the far less numerous artillery of the assailants. In spite of this storm of shot and shell, the infantry gallantly advanced, and boldly carried the formidable entrenchments, throwing themselves upon the guns, and wresting them from the enemy. These exertions, however, only partially gained the batteries, and the soldiery had to face so dense a fire from the Sikhs from behind their guns, that the most heroic efforts could only succeed in carrying a portion of the entrenchment. Darkness did not bring a total cessation of hostilities, for about the middle of the night the Sikhs caused one of their heavy guns to bear upon that part of the field gained, and on which the troops had bivouacked. The gun was soon captured by the 80th. regiment; but the enemy, whenever moonlight revealed the position, still continued to harass the troops by the fire of their artillery.

At length the long night wore away, and with daylight of the 22nd. of December came retribution. The infantry formed into line, supported on both flanks by horse artillery, whilst a fire was opened from the centre, aided by a flight of rockets. Here a masked battery played with great effect, dismounting the pieces and blowing up the tumbrils of the British, but at this juncture Sir Henry Hardinge placed himself at the head of the left wing, the right being led by Sir Hugh Gough. Unchecked by the opposing fire, the line advanced, and drove the foe rapidly out of the village of Ferozeshah, and the encampment; then changing front to the left, continued to sweep the camp, bearing down all opposition. Eventually the Sikhs were dislodged from their whole position. The line now halted, and the two brave leaders rode along its front, amid the cheering of the soldiers and the waving of the captured standards of the Khalsa army.

The British, masters of the entire field, now assumed a position on the ground they had so nobly won; but their

"Near the middle of it, one of their heavy guns was advanced, and played with deadly effect upon our troops. Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Hardinge immediately formed Her Majesty's 80th. Foot and the 1st. European Light Infantry. They were led to the attack by their commanding officers, and animated in their exertions by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blucher Wood, (Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant-General,) who wounded in the outset; the 80th. captured the gun, and the enemy dismayed by this counter-check, did not venture to press on further.". General Sir Hugh Gough's Despatch.

was

labours were not ended, for in less than two hours Sirdah Tej Singh brought up from the vicinity of Ferozepore fresh battalions, and a large field of artillery, supported by thirty thousand Ghorechurras, previously encamped near the river. Driving in the cavalry parties, he made strenuous efforts to regain the position at Ferozeshah; this attempt was defeated; but the Sirdar renewing the contest with fresh troops, and a large artillery, commenced the attack by a combination against the left flank; and after being frustrated in this attempt, essayed such a demonstration against the captured village, as compelled the British to change the whole front to the right. Meanwhile an incessant fire was maintained by the foe without being answered by a single shot, the artillery ammunition being completely expended in these protracted encounters. The almost exhausted cavalry were now directed to threaten both flanks at once, the infantry preparing to advance in support; this soon caused the Sikhs to discontinue firing, and to abandon the field, precipitately retreating towards the Sutlej, large stores of grain and the matériel of war being abandoned by the enemy.*

A vivid picture of this sanguinary struggle was given by the late Viscount Hardinge, in a letter to a member of his family, which was quoted by Sir Robert Peel, when the vote of thanks to the army was proposed in Parliament. "It was the most extraordinary of my life. I bivouacked with the men, without food or covering, and our nights are bitter cold. A burning camp in our front, our brave fellows lying down under a heavy cannonade which continued during the whole night, mixed with the wild cries of the Sikhs, our English hurrah, the tramp of men, and the groans of the dying. In this state, with a handful of men, who had carried the batteries the night before, I remained till morning, taking very short intervals of rest by lying down with varions regiments in succession, to ascertain their temper, and revive their spirits. I found myself again with my old friends of the 29th., 31st., 50th., and 9th., and all in good heart. My answer to all and every man was, that we must fight it out, attack the enemy vigorously at daybreak, beat him, or die honourably in the field. The gallant old General, kindhearted and heroically brave, entirely coincided with me. During the night I occasionally called upon our brave English soldiers to punish the Sikhs when they came too close, and were imprudent; and when morning broke we went at it in true English style. Gough was on the right. I placed myself, and dear little Arthur by my side, in the centre, about thirty yards in front of the men, to prevent their firing, and we drove the enemy without a halt from one extremity of their camp to the other, capturing thirty or forty guns as we went along, which fired at twenty paces from us, and were served obstinately. The brave men drew up in an excellent line, and cheered Gough and myself as we rode up the line, the regimental colours lowering to me as on parade. The mournful part is the heavy loss I have sustained in my officers. I have had ten aides-de-camp hors-de-combat, five killed and five wounded. The fire of grape was very heavy from 100 pieces of cannon. The Sikh army was drilled by French officers, and the men the most warlike in India."

merous.

It is not surprising that the British casualties were nuWithin thirty hours an entrenched camp had been stormed, a general action fought, and two considerable conflicts sustained with the enemy. Thus in less than four days, sixty thousand Sikh soldiers, supported by upwards of one hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, were dislodged from their position, and received a just retribution for their treacherous proceedings, without provocation or declaration of hostilities.

The 3rd. Light Dragoons, 9th., 29th., 31st., 50th., 62nd., and 80th. regiments bear the word FEROZESHAH on their colours and appointments. In the official despatch there were no regiments particularized, for all were equally exposed during this protracted conflict.*

BATTLE OF ALIWAL.

