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COMMENTARIES
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN, 1848-49.
COMMENTARIES
ON
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN 1848-49.
INCLUDINa
SOME ADDITIONS TO
THE HISTORY OF THE SECOND SIKH WAR,
FROM ORIGINAL SOURCES.
J. H. LAWRENCE-ARCHER, Capt. H. P.
AUTHOR OP " THE ORDERS OP CHIVALRY," ETC.
LONDON: Wm. H. ALLEN & CO., 13 WATERLOO PLACE, S.W.
1878.
•im. tUTEilllAmilAL ftffUTIMM
INT. REL.
!
^liflivtrsiiy cf Caiijijrnia
^ -.XiiONS
TO
Majoe-General, the Right HoNorEABLE,
LORD ABINGER, C.B.
THESE COMMENTARIES ARE DEDICATED BY HIS lordship's OBEDIENT AND HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
Prefatory Remarks Chapter I. Chapter II. Chapter IH. Chapter IV. Chapter V. Chapter VI. Chapter VII. Chapter VIII. Chapter IX. . Chapter X. Chapter XI. . Chapter XTT. . Chapter XIII.
Page V
1
11
23 33 38 42 61 71 78 89 92 107 110
VI 11 CONTENTS.
PaH-e
Plans — Theatre of War in the Punjab.
1. The Combat of Eamnuggur.
2. The Passage of the Chenab, and Action of
Sacloolapore.
3. The Battle of Chillianwalla.
4. The Battle of Googerat.
Appendix A. — General Notes from Private Journals,
&c. - 119
Appendix B. — The Punjab in ancient times . . 125
Appendix C. — The Second Advance of the 24th Foot
at Chillianwalla 128
Appendix D. — Detailed Statement of the numerical strength of Corps engaged in the several Actions during the Punjab Campaign . . 133
Appendix E. — Chillianwalla and Googerat . . 138
Appendix P.— Despatches relating to the Campaign
in the Punjab, 1848-49 140
PREFATORY REMARKS.
5A
The objectjof the following pages is to supply from ori- | I ginal and official sources, information on some points of | ^ interest,, which have not been fully explained either in>^ - the Despatches relating to the Punjab Campaign, or I -^ in other ^publications on the subject. But in order to
/ give imity to the design, it has been deemed advisable, as succinctly as possible, to review the preceding current
j of events from the death of Kunjeet Singh to the period
! in question.
*^ The Punjab Campaign, although perhaps not one of the most brilliant, was nevertheless, as is well known, of the gvpfltpst^ iy|^p^ftanp,p, \x\ jtjs rpsnlts^ while even in its temporary failures it afibrded_^any_lessons, emi- . nently instructive, occurring, as it did, at what may be assumed to have been a period of transition, as regards "_' '~ our military_sjstem.
Besides the acquisition of an important and exten- '«j
sive territory, this campaign influenced the subsequent annexation of Oude, and, through the administrative
X PEEFATORT REMARKS.
abilities of certain eminent men, it afforded at a later
- ■ J , period, an admirable recruiting field for our auxiliary
forces, as became fully apparent, on the revolt of the
lL^ Bengal army; and it is not unworthy of note, that, at the present moment, when so much uneasiness has been expressed about the Mahomedans of India, probably,
• T '■ the best native troops that we have — Sikhs, Goorkhas and Rajpoots — are of the Brahmanical and Buddhist creeds and their offshoots.
During this campaign, moreover, the true value of our relations with the Affghans was tested, and the lesson may again be useful. , The movements of the army proved the disadvantage ^*-p /^
*'^^ i of a divided command, and the dangers attending the
^"^^ , absence of topographical knowledge arid of an^ intelli- gence department. It proved the inestimable value of the Irregular Cavalry, commanded, as it was, by officers I of remarkable ability. It taught us the folly of under-
S ' valuing one's enemy^ — of neglecting in the earlier actions the proper use of artillery — the error of placing ^L too great a reliance on the power of the bayonet in
kVv^*) what may be called iungle warfare — and of the disad- w *o vantages of close formations in an attenuated line which, ^* j in consequence, was further weakened by wide gaps. It also suggested salutary changes in the uniform of the troops, and the uselessness of regimental standards since arms of precision have been introduced.
With regard to the General's Despatches, a striking
/j innovation was permitted after the battle of Googerat ;
^.'
PEEFATORT REMARKS. XI
and that relating to Sadoolapore w&s, for so long a period suppressed, for reasons which will be apparent, that a confusion occurred in the chronology of the campaign.
There were at that time no representatives of the /-f^</^ press with our armies, and, in consequence, while many striking incidents were overlooked, some remarkable errors— especially toi)Ograpliical — finding their way through private correspondents into the public papers, have ever since remained uncorrected, as a reference to the Ordnance Survey of the Punjab will satisfy the public.
It only remains to be said that, as a result of the crowning victory of Googerat,the celebrated Koh-i-noor, was transferred to the Imperial diadem of England. #
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THE BATTLE OF GOOGERAT. The troops and batteries of Artillery in the above Plau were commanded by the following o&icei-s :
1. Huieh. 5. Eobertson. 9. Horsford. 13. Waruer.
2. Diujcan. 6. Lane (preTiously 14) 10. Fordyce. W. Sue No. 6.
3. Blood. 7. Day. 11- Anderson. 15. Kinleside, *. Ludlow. 8. Dawes. 12. Maclteuzie. 16. Sbakapoaro
COMMENTARIES
PUNJAB CAMPAIGN.
CHAPTER I.
On tke death of Rvuijeet Singh, the celebrated sovereigDJf'lt/'M^ T
of the Punjab, in 1844, and the accession of his sonJ
the youthful Duleep Singh, powerless in the tutelage i , - ^ ^v
of the Regent-mother at Lahore, the Khalsa, or Sikh ,
army, mutinied. The British frontier was threatened,
and, in the summer of the following year, the Sikhs
boldly crossed the boundary river Sutlej, and invaded
the British territory.
The Governor- GTeneral pressed by Lord Gough, the/ -^ ,-- -^ Commander-in-Chief, who fully realised the danger, 'f. _ .\j hastily assembled, by forced marches, a small army, which was immediately encoimtered by the enemy ; and the first battle, " Midnight Moodkhee," was lost by the |^
invaders. In rapid succession followed the victories of ^0"""^ Aliwal, Ferozeshuhr, and Sobraon; at the last of which
Y
2 COMMENTARIES ON
■ ^^l^tr ^jjg Klialsa, utterly routed, was driven in disorder across
the Sutlej.
^kf""^<^ But the Sikhs thus conquered, were not subdued, and
although the result of this, the first Sikh war, was
, I i- ^ the establishment of a British Eesident at the Court of
i"
Lahore, it remained for Lord Dalhousie, his successor, I to follow up the temporising policy of Lord Hardinge,
^f *^^by the annexation of the Punjab.
\(n^'^ Two years after these events, Lord Dalhousie arrived
■ Lj- • in India..-X12th Jan. 1848), and a few days later his
^^,«X^^ predecessor embarked (18th Jan.) for England.
" In the Punjab everything seemed to betoken a long
continuance of peace," so far as peace can ever be of
long duration in Lidia ; and throughout the country of
the Five Rivers, "English officers, civil and military,
^y^A were quietly drilling " their late enemies, and " giving
jj*f ^f, J lessons in good government" to respectful Sikh officials.
Vl About that time the Dewan or Governor of Mooltan
was treating with the Council of Eegency at Lahore
, AgKS^2i\)0^xi the surrender of his post ; for, disgusted with the
) •It*
Ajt^^^ unaccustomed checks placed by his nominal masters on
I y his once unbounded sway, he sought to be released from
^ \K(f his thankless post.
