move over a greater extent of ground, in front of which the foe appeared not to have many guns. Shortly afterwards Sir Walter Gilbert was directed to advance, Brigadier Pope being instructed to connect the flank and support the move

* The Sikhs 66 were magnificently placed, on a low hill surrounded by a thick jungle, equalling the British in number of guns, and more than doubling them in troops."-Letter from Officer engaged in the battle.