Sir Robert Dick, K.C.B., the former leader of the 42nd. Royal Highlanders in Spain, fell at the moment of victory; Brigadier Taylor, C.B., the beloved commanding officer of the 29th. regiment, who commanded the third brigade of the second division, was also killed. In these several battles the British loss amounted to six thousand two hundred and seventy-two officers and men killed and wounded.*

Of the Queen's regiments, besides those already mentioned, the 31st. and 50th. were described in orders as having greatly distinguished themselves. The gallant conduct of the 9th., 29th., and 62nd. regiments, was also specially noticed, and the cavalry were not forgotten.†

SOBRAON, on the colours and appointments of the following regiments, commemorates this decisive victory, namely,-3rd., 9th., and 16th. Light Dragoons; 9th., 10th., 29th., 31st., 50th., 53rd., 62nd., and 80th. Foot; their conduct, and that of the officers, received the thanks of Parliament.

Ten days after the battle of Sobraon the British arrived before Lahore. So complete was the discomfiture of the Sikhs, that no further opposition had been experienced; and on the 22nd. of February a brigade of troops took formal possession of the palace and citadel of Lahore. A treaty was afterwards signed, which, while it evinced the moderation and justice of the paramount power of India, appeared calculated to secure the frontier against similar acts of aggression.

"Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell has established a claim on this day to the rare commendation of having achieved much with a cavalry force, where the duty to be done consisted entirely of an attack on fieldworks, usually supposed to be the particular province of infantry and artillery. His vigilance and activity throughout our operations, and the superior manner in which our outpost duties have been carried on under his superintendence demand my warmest acknowledgments.”—General Sir Hugh Gough's despatch.

103

THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN.

SIEGE OF MOOLTAN.

7TH. SEPTEMBER, 1848, TO 2ND. JANUARY. 1849.

Major-General Sir John Littler had been selected to command the garrison of about ten thousand men which had been left at Lahore, to protect the chief sirdars from their own turbulent countrymen, while re-constructing the government, and everything appeared to be progressing in a satisfactory manner, when, in April, 1848, Moolraj, the Dewan of Mooltan, having apparently agreed to the arrangement for appointing 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, were 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 wise an influence that he succeeded in holding Moolraj in check until succours could be afforded; and having

* 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, AD. MDCCCXLVIII.

united his troops with those of Colonel Cortlandt, several encounters took place with the insurgents, until they were in July compelled to shelter themselves within the walls of Mooltan. Major-General Whish arrived from Lahore in the vicinity of Mooltan, 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. regiment. 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. Lieutenant-Colonel Pattoun, of the 32nd., who commanded the attack, was killed, and also Quartermaster Taylor, of that regiment, together with Major Montizambert, of the 10th. Foot.

Meanwhile Lord Gough was marching into the Punjab, and the advance force, under Brigadier-General Campbell, C.B., (now Lord Clyde,) was engaged at Ramnuggur on the 22nd. of November, 1848. Here the gallant Brigadier-General Cureton, C.B., commanding the cavalry division, (the flaxenhaired 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 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 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 continued the defence; 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

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 Auxiliary 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 in 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 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 chako 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."

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 suburbs between the Delhi gate and the left breach were occupied by pickets from the first brigade, under Major Dennis, of the 60th. Rifles, a company of that regiment, under Captain Douglas, being stationed in the houses opposite the breach in 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.

MOOLTAN is borne by the 10th., 32nd., and 60th., in commemoration of their distinguished services during 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.

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