On the 18th of April, while the change _of. governors was being effected at Mooltan, under the superintend- ance of two British officers, Mr. Vans Agnew and Lieut.
f^ ,.- -^i Anderson, the latter were suddenly attacked and wounded,
\\^ (i^ and, on the 20th, their place of retreat having been taken
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 6
by assault, they were slain, under circumstances of great barbarity.
What part the ex-Dewan Moolraj really took in this tragedy has never beeficlearlyshown ; but it seemed now to be incumbent _.on him to head the movement to expel the British from his country, and to stir uj: Sikhs, Hindus, and Mussulmans alike to defend their ; nationality, under the name of a Holy War.
While the British Resident at Lahore, justly appre- .#
hensive, was urging the Commander-in-Chief to move I
up troops from Ferozepore. in order to crush the in- 7 ' / surrection before it should become general. Col. Cortlandt < and Lieut. Herbert Edwardes, afterwards so much dis- tinguished, were already marching with a few thousandSX/Pififs,-^ Sikhs (still well affected), and Pathans, towards the scene of the coming struggle. On the 18th June was.fl^ivff 1 fought between them and the Mooltanees, the combat j tfj of Kineyrie, followed on the 1st July by that of Sud- dosam, when Moolraj fled to the security of Mqoltan, which he prepared to defend.
A jjlot was now discovered to massacre the British, 5* 'jLf't-^ officers at Lahore. The principals were executed, while . _ the Queen-mother was arrested and sent a prisoner toy ^j^/^ Benares. Several others were in custody, and the palace A itself was guarded by an English regiment. vv'-vA?'^
About the end of July, Gi?n. Whish moved, at length, ^^--^ with a field force over six thousand strong, including-(# t ^nf^ two English regiments (10th and 32nd) on Mooltan, ''- '
^lft\ deserted to the enemy ' J . I siege was raised, and tl
4 COMMENTARIES ON
and summoned Moolraj to surrender, but without effect ;
0 /, Lvt^iand, on the 5th September, the British guns opened fire.
! Thus began the siege of the great Sikh stronghold;
^J t,.i but in consequence of the defection of Eajah Shere
^ •'* Singh and about five thousand of his contingent, who
on the 13th, on the 15th the the British force fell back. On the 24th September, however, G-en. Whish resumed the siege ; and early the following month, Shere Singh, dis-__^,_ - / . /v. trusted by MoflkaJ-himself, retired with his whole fo.rce_ , / from Mooltan, and while he proceeded to raise the south 'f * ' • i w of the Punjab, his father, the old Chutter Singh, was <-\ ^'-' negociating with Dost Mahomed to render back to the »^, ' Afghans, Peshawur, for his aid against the British.
Flying from this stronghold. Major Lawrence and his family were captured ; and then only remaiaed Herbert '
J' "lin Attock, and Abbot, Mcholson^and Taylor, to. up- 1 7'', fr - I > hold the last shreds of the British influence outside '
P^^ T t Lahore, and the camp of Whish.
1l^^' Several minor affairs took place between our late
\,=,»— allies and our irregular auxiliaries ; while Go lab _Singh, r'' a domestic tyrant, but faithftd, or wily ally, looked down
W J i'-^ • from his mountain kingdom of Cashmer^.
t^ '^'.1
Through perhaps the erroneous_fear of a hot-weather campaign, and the neglect to reiuforce the gallant Cort- ; landt and Edwardes, with their ally, the Bhawulpore Eajah, or, possibly, to avoid the contingency of a pro- tracted guerilla warfare, the danger which, at the outset,
THE PUNJAE CAIVIPAIGN. 5
might have been averted or entirely dissipated, had now/, been allowed to reach a crisis.
A certain vacillation seemed to prevail in the counsels/ ' C <. of the British ; or defective intelligence may have given ■ rise to a suspicion, by which the enemy largely pro- fited.
Orders and counter-orders for the movement of the troops at Ferozepore, on the frontier, were frequent, and afforded an instructive lesson on the relative effect of mental influences on the health of the European sol- diers, who crowded the hospital with fever cases when their hopes of relief from the wearisome cantonment life of India seemed lost, as rapidly as a sudden rumour of immediate operations at once had the opposite effect. -.
{if. if 1
At length, early in October (1848), it was innnnnrri rr in general orders, that a force would be assembled, and --j^^^, */ designated " the Army of ,th£. Punjab," under the personal 1^^^ command of Lord Gough.
This force consisted of three infantry divisions: the fi^^*. ■ first, under Maj.-Gen. Whish ; the second, under Maj.-. V t i ^ 'Sen. Sir W. E. Gilbert; and the third, under Maj.- ^[^ ^,.^ Gen. Sir Joseph Thackwell, subsequently transferred 'i (on the aj)pointment of this distinguished veteran to
r
the command of the Cavalry) to Brig.-Gen. Colin
Campbell. ^ .
The Cavalry Division was at first assigned to the command of Col. Cureton, tlien Adjt.-Gen. of Queen's Troops, a post subsequently held by Col. Lugard
^-fTi
6 COMMENTARIES ON
Several changes of brigades and regiments took place during the campaign that followed, but these need not now be noticed.
The Bunnoo troops, the chief strength of the army
vinder Shere Singh, were raised out of the remnant of
the old Khalsa * army. As was to have been expected,
these_ stern veterans could ill brook the domination of
/ a foreign power, and eagerly availed themselves of the
! first opportunity of joining their countrymen in the
, j field, under Chutter Singh, G-overnor of the Peshawur
v^^(^: I district. They were disciplined and equipped after the
\*Cr\ European manner, and were accompanied by Artillery
I and Cavalry.
■^ It was believed that the intention of the enemy was to advance on Lahore, and the suspicion was aggravated ,^ ' by the circumstance that a party of the Sikh Cavalry made an attempt to destroy the bridge of boats over the Eavee, on the northern side of that capital, which, however, was frustrated by the j)rompt appearance of Havelock at the head of the 14th King's Light Dra- goons. J^'Ct I The close proximity of the enemy, and the disaffection '^ 1^ of the population of Lahore, rendered the j)Osition of !,,/L..Sir Frederick Currie, the British Resident there, peril- I ous in the extreme.
In the meantime, a brigade of Cavalry had assembled
* Commonwealth.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 7
at Ferozepore; and Col. Charles Cureton, Adjt.-Gen. of Queen's Troops, was despatched to take command. Brigadier Wheeler with a small force was already in ad- vance, while Brigadier Godby, with another, moved north- ward towards the Ravee, about the 3rd November.
It was expected that the enemy would oppose the advance of the British at Goojranwallah,* a small town or rather fort, about three days march from Lahore ; but Cureton found the position abandoned, and when . his force was united__to that of Brig.-Cen. CoUn Camp^ ^ bell, who had likewise advanced in the same directioi|, ^ ^'^Y an impression prevailed, that these officers might, by decisive blow, terminate the incipient struggle, anc thus frustrate tlie aiubitidii of those who yet hoped to share in the glories of a campaign on a larger scale. The idea is not unworthy of a passing remark as an indication of the confidence of the trooj)s, and their contempt of the enemy.
The following table of commands in the army of the Punjab will facilitate future references in the course of the ensuing narrative, although several changes sub- sequently occurred : —
lo^ r„„ r 1st Brig. C ?o?,'!l'°?* ^ C Asst. Adit.-Gen. . ^
IstDiv. (Markham). ) tH^l Capt. WMsh. l/
Tiir ■ n i ^ in+i. ^w ^ StafT -^ Asst. Qr.-Mr. Gen.
^^"•^r- 2ndBi-ijr. l^.V^''?* 1 Lieut.-Col. Becher.
'^'^^- I (Harve;). [ .^^^\^^\ J Ia.D.C. Lieut. Need.
* Said to be the bu-tli-place of Riuijeet Singh.
COMMENTARIES ON
2nd Div.
Maj.-Geu. Sir W. R. Gilbert.
3bd Div.
Maj.-Gen. Sir
Joseph Thack-
well.
Cav. Div.
1st Brig-. (Mountain).
2nd Brig. (Godby).
1st Brig. (Peunywick).
2nd Brig. (Penny).
3rd Brig. (Hoggan).
1st Brig. (White).
2nd Brig. (Pope).
3rd Brig. (Hearsey).
4th Brig. (Salter).
r 29th Foot 1 J. 30th N. I. (. 52nd N. I. 1 ('2d Europeans ( ■J 31st N. I. (. 70th N. I. J
C 24th Foot
J. 25th N. I.
(. 45th N. I.
C 15th N. I.
i 20th N. I.
(, 69th N. I.
C 61st Foot
■> 36th N. I.
(. 46th N. I.
!3rd Dragoons "" 14tlLDra°-oons 5th Lt. Cav. 6th Lt. Cav. C 9th Lancers ■J 1st Lt. Cav. (. 6th Lt. Oav. ( Irregular \ Cavalrv. ? 11th Lt. Cav. i Irregular (. Cavalry.
Staff
Staff
Staff
' Asst. Adjt.-Gren.
Major Chester.
Asst. Qr.-Mr. u^nT
Lieut. Galloway. . A.D.C. Lieut. Colt.
' Asst. Adjt.-Gen. Major Ponsonby. Asst. Qr.-Mr. Gen.
Ensign Garden.
A.D.C.Lieut.Thack-
well.
^ Dep. Asst. Adjt.- Gen. Capt. Pratt. Asst. Qr.-Mr. Gen. Lieut. Tucker. ^A.D.C. Lt. Cureton.
(See Plan of Action of Goozerat and Despatch.)
v
On the Ge^^al Staff were —
Bt. Lieut.-Col. Lugard, Act. Adjt.-"SS. Queen's Troops.
Lieut. -Col. Gough, Qr.-Mr. Gen.
Capt. Kanisay, Commissariat.
Med. Dept. : Insp.-Gen. of Hosp. Franklin, Drs. Eenny and MacLeod.
Aetillert. Brigadier Tennant.
Engineers. Brigadier Cheape.
General Staff of the Army.
Lord Gough, Com. -in-Chief. Lieut.-Col. Gough, C.B., Qr.-Mr. Gen. Major Lugard, Act. Adjt.-G«n. Capt. Otter, Act. Asst. Adjt.-Gen.,
Queeir's" Troops. Lieut.-Col. Grant, Adjt.-Gen. of the
Ami3'. Major E. Kins, Dep. Adjt.-Gen. of the
Army. • — Major Tucker, Asst. Adjt.-Gten. of the
Army. '" Lieut.-Col. Garden, C.B., Qr.-Mr. Gen.
of the Army. Lieut. Tyttef, Asst. Qr.-Mr. Gen. of
the ArtS^^ Lieut. Paton, Dep. Asst. Qr.-Mr. G«n.
of the*3jmy. Lieut.-Col. Bijujh, Judge Adv. Gen. Lieut. John|pn, Dep. Judge Adv. Gen. Capt. Kamsay, Dep. Com. Gen.
Major Thomson, Asst. Com. Gen.
Lieut.-Col. Curtis, Asst. Com. Gen.
Capt. Campbell, Paymaster to the Army.
Capt. Lacy, Postmaster.
H. Franklin, Esq., Ins. Gen. of H.M's Hospitals.
Capt. P. Haines, Military Secretary.
Major Bates, Lieut. Bagot, Capt. Gub- bett, Lievit. Harjjnge, A.D.C.
Lieut. -Prendergliast, Persian Inter- preter. <.—--■ --
Dr. Kenny, Sup. Siu-g., Dr. MacBae, Field Siu-g. -— '
Rev. Whiting, Chaplain.
Present vnth Com. -in-Chief — SirH. Laivrence, Maj. Mackeson, Mr. Cocks, C.S., Capt. Nicholson, Majol: Anstruther, Lieut. Mayne.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 9 ,^,
' •? ■ '" " " On the 9th of November, 1848, the force under the '
personal command of Lord Gough, breaking up camp
at Ferozepore, crossed the boundary river Sutlej and ^' ,
entered the territory of the nominal rvJ^y pf thp Punji«^'^''fr
ab, who, under the tutelage of Sir_rrederick_^urrie,^':|,<ul<*- *
the British Resident, was received by the Commander- ""^^
in-Chief at his head-quarters, when, some days later
the latter lay encamped before his capital, Lahore.
After a halt of two days, although the heavy guns had not arrived from Delhi, Lord Qiough, moved by the representations of Sir Frederick Ciu-rie, ordered 'y the division of Sir Joseph Thackwell to advance | , ^ across the Eavee. Four days later, a junction with -J the main body under the Commander-in-Chief, which(^^ (»■ followed, was effected at the small village of Noe- wallah, distant about ten miles from the enemy's po- sition at Ram^iiggur, a walled town on the left bank of the Chenab, and distant about three miles irova..„i/ that river — an extensive open plain covered for a con*, siderable distance with a low scrub or jungle inter- vening, with a small tope or grove of trees in the mid distance.
On the morning of the 22nd November, about 3' o'clock, the Commander-in-Chief, unknown to the ma- jority of his personal staff, placed himself at the head of the advanced force, consisting of the 3rd and 14th Light Dragoons, 5th and 8th Light Cavalry, 12th Ir- regular Cavalry, and the Horse Artillery of Lane and
.^z-
10 COMMENTAEIES ON
Warner, — followed by the Infantry Brigade of Godby, with Austen and Dawes' batteries, — the remainder of the / «... force being encamped in rear of Jlamnu^gur, and un- ' '^ ' conscious of the movement, imtil the morning had con- siderably advanced.
Although the ostensible object of this movement was A a simply to reconnoitre tlia-jposition of the enemy, it was
conjectured that an engagement would be precipitated; for it was correctly rumoured that a large portion of ^f^-^T^the Sikh army had encamped on the left bank of the river, while the main body occupied an entrenched po- sition on the right bank.
While the advanced force was moving upon the former,
"If- t% the remainder of the army, some hours later, followed
J ""^i ^ it up, and as the combat that ensued was progressing,
f""^, took up a position in front of Eamnuggur as spectators
'\ \^ of the distant fight, albeit obscured by clouds of dust
'""^ and smoke.
" As the British force advanced, the Sikh army fell
back, retiring to the river. The bones of dead camels
and horses, and embers of recent fires, strewing the road
. . the report that the enemy had been in great
force on the left bank."
►* i^-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 11
CHAPTER II.
At this season of the year, the Chenab_contracts to ^/*/ t>v A/* comparatively narrow channel, exposing several dry water- ^•^.-_. courses and sandy flats. On the opj)osite side, however, the bank of the river is high.
In the middle of these flats appeared an islet, called, for convenience, " the Green Island " ; but the retreating waters had left it high and dry, although there were still some stagnant pools around it.
While the Sikhs, withdrawing from the fire of the British guns, were endeavouring to cross the ford, our cavalry came up with them, and were inflicting some loss, when, from a rising ground in front, the enemy's artillery opened so heavv a fire, that Lane's and Warner's troops of Horse Artillgry found their position untenable and prepared to retire ; but it was found that one of the guns was inextricably sunk in the heavy sand. The enemy perceiving the futile attempts made to save it, increased their fire, and renewed the combat.
To cover the retreat^of the Artillery, a squadron of 4 '•ui^U-t the ^rd Light Dragoons, mader the command of Ca])t. Ouvry, charged the enemy near the island already men-
'>*d
12 COMMENTARIES ON
f, i tioned. " This squadron," says Thackwell, " swept the ^ sandy plain with extraordinary rapidity, and cleared '^'' aside all obstacles with such irresistible impetuosity that the enemy neither opened fire on them, nor offered any formidable opposition."
"The supposition was that the enemy were para- ^ • * \lyzed"; but it is much more probable that their guns_
* yyihad not as yet taken up their subsequent advanced ,|>.^<7 poSitionT
Some other charges were executed, but to no purpose ;
for the Sikh infantry lining the nullahs, by their galling
fire proved the inutility of further attacks, and as the
}, J troopers were falling a retreat was effected, whereupon
,'iyif ' ^lie enemy once more advanced towards the abandoned gna.
if '^ .
Irritated at the defiant attitude of the Sikhs, Lieut.-
Col. Havelock of the 14th Light Dragoons, obtained
permission to charge with his own corps, supported by
the 5th Light Cavalry. At the daring onset, the eneroy
, - I took to flight, hotly pursued _ by Havelock, who now
(T— "- exceeding his orders, dashed down to the spot where
the abandoned gun lay in the sand. The horses of the
pursuers soon, however, became exhausted in the heavy
^jsand and mud, and, at the same time, the Sikh guns
\ -^ t I opened their fire, while their infantry making another
j stand, offered a stout^ resistance. " Follow me ! " cried
the gallant Havelock, as he pliuigedi£to_the .masses
of the foe, never to return. His mutilated body was
discovered some days later.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 13
Col. Cureton, commanding the Cavalry, observing theC' • rash valour of the 14th Dragoons, hastened to with- ' draw them from the combat, when the bullet of a ^-^ matchlock man concealed in a nullah pierced his heart.
Shortly afterwards his naked body was brought to the rear, but not before Capt. Holmes had made a [l A/^/t/y desperate and futile attempt to rescue it. — ^-^
Thus fell Brig.-Gen. Cureton, an officer held in the highest resjiect for his soldier-like qualities.
In this disastrous but glorious charge, the loss was considerable in proportion to the numbers engaged.
In consequence of the death of Cureton, Sir Joseph^ >^<^ ' - Thackwell was appointed Commandant of Cavalry, and^ .-4s^^i,^ his vacated division (3rd Infantry) was bestowed upon Brigadier Colin Campbell, since better known as the late gallant Lord Clyde. I
During this combat Col. Alexander, commanding the 5th Light Cavalry, while leading on his sowars, was struck in his uplifted__sword-arm by a rojmd.shqi^ and fell from his horse, when he would certainly have A ^ ^ been despatched by the enemy, but for the gallantry » i ( -f of Sergt.-Maj. Mallet, who, single-handed, kept them at , ^-'^ ^' bay until succour ca,me.
Amongst the officers distinguished on this occasion may be mentioned Capts. Fitzgerald and MacMahon,^ g JijLv Capt, Holmes (of the 12th Irregular Cavalry), Malcolm, r »^'
Tait, Christie, and Chamberlain, the present Sir Neville, ^ I r ' Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Ai-my. •^ /^ '
IaM
14 COMMENTARIES ON
V I ^ The army was now occupied in erecting batteries in
ft, I " advance of the camp, and these were gradually pushed
^/'^ forward; but they were scarcely within range, in any
part, of the enemy's guns, although spent shot came
close to the more advanced.
f The Sikh cavalry hovered about the British position,
J y and a sharp encounter took place with some foragers
' v^ near the ford of Gliurree-lce-PnUmi, where some of the
enemy's small field-pieces opened fire.
Meantime, Col. Penny, who was in charge of the heavy train in rear, was delayed two or three days by /I the discovery that the fort of Jubbur,_ midway on the British line of communication between Eamnuggur and Lahore, was, strange to relate, garrisoned by a consi- derable force of the enemy, although the British army had passed in ignorance within a few miles of it. Col. Penny proceeding to demolish the fort^_had fired only ; a few rounds when the adventurous garrison surren- itL^ dered at discretion. '><4 f ^°- ^^^ 28th_..iiDvember, Cheyt Singh, brother of rm Uttur Singh, niade his submission, and delivered him- \^ self up to the Commander-in-Chief.
Immediately afterwards (30th), the heavy gims and Engineer's park, under the command of Col. Penoiy, arrived in camp. it*^"^i-^ council of war was now held, at which it was pro- posed to strike a decisive blow, by detaching a force to y %. turn the enemy's left flank, while the main body of the
h
3^i
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 15
army made a grand attack in front. In order, however, to carry out this plan, the possession of one of the fords of the Chenab was necessary ; but in the then state of the intelhgence department this was not so easily to be found.
The three fords between Ramnuggur and Wuzeerabad were Ghuree-ke-Puttun, about eight miles distant ; and up the stream, Euneekhan-ke-Puttun, and Allee Shere-ke- Chuck five miles further on. There was also a ford at Wu- "^ 5
zeerabad, nearly thirty miles from the camp. " That these *^ fords," says Thackwell, " were not subjected to a minute scrutiny, in which the highest authorities should have actively participated, was afterwards deeply lamented." -
The commandof the force destined to cross this rapid "^- .;, ,'
and dark river (as its name signifies), was given to Maj.-*^ -^'
Gen. Sir Joseph Thackwell (a Peninsular and Waterloow ^Ajikt/^ veteran, who had lost his left arm at the latter battle). '
The force itself consisted of three ti'oops of Horse^ [ ^ ->e^ Artillery, two Native light field batteries, two 18-pounders, 1 the 3rd Light Dragoons, 5th and 8th Light Cavalry, 3rd and 12th Irregulars, H.M.'s 24th and 61st regiments, and the 25th, 31st, 36th, 46th, 56th, and four companies of the 22nd Native Infantry.
The pontoon train also accompanied the force ; but, as often has happened, proved unserviceable.
Accordingly, the force got under arms at 1 a.m. on the 1st December (1849), in order to reach the ford of Rimee- khan-ke-Puttun at an early hour, and march down on the Sikh position ; but to provide against unforeseen obstacles, a
16 COMMENTARIES ON
small detachment was despatched to the ford near Wu- A zeerabad, for the purpose of securing it, and any native
■"/} () boats that might be found there.
-""''^ The objection to the nearer ford of Grhuree-ke-Puttun
t ^' was, its close proximity to the enemy, and the probability
k
of a disj)uted passage.
The force, in light marching order, accordingly assem- bled, on the right flank of the camp, close to the Wuzeer- abad road. Absolute secrecy, silence, and despatch were
,^.the essential conditions of success; but, unfortunately, the I camp followers raised an astounding clamour, while the
*' 'infantry division of Brig. -Gen. Colin Campbell, unjjro- vided with a guide, became entangled and confused in the intricacies of so large a camp, and did not, in the thick darkness, reach the place of rendezvous before 3 a.m., and, * ..uiider the circumstances, it is a question whether it would -.. not have been wiser to defer the diver sionary_raovement. However, once in motion, the force managed to feel its way slowly over broken ground, in the intense darkness, while its advance was still further impeded by the long halts necessitated by the remarkably slow progress of the pontoon train. At the same time, the preUminary chaos of noisy sounds must have apprised the least vig^ilant of the enemy of some unusual proceeding in the British camp.
I It was now 11 a.m., when the force reached its destina- tion, the ford of Buneekhan-_ke-Puttun, but the head of the column being out of sight of the river, Thackwell
V
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN.
with his staff, rode down to its bank, to make a recon- naissance. ,
The Chenab, at this j^oint was found divided into four C^^^^^ separate channels, with sandbanks, and, as was said, also dangerous quicksands. So broad was the bed of the river, that the opposite bank was out of range, while, to add to the difficulty, parties of the enemy were descried ^
guarding the ford. —
These proceedings occujiied about three hours, and as all the conditions of success had evidently failed, Brig.- Gen. Camj^bell counselled an immediate return to camp, but Sir Josejjh Thackwell, unwilHng to do so, preferred the alternative of trying the ford at Wuzeerabad, and th.ej^'f(;^J/: march was accordingly resumed. ... ^ ■^■.- ' >: '
On reaching the latter ford, it was found that a "party of Nicholson's Irregular Pathan Horse, held seventeen large boats for the transport of the force across the river.
Thackwell, in his narrative, says, that the troops " had i^ i taken advantage of the time devoted to the examination If L-^^ of the fords, to enjoy a meal, rendered all the more welcome by the fact, that they had not tasted any food since the preceding night." But this cannot apj)ly to the whole force, for the writer, who was present with it, tasted nothing until long after the arrival of the troops, about 6 p.m., at the ford of Wuzeerabad, when a piece of un- , •)
leavened bread (chuppattie) was all that he, or his com- panions, could manage to procure, after a protracted march of twenty-five miles.
2
«^
18 COMMENTAEIES ON
It was now a very dark night ; and, in the mazes of small channels and pools of water, which chequered the loose sands, many a regiment lost its way, while the increasing darkness added to the general confusion, and the knowledge of abounding quicksands, produced a sense of insecurity.
It is hard to say what might not have befallen the yt^C'-^'? force, had the enemy only taken the trouble to guard this ■ ford, or to form an ambuscade.
The boats were, however, capacious, and the transporta- tion of a j)ortion of the guns was rapidly effected, in re- liance on the assurance of the Pathans, that there was no appearance of the enemy on the farther bank.
The 6th Brigade of Infantry (Pennicuick's) which in- cluded H.M.'s 24th Foot, crossed in the boats, while the 3rd • Brigade, under Brigadier Eckford, having waded through the first and second branches of the stream, was unable to proceed farther, and had to bivouac on a sandbank, between the second and third.
Tait's Horse (3rd Irregulars), crossed the ford, which
was indicated by stakes ; but, nevertheless, three sowars
were drowned in the attempt.
... . , , Sir Joseph ThackweU, with the remainder of the force,
r^ (r continued that night, on the left bank of the river, and
_.„»■•" was enabled to mitigate the severity of the weather by
lighting fires, and having recourse to the provisions which
had followed. But the 3rd and 6th Brigades, on the
opposite bank, after so long and fatiguing a march under
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 19
a hot sun, were obliged to pass that bitterly cold aad-dark night without food or fuel, and, in order to escape the piercings wind, some, with their hands scooped out hollows in the sand, in which they found a sHght protection. Here a few shots assured the vigilance of the sentries, but their alarm was groundless.
Next morning the remainder of the force crossed, — the '■ ' /,
Infantry and guns by boat, and the Cavalry and Artillery horses, by fording the river, which, in some places rose above the men's knees, the latter having divested them- selves of their overalls.
The pontoon train, two light field guns, the 12th Irre- gulars, and two companies of the 22nd Native Infantry, as pre-arranged, returned to the camp at Eamnuggur.
It will probably be suspected, that the security of the ' British- detached force, depended entirely on the negU- gence of the eijemy, and the fideUty of Nicholson's Pathans.
The commissariat arrangements were, to a certain ex- ■• tent, defective ; and, with one exception, the Quarter-master \ General's Department failed to discharge its functions with its usual intelligence.
The pontoon train proved a useless encumbrance ; while the providential discovery of ferry boats, at Wuzeerabad, was an accident. ^^ V
The two general officers were divided in opinion ; and their topographical knowledge could not be said to have
2 A
^^<^
;
20 , . . : ? ^^-'-COMMENTAEIES ON
? /V^" extended beyond the immediate vicinity of the locality ' /which the troops occupied.
/ Every one seemed reliant on another, and nobody appeared to know anything with certainty.
Considering how well acquainted, even at the very out-
T^Zj^ set, the Sikhs must have been with the scope of the British
' strategy, and that their vigilance throughout the day was
untiring, it does seem remarkable, that they should, in the
long run, have shown so much supineness.
Preparatory to resuming the march, at the request of the second in command, the Sepoys were permitted to take their dinner, a circumstance which caused much delay, and it was 2 p.m. before the force was again in movement.
In passing over fields of turnips, and by sugar-cane Mets, the European soldiery snatching at these esculents continued, as they went, to supplement their previous frugal meal.
The order of battle was thus formed: — Three Bri- gades in brigade columns of companies, half distance, left in front, at deploying intervals. White's Cavalry Brigade on the right, and the Irregular Cavalry on the left. Each Infantry Corps was covered by its own skirmishers, while patrols connected the movement with the river.
After a march of twelve miles, the force reached the mud village of Doorewal at dusk, but as the men's qviilts ptnP'^ had not arrived, they were compelled, once more, to lie on i/ (i^^ the bare ground.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 21
During the night, a messenger, mounted on a camel, brought a despatch from the Commandej;:rijaxC.hief, de- siring Sir Joseph Thackwell to attack the enemy the ^ following morning, and that he would be prepared to I VJ^ 3 make a simultaneous attack in front, — that he was in . ' ''^ secret treaty with the Sikh boatmen for their boats then ,••' moored under the enemy's batteries, and that, moreover, p /> he expected to secure the defection of certain Sikh regi- ments, by dvplomatic means. It is much more probable K 'cImL that, as the event proved, the Commander-in-Chief had "^^ been duped. /
The useful mirzais, or quilts, with which the army in India is supplied, had, by this time, been brought uj) from the rear, and, in consequence, the reiDOse of the troops, secured against a searching cold, was undisturbed ; therefore, on the following morning, Sunday the,.,^rd/ of December, they had entirely recovered from their^^!^<? jf fatigue combined with want of sufficient food and rest, and advanced in the same order as on the preceding day.
But, ere the force had j^rogressed a distance of six miles, another communication from Lord Gough was re- ceived by the Commander, who was now__£rohibited from courting collision with the enemy, until reinforced hjjCx^lru^'* Godby's Brigade, which would effect a junction by cross-/ ing at the intermediate ford of Ghurree-ke-Pattun.
In consequence. Sir Joseph Thackwell directed the march of his force on some villages, almost in a line with
22 COMMENT AEIES ON
the ferry in question ; and, with the view of securing his
communications with this important point, he despatched
a wing of the 56th Native Infantry and a portion of
j^~t^4 Tait's Irregular Horse (3rd I. C.) to protect it, as it ' 7
appeared to be threatened by a body of the enemy.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 23
1!^
CHAPTER III.
The sky was bright and unclouded, and the warmth of sunshine was welcome, when, on the level grassy plain in front of the village of Sadoolapore, with the three hamlets already referred to before them, the troops piled arms, and fell out, — some to partake of a scanty breakfast from their havresacks, or to smoke, while others, under the genial influence of the atmosphere, surrendered them- selves to sleep, soon forgetting the ijroximity of an enemy/ and in ignorance of his immediate presence, — when, sud^^^ ' t*'*-*' denly, a peculiar sound was heard overhead, and on '"f^ looking up, a shell was discovered bursting in mid-air, between the British line and the villages in front, — a distance of about half a mile of level turf. After this came round shot.
" It was difficult to believe," says Thackwell, that "this '' i shot was fired by the enemy, for the scouts and patrols had raised no alarm of their approach " ; but, " the shots rapidly increased, and no doubt could any longer exist,'', that an action had commenced, in which, insteadi' '^T^ gf of being the assailants, we were the assailed. ' x f /:
24 COMMEJ^TAEIES ON .
The force * now stood to their arms ; Infantry deployed ; while the sldrmishers, too far advanced to receive sup- port, were ordered by the G-eneral in Command, to fall -& / ^ ^ Jback, and resume their place in the line. Whether or no ^^,„i,.**^'this retrogression were judicious, has been questioned, for the sldrmishers were equi-distant, or about four hundred yards away from either force, and, by a sudden dash, it is not altogether improbable, that the enemy's masked ' / position, — occupying the three mud villages, Tarwalla, Euttee, and Kamokhail, connected with each other by dense sugar-cane khets (like a bracelet of alternate lava and malachite), — might have been carried. On the other hand, however, the General tTommanding had been taken somewhat by surprise, and was in entire ignorance of the t^ Tf numbers arrayed against his small force.
" In order to gain a respectable distance from this
I dangerous covert, the General ordered the line to retire
^ I about two hundred yards. The advantage of a (wide
I i and) clear front, which was secured in some measure by
^ f\Af(^ this movement, may be easily conceived ; but the enemy
i who were rapidly advancing, interpreted this retrograde
i Vx^ I manoeuvre, into a retreat." At any rate, their boldness
; implied as much.
The silken standards, now uncased, were floating proudly along the line, and the whole force seemed in- spired with ardour for a closer conflict, when Sir Joseph
* About 7,000_of^all arms. -s^../^<7J (JL/'A^
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 25-
Thactwell, counselled by Brig.-Gen. Campbell, who rode beside him, " ordered jthe Infantrj to throw themselves 1^ ,£ down upon theground, — a precaution which saved the life ^ — .f— of many a man" ; for, even in this position, cannonaded for ^_ some hours, without a gun on the British side replying, ■
several lives were sacrificed to the excellent ricochet practice of the enemy.
Thus holding its ground in the open plain, with the right flank thrown slightly back, en potence, the British force patiently received the fire of the enemy, from about-^' '^ ^' 11 o'clock until nearly 4 in the afternoon, when, at last, a • the British Artillery opened fire.
In the meantime, while the enemy maintained his heavy cannonade, and volumes of smoke were rising from his guns, — partially concealed by the green sugar-cane khets, — ■ into the_2U£e atmosphere, the British line, without th^ advantage of the slightest cover, received his ricochet shots as it lay on the_gTass.
On the left, "where the high bank of the Chenab," says ' Thackwell, "and a nullah, or dry watercourse afforded) , some advantage to the enemy, a plantation of sugar-canel was occupied by the latter, whereupon, a British Briga-j dier was observed to be forming contiguous close column,'/ — a dangerous movement, at once checked by the General' ' ^ fl^^ in Command. f^ "i^^
The same writer describes the " beating of tom-toms, / ^ discordant horns, and wild yells of defiance," which pro-
26 , COMMENTAEIES ON
A,, ceeded from the Sikh position, but they were, certainly,
not audible to the Infantry.
^ From one of his masked batteries, the enemj_opened fire
on a patrol of the 5th Light Cavalry, and, about the same
time, atterapted to turn both flanks of the small British
I fH force, which, not exceeding, all told, 7,000, in a weak and
fT- exposed position, was a task that seemed by no means im-
>T practicable. But Warner's Horse Artillery, supported by
I <^ , the 5th Light Cavalry, having been promptly moved to
jj. » il.the left, to reinforce Biddulph's Irregular Cavalry, the
I enemj recoiled.
\^^^ On the right^ a similar attempt was frustrated by
•^/At" Christie' sHorse Artillery, the 3rd Light Dragoons, and
^,^^ 8th Light Cavalry ; and, after losing a few sowars in a
£ skirmish, the enemy's horseretired on his Infantry. ,
^ The British Cavalry on the right, was now ordered toj / / j
. 1 j't y^Jarge, and, if possible, capture the enemy's guns ; but, as "^"""^ no opportunity presented for them to do so, and as the ' f day was already on the wane, the orderwas cancelled, — this
ft
being deemed advisable, as the exact position of the latter was imperfectly understood, although it was known that his centre and right were strongly posted.
By sunset, a profound silence reigned on both sides ; and, as darkness was rapidly approaching, and the sleep- ing quilts of the men had arrived, the latter rolled up singly in the absence of any better cover, were formed into a frail breastwork, as it were, in front of the line,
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 27
and behind it, the Infantry, having partaken of a scanty meal, lay down to rest.
Some incidents, not altogether unworthy of a passing remark, occurred during this engagement, as, for example, the following : —
Major Harris, of the 24th Foot, had his horse shot under him by a ricochet shot ; and, at the close of the day, -> 'f/t*- some men of the 61st Foot were sufficiently unprejudiced against equine food, to make broth of portions of the poor animal.
One of the earliest casualties occurred in this wise : — One of the sergeants with the colours, rising from his f recumbent posture on his elbows, was instantly struck I full in the face by a round shot and killed on the spot,^^, his brains bespattering one of the standards. ^"^^A
Then, there is Thackwell's graphic description of a Brigadier taking his frugal breakfast, quietly, and re- ,\ fleeting, seriously, on the profanity of doing battle on the seventh day, — a thought admirable, but ill-timed.
Nothing farther occurred, until about midnight, when the loud barking of dogs in the villages ahead, indicated some movement on the part of the enemy ; and, next morning, instead of a renewal of the action, as the General had anticipated, it was discovered, that the Sikhs had / ' ^ retreated.
There can be little doubt that the advance of Thack-y ^ ( well compelled the Sikhs to retire; and it is surprising that, with all the latter's advantages, they did not venture
28 COMMENTAEIES ON
a combat at close quarters, considering the extremely weak position occui^ied bj the British, and for which, in his despatch, the Greneral_apolo^ises. The latter could scarcely say, like the Athenian, " With this Fortune had
^yv'-vl^o^^i^g to do ! " i
' ' Matters, as they often do, righted themselves ; and the
I pious mind acknowledges that, whatever happens is for ' the best. ^ J >' But sufl&cient to counterbalance alltheerrors of gene- ts'^f ralship, was the lively spirit of the troops, with whom ^J^- novelty in the toils of war, seemed sufficient to dissipate "^ '*>^ all other reflections. •»
i, JL During this action, the enemy did not bring up his ^-^ ' *^ masses to the front ; " and," says the General in his de- I spatch, " my brave, steady, and ardent Infantry, whom I \ had caused to lie down to avoid the heavy fire, had no \ chance of firing a shot, except a few companies of the left \ of the line."
The enemy's loss was probably not so severe as the General was led to suppose; while that of the British amounted to only seventy-three men, and forty-eight horses killed and wounded.
The Commander-in-Chief appears to have been under the impression that, during the night after this engage- ment, the Sikhs had "precipitately fled, concealing or carrying with them their artillery, and exploding their magazines," and had, in their disorderly retreat, " sub- sided into three divisions," which, as Sir Joseph Thackwell
1
h^
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 29
says, — relying on the reports brought to him, " have be- / come more a flight than_a_retreat j and, I understand a; great number of them, not belonging to the revolted Khalsa, have dispersed and returned to their homes."
In truth, no one at the time knew what had become of _ ' ; the enemy ; and, in order to ascertain, as was supposed, > that they had taken the direction of Dinghee, towards the Jhelum, Lord Gough despatched next morning^from Eamnuggur, the 9th Lancers and 14th Dragoons inA/^f " pursuit." "*"* *^/ f
Meantime, the Commander-in-Chief having ascertained that the force under Sir Joseph Thackwell had crossed the Chenab and was in movement, on the 2nd December, opened a heavy cannonade on the Sikh position opposite E-amnuggur, which was returned by only a few guns that guarded effectually the ford, and were so placed, that, although the practice of our Artillery was admirable, we could not, from the width of the river, silence them.
But the enemy's fire gradually slackened, and then altogether ceased ; when, as was afterwards * ascertained, the Sikhs had fallen back about two miles. ^ ^^-^C^sx./^
The Commander jn-Chief, however, continued to push for- ward his breast works as well as batteries, the same night, to the left bank of the river, and having thus secured the ford, by daylight on the 3rd, he detached Godby's
* By Capt. Robbins, who, on tlio night oftho 3rd, subjected the "? ford and opposite bank to minute inspection. ;
5-?
30 COMMENTARIES ON
Brigade of Infantry, six miles up the river, to effect a junction with Thackwell's force. But this design failed through various causes.