28TH. JANUARY, 1846.

By

ON the 16th. of January, 1846, the first brigade, with a few guns and some native cavalry, received sudden orders to march on the following morning in the direction of Loodiana, under the command of Major-General Sir Harry Smith. a forced march on the 17th., the fort of Dhurrumkote was surprised, and the garrison, consisting of about three hundred men, laid down their arms, and were sent prisoners to headquarters. On the 20th. of the same month this division was reinforced near the fort of Jugraon by the 16th. Lancers, the 53rd. Foot, a detachment of recruits of the Queen's regiments, and a troop of horse artillery. The Major-General decided on attempting the relief of Loodiana, which was but slightly garrisoned, and was threatened by a large body of the enemy. The troops commenced their march about one

"The Governor-General's thanks are due to all the infantry regiments of Her Majesty, and to the 1st. European Light Infantry of the East India Company's service, all of which regiments distinguished themselves by the most devoted courage in braving the destructive fire of the enemy's batteries, and valiantly capturing their guns. The GovernorGeneral offers his thanks more especially to Her Majesty's 3rd. Dragoons, who, on all these occasions, sought opportunities of useful conflict with the enemy, and fought with that superiority over their opponents which skill and discipline impart to brave and determined men."-General Orders by the Right Honourable the Governor-General.

H

o'clock in the morning of the 21st.; about eleven, the enemy was observed to be drawn up, parallel with the British line of march, in a strong position at Buddiwal, his front covered by a ridge of low sand-hills, bristling with forty pieces of artillery, which were so placed that it was necessary, in order to gain Loodiana, either to risk a battle to dislodge him from a strong position,-which, with troops fatigued by a long march, under a burning sun, and greatly inferior in numbers, would have been a hazardous proceeding, or to proceed along the entire front of his position under a galling fire.

Having a just confidence in the steadiness of his troops, Sir Harry Smith chose the latter course. The infantry, formed in open column of companies right in front (the grenadier company of the 31st. leading,) and ready at any moment to form line, preceded by the artillery, and covered by the cavalry, marched at a distance of five hundred yards, along the front of this formidable line, receiving the fire of each battery as it bore upon them. The Sikh position being passed, and the enemy declining to follow, by three o'clock in the afternoon the troops arrived at Loodiana, thus effecting the desired object.

On the 22nd. and 23rd. the soldiers were permitted to rest themselves after their late fatigue, and on the 24th. the enemy retired to Aliwal, a village on the Sutlej. The British moved to the ground lately occupied by them at Buddiwal, where they were reinforced by the second brigade of Sir Harry Smith's division, consisting of the 50th. Foot and 48th. Native Infantry, with some cavalry and infantry from Loodiana.

At daylight on the 28th. Sir Harry Smith marched with his whole force to attack the Sirdar Runjoor Singh and the Rajah of Ladwa in their camps at Aliwal, the enemy being drawn up in line of battle with his left resting on the village. From information afterwards received, it appeared that the Sikhs were about to march upon Jugraon that very morning, for the purpose of getting between Sir Harry Smith's force and the heavy guns coming up from Delhi under a very slender escort. The march having been previously conducted in column of brigades at deploying distance,

*

each brigade deployed on its leading company, and thus formed one long line. About ten o'clock in the morning the action commenced by a heavy cannonade from the Sikh artillery, which was principally directed on the British centre. The village of Aliwal was filled with infantry, supported by cavalry in the rear, and further defended by two guns on its left. The village was carried, and the two guns were captured, but the line being in consequence somewhat disarranged, it was quickly re-formed, and advanced in excellent order, overcoming all opposition. The attack of the enemy by the left wing was equally successful; the line advanced, making a steady and successful charge, and the Sikhs, being beaten in every quarter, fled towards the river in the utmost confusion, leaving their camp and fifty-two pieces of artillery, as trophies in the hands of the victors.

The Queen's regiments which bear the word ALIWAL are the 16th. Lancers, 31st., 50th., and 53rd. Foot.

BATTLE OF SOBRAON.

10TH. FEBRUARY, 1846.

ALTHOUGH the intelligence of the victory of Aliwal, and the sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the vicinity of that battle-fleld to the bridge of boats at Sobraon, apparently disheartened the enemy, and caused many of them to return to their homes, yet in a few days they appeared as confident as ever of being able in their entrenched position, to defy the Anglo-Indian army, and to prevent the passage of the Sutlej.

The heavy ordnance having arrived on the 8th. of February, the day on which the forces under Major-General Sir Harry

* Shortly after the storming of the village of Aliwal, an European officer in the Sikh service was given in charge to the 31st. regiment, having surrendered himself as a prisoner to an officer of one of the cavalry regiments in the Company's service. He said his servant had galloped off with his charger, and, being rather stout, preferred giving himself up to the chance of running away; his name was John Potter, a native of Maidstone, in Kent; he had deserted from the Company's Artillery twenty years before, and was now a Colonel of Artillery in the Sikh service, having a native wife and family at Lahore. The Governor-General afterwards permitted him to hold an appointment in the Sikh service.