and the new courses of the Sutlej, not only threatening the city of Loodiana with plunder and devastation, but indicating a determination to intersect the line of our communications at Busseean and Raekote.

The safety of the rich and populous town of Loodiana had been in some measure provided for by the presence of three battalions of native infantry under Brigadier Godby: and the gradual advance of our reinforcements, amongst which was included her Majesty's 53rd Regiment, and the position of the Shekawattee brigade, near Busseean, gave breathing time to us in that direction.

But, on the receipt of intelligence which could be relied on, of the movements of Runjoor Singh, and his apparent views, Major-General Sir Harry Smith, with the brigade at Dhurmkote, and Brigadier Cureton's cavalry, was directed to advance by Jugraon towards Loodiana; and his second brigade, under Brigadier Wheeler, moved on to support him.

Then commenced a series of very delicate combinations, the momentous character of which can only be comprehended by reflecting on the task which had devolved on this army of guarding the frontier from Roopur down to Mundote.

The Major-General, breaking up from Jugraon, moved towards Loodiana; when the Sirdar, relying on the vast superiority of his forces, assumed the initiative, and endeavoured to intercept his progress by marching in a line parallel to him, and opening upon his troops a furious cannonade. The Major-General continued coolly to manoeuvre; and, when the Sikh Sirdar, bending round one wing of his army, enveloped his flank, he extricated himself by retiring, with the steadiness of a field day, by échellon of battalions, and effected his communication with Loodiana, but not without severe loss.

Reinforced by Brigadier Godby, he felt himself to be strong; but his manoeuvres had thrown him out of communication with Brigadier Wheeler, and a portion of his baggage had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The Sikh Sirdar took an entrenched

position at Budhowal, supporting himself on his fort; but, threatened on either flank by General Smith and Brigadier Wheeler, finally decamped, and moved down to the Sutlej. The British troops made good their junction, and occupied the abandoned position of Budhowal; the Shekawattee brigade and her Majesty's 53rd Regiment also added to the strength of the Major-General, and he prepared to attack the Sikh Sirdar on his new ground. But, on the 26th, Runjoor Singh was reinforced, from the right bank, with 4,000 regular troops, twelve pieces of artillery, and a large force of cavalry.

Emboldened by this accession of strength, he ventured on the measure of advancing towards Jugraon, apparently with the view of intercepting our communications by that route.

It is my gratifying duty to announce that the presumption has been rebuked by a splendid victory obtained over him. He has not only been repulsed by the Major-General, but his camp at Aliwal carried by storm, the whole of his cannon and munitions of war captured, and his army driven headlong across the Sutlej, even on the right bank of which he found no refuge from the fire of our artillery.

I have the honour now to forward the Major-General's report which has just reached me. It is so ample and luminous that I might, perhaps, have spared some of the details into which admiration of the Major-General's conduct, and of the brave army confided to him in these operations, has led me.

It now remains for me only to congratulate you, Right Honourable Sir, and the Government of India, on the brilliant success which, under Divine Providence, the Major-General has achieved ; and to record my opinion that, throughout these arduous and important operations, he has displayed all the qualities of an able commander. Most strongly, and most earnestly at the same time, I beg to bring to your notice, and to that of His Grace the Duke of Wellington, and the Honourable the Court of Directors, the officers and corps on whom he has so justly bestowed his commendations.

Major-General Sir Harry Smith, K.C.B., to the Adjutant-General

SIR,

of the Army.

Camp, Field of the Battle of Aliwal, Jan. 30, 1846.

My despatches to his Excellency the Commander-inChief of the 23rd* instant, will have put his Excellency in possession of the position of the force under my command, after having formed a junction with the troops at Loodiana, hemmed in by a formidable body of the Sikh army under Runjoor Singh and the Rajah of Ladwa. The enemy strongly entrenched himself around the little fort of Budhowal by breast-works and abattis," which he precipitately abandoned on the night of the 22nd instant (retiring, as it were, upon the ford of Tulwun), having ordered all the boats which were opposite Philour to that Ghat. This movement he effected during the night, and, by making a considerable detour, placed himself at a distance of ten miles, and consequently out of my reach. I could, therefore, only push forward my cavalry so soon as I had ascertained he had marched during the night, and I occupied immediately his vacated position. It appeared subsequently he had no intention of recrossing the Sutlej, but moved down to the Ghat of Tulwun (being cut off from that of Philour, by the position my force occupied after its relief of Loodiana), for the purpose of protecting the passage of a very considerable reinforcement of twelve guns and 4,000 of the regular, or "Aieen" troops, called Avitabile's battalion, entrenching himself strongly in a semicircle, his flanks resting on a river, his position covered with from forty to fifty guns (generally of large calibre), howitzers, and mortars. The reinforcement crossed during the night of the 27th instant, and encamped to the right of the main army.

Meanwhile, his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, with that foresight and judgment which mark the able general, had rein

* Not received by the Secret Committee.