It appears that Godby encountered greater difficulties than the Commander-in-Chief had anticipated, in his attempts to cross the ford. The water was found too deep to admit of the troops wading through it. The pontoon train could not be fixed ; and, as before, boats again formed the last resource. Thus, about 5 p.m., the work of embarkation commenced, just as the action at Sadoolapore was closing, and, by 8 p.m., only one corps, the 2nd Europeans, had actually crossed the ferry of Runneekhan-ke-Puttun, which, it may be remembered, Thackwell had found impracticable on the 1st December. f I This corps bivouacked during the night, and it was not , '■ i until 9 a.m. on the 4th, that Godby effected the desirable l^ I junction.
^^ In the meantime, besides the detachment sent to Eunee-
khan-ke-Puttun to cover the passage of Godby's rein- forcements, a considerable guard was withdrawn from the field, to protect the baggage in rear of Sadoolapore, and, in consequence, the force that remained to engage the enemy, " was thoroughly inadequate to the task imposed upon it"
But it is questionable, whether the efforts of the enemy against Thackwell were at any time serious. The Sikhs opposed to the latter, were estimated by Sir Henry Law- I rence, whose knowledge of the Punjab was accurate,
«^
U-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 31
not to have exceeded 10,000, whereas, it was supposed that the whole of the enemy's force was present.
The object of Shere Singh appears merely to have been diversionary, in order to cover the strategical movement of the main body in rear ; and, therefore, had the British Commiander at first occupied the three villages in his front, when they were not as yet in the enemy's hands, — considering how close his skirmishers were to them, — a better position might have been secured, if not a de- / /> cided advantage. But, on the other hand, with noto- <•'* J riously defective information, and unsujjported by Godby's Brigade, such a movement might have been hazardous ; and yet, what position could well be imagined weaker and more dangerous than that which was preferred ? ;^ •'''
In his despatch of the 5th December, Lord Gough says, • "^ " Having communicated to Sir Josejjh Thackwell my , views and intentions, and although giving discretionary / , .' powers to attack any jDortion of the Sikh force sent to / '' oppose him, I expressed a wish that, when he covered the 1 crossing of Bi'igadier Godby's Brigade, he should await \ their junction, except the enemy attempted to retreat. I This induced him to halt when within three or four miles of the left of their position."
The confusion in the ofiicial chronology of the Piuijab campaign, is thus explained by the author of " The Second Sikh War." '^ ■
" *' General Thackwell's despatch descriptive of his actioar c (Sadoolapore), was not pubUshed till after the battle of I
32 COMMENT AEIES ON
Chillianwalla. The document was transmitted to Lord Gough three or four days after the fight ; it contained, however (so the authorities declared), a serious infor- mality," inasmuch as he had thanked Mr. John Angels, a volunteer, who although deemed by the General worthy of honorable mention, being a civilian, had been described as an extra aide-de-camp.
This was certainly an error, but as it might at once ^ have been corrected, the true cause of the suppression^ o.f, the desj^atch must be looked for elsewhere, nor is it difiicult to find.
Thus was effected " the Passage of the Clienab."
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 33
CHAPTER IV.
On the 4th December, the Infantry of Thackwell's force,^^^^ having been allowed to take a hurried breakfast, received orders to follow the Cavalry, which had previously, unde* 4 ^-^,^ the personal command of the General himself, proceeded ft -•o-jj^, in advance, with the ostensible object of Jiarassing ^ the
f nerjny's retreat bj the Jhelum, Jullalpore, and Pind
Dadan Khan roads ; and at length the force, reinforced by the 9th Lancers and 14th Light Dragoons, encamped, about sunset, at a village on the road to Jullalpore, and distant about eleven miles from the Chenab.
During the march, which was necessarily slow, the -i
nips pulled up while traversing the cultivated fields^ ' 7
troops had subsisted on coarse chuppatties, and raw tur-/ ^
Nothing had been seen of the enemy, and next morning . j^5-th December), Thackwell moved forward to Heylah, one*" of those numerous mud villages, which, in the Punjab, have arisen on the accimiulated debris of others which had ;/.
. V .
probably occupied the same sites from time immemorial. Some of these, in the flat scenery of the Doabs, present rather an imposing aspect.
3
34 COMMENTARIES ON
On the confines of this wild and gloomj expanse, bounded by the rugged peaks of the " Salt Range," ^'tf f*^ Thactwell sent two corps of Cavalry to reconnoitre the . • /- road to Dinghee, and three others, including the 14th 1% I Light Dragoons, with a troop of Horse Artillery, towards Jullalpore ; the latter observed two bodies of the enemy, apparently 400, and 800 strong, which, at the distance, suggested the idea that they were the rear- guard of the Sikh army. But it was found impossible to obtain re- liable information of the enemy's real movements, while the villagers asserted that Shere Singh had already crossed the Jhelum.
As, at Sadoolapore, Sir Joseph Thackwell expressed re- gretjt-at not having overtaken any of the enemy's troops or guns ; nor is such a regret surprising, when it is con- sidered what the real state of the matter proved to be. At that time, all relating to the enemy's designs and y movements seemed to be wrapped in the most profound obscurity, so much so, indeed, that it is scarcely an ex- I aggeration to say, that all the operations of the British were marked by hesitation and inaccuracy, tending to shake the confidence of troops less attached to their leader. But the faith of the army was profound in the personal gallantry and ultimate success of the brave Lord Gough, so that, although victory came by surprise, as well
* See his Despatch.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN.
35
as the loss of opportunities, the men were satisfied to A
attribute this uncertainty to the cause assigned by the \^ ' Author of " The Second Sikh War," namely, that every movement of the army was directed by a supreme civil authority, some hundreds of miles from the scene of operations, and that the veteran Commander was, in truth, under the tutelage of a young officer who, as representa- tive of the Governor-General, controlled all his move- ments, and allowed him only a discretionary power when a crisis had been, against his own judgment, precipitated, or the occasion for striking a blow allowed to pass, in view of some pohtical scheme which, as might have been seen, never could have come to maturity.
The British camp at Heylah was, in truth, only distant . about ten miles from that of the Sikhs, and during the //
long period of inaction in this position, the latter's guns Iv^j!^^ were often heard in the distance.
Gradually, as the dense belt of jungle in front yielded to the advances of the wood -cutters, several desultory skirmishes occurred between the patrols and the enemy's Ghorchurhas ; and, one day, a body of about two hundred Sikhs attacked a small convoy, which sought safety in flight. But the outlying picquets were never attacked, and the British camp itself, presented an aspect almost of repose, if not of monotony.
In the meantime, Lieut. Young of the Engineers, having i ^Y^ constructed an excellent bridge of boats over the Chenab, i|_y-Ty at Eamnuggur, the direct line of communication with
3 A . \
A%^^\
>' L
7»-J
,ji^ii^
T^-V^
(J
36 COMMENTAEIES ON
Lahore, the British "base of oijerations, was completed, and the Commander-in-Chief crossed the river on the Jyf^ 18th December, and encamped within a distance of three miles of Heylah. The same day, Shere Singh advanced a force of about 10,000 men to Dinghee, and seemed to threaten a movement on the Wuzeerabad ford, which would seriously have compromised the British position. Lord Gough, therefore, purposed to march on Googerat, and transmitted to Sir Joseph Thackwell his orders to conform to the movement. But this design was almost immediately abandoned, and instead. Brigadier Pope, with three guns and two Light Cavalry corps, was despatched to occupy the town and adjacent fords of Wuzeerabad, in order to secure that line of communication with Lahore, and, at the same time, to prevent reinforcements reaching the enemy from the capital, which was filled with in- surgents.
On the 19th December, a salute of forty or fifty guns g ^ ' 'v' in the Sikh camp -was supposed to announce the fall of , I - C Attock, and the adhesion of the Ameer of Cabul to the 1 (T ^if//"cause of the Sikhs. /
About this period. Brigadier White, with his Cavalry,
f /* IIt^^^ ordered to intercept Narain Singh, a Sikh chieftain,
'* reported to be on his way from Mooltan, with men and
. guns to join Shere Singh, but the movement proved
' 7 abortive.
A rumour was now spread, that great scarcity both of
A ifood and money prevailed in the enemy's camp, and that
'^iC
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 37
reinforcements from Peshawur had refused to cross the Jhelum until they should receive pay. But neither report seems to have had any real fotmdation, — for much less suffices for the support of a Native army in the field than for a European ; and it seems improbable that, at such a conjuncture, a question of money was uppermost in the thoughts of the auxiliary force, in the face of a struggle^^ i f<ft/ for empire.
At the same time, two troops of Horse Artillery, which Chutter Singh had received as a gift from the British /^ c/fi Government (and which were thoroughly disciplined and / . efficient), at an earlier period, for the purpose of checking _ any aggression on tlie part of the Afghans, — were now brought by his father to Shore Singh, and afterwards did severe execution on the troops of the donors, — the Sikhs serving them with admirable skill, and almost religious veneration.
Moreover, many Sepoys disbanded on the reduction * of Bengal Infantry Corps, still in the prime of life, and seeking for service anywhere, flocked to the hostile A standard. ^ '
* Short service, without pension, tends now (1876) to the same results. We discipline a Sepoy, and, when he is most serviceable, we relegate him to the Nizam or the Nepaul ralers. t
38 COMMENTARIES ON
CHAPTER V.
^ Majoe Mackeson, the Governor-General's political agent,
' / ^ on the 10th of January, having communicated to the
Commander-in-Chief, the fall of Attock, and the advance
JLj>t^ of Sirdar Chutter Singh with reinforcements for his son
t A*^*' Shere Singh, whose force was estimated at from 30,000 to
^jJLv*'*' 40,000 men, with sixty-two guns, thus concluded his
^^ft/ letter : — " I would urge, in the event of your Lordship's
' f finding yourself strong enough, with the army under your
■^ J/^ommand, to strike an effectual blow at the enemy in our
'^ front, and that the blow should be struck with the least
possible delay."
In consequence of this suggestion, Lord Gough ad- vanced from Loah Tibbah,* at daylight _on the 12th, to Dinghee, a distance of about twelve miles. Here, learn- ing from spies and other sources of information, that Shere Singh still held, with his right, the village of Lukhneewalla and Futtehshah-ke-Chuck, the main body of his force being at Woolianwalla, and the left resting
* A village in the position at Heylah.
^'i.7/
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN, t )Js 39
on the strong position of Russool, on the Jhelum, his Lordship, who had some time previously been informed of the impracticable nature of the country, for all arms, proceeded to reconnoitre.
The following morning, the British force again ad- - ^ vanced. ~
Here it was ascertained that the Sikh army, under Shere Singh, had taken up a position between the village of Futtehshah-ke-Chuck, and the low hills of Russool, on which its left flank rested.
This range of hills presents a sloping aspect to the plains ; but, as was afterwards discovered, on the side towards the Jlielum, it forms innumerable ravines and fissures, and is abruptly terminated by precipitous bluifs along the sandy flats and channels of the river. The sj)urs of these hills were crowned by extensive earth- woi'ks, which, however, were not, during the action which subsequently took place, approached.
A broad, and, in some parts, extremely dense jungle, principally of thorny bushes, occasionally attaining to the height of seven or eight feet, stretches in a south-easterly direction, but does not preserve the same density in the direction of Dinghee, its wildest character ceasing at the :
village of Chillianwalla. • ,>-
— — \C'
About this time, the presence of a large body of Cash-lU-
mere troops, under Colonel Steinbach, at Meerpore, on the] * ■ ■*t^ right bank of the Jhelum, was a source of uneasiness, audi (':q/-m/
"t^t^'
4Q " COMMENTARIES ON
' altliough it was said that Grolab Singh had directed thac
they should create a diversion ija .favour of the British^ - 1 their attitude was sufficiently doubtful, to justify Lord \ Gough's protest against their approaching the scene of 1 operations.
It was one of those pleasant mornings peculiar to the cold season in Upper India, that ushered in the eventful 13th of January. The air was still and bracing, and the increasing warmth of sunshine, in an almost unclouded atmosphere, produced the glow so welcome, after the cold of the early dawn.
Bugles and trumpets were sounding their familiar regi- mental calls, tents were rapidly struck, and the troops seemed thoroughly aware of the object of the approaching movement ; and, in justice to that portion of them, de- scribed by the author of a " Narrative of the Second Sikh War," as having, the night before, been "re-iterating prognostications in a tone of vaunting superiority, that the sun would not set twice on the concentrated forces of the proud Khalsa," — it ought to be said, by one who had a better opportunity of knowing the corps more particu- larly referred to,j that no such tone existed in it, either on the day of battle, or that preceding it.
The British force now advanced in contiguous columns of brigades, with artillery in the intervals, and made a considerable detour to the right, in the direction of Moong, " partly," says the subsequent despatch, " in order to
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 41
distract the enemy's attention, but principally to get ... * ^*^ clear of the jungle, on which it would appear the enemy >
mainly relied." How far these reasons were justified, under the circumstances, may be discovered in the sequence of events.
42 COMMENTARIES ON
e
CHAPTER VI.
The British were now approaching that dense, and, to them, iinknown jungle tract stretching to the left bank of the Jhelum or Hydaspes, memorable as the battle-field where, upwards of 2,000 years before, coming from the north-west, Alexander the G-reat had vanquished the host of Porus, in a combat, which, on the authority and show- ing of Arrian, must avouch to all posterity, the genius of the Macedonian hero.
It was about noon when the force reached the mound ^ close to the village of Chillianwalla, where a strong out- post of the enemy's Cavalry and Infantry was observed. The 24th Foot immediately proceeded to dislodge them, ^ but they avoided colhsion, and rapidly retired. It was on J '\ this occasion, and not afterwards, that Colonel Brookes . Jcried out, waving hisj sword, " Follow me, my men, and 't-'^*'|with God's help we'll gain a glorious victory!" This I incident is of importance, as it has been recorded as one 01 the causes of confusion in the subsequent advance, with which, however, it had no connection.
From the mound now occupied by Lord Gough and his staff, and, likewise, from some lofty trees near the village
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 43
of Chillianwalla, an extensive view of the country in front v?i'.3 obtained, and the army of Shere Singh, amounting to, ^
it is said, ^between 30,000 and 40,000 men, with about 54<^ sixty (sixty-two) guns, drawn out in battle array, and J}^ I occupying an advanced position, which had been taken up ..-
that morning, seemed like a line of white surf on the farther confines of the dark jungle which separated the • two armies by the distance of about a mile.
Shere Singh appears, on discovering the object
Lord Gough's flank march towards Eussool, at once to^ / . ,>J have anticipated it, and by throwing forward his right,/ , . . to have compelled him to accept battle on ground of his '^ ^ own choosing. The importance of this manoeuvre, how- ever, does not appear to have been immediately re- ' cognised, and the British Commander, having abandoned ■ his intention of awaiting the morrow nearer Dinghee,
where water was found to be scarce, now judged it ex- pedient boldly to pitch his camp in line with the small mud village of Chillianwalla, where, at any rate, there were several wells.
The regiments had piled arms, while the Engineers were / examining the country in front, and the Quarter- Master // General was in the act of taking up ground for the en-' .. campment, when the enemy advanced some guns and ,
opened fire. A round shot fell close to the Commander^ ' T^^ in-Chief, who at once ordered the heavy guns, from their^ *v^y position in front of the village of Chillianwalla, to return the enemy's fire. But, instead of silencing the latter, as
44 COMMENTARIES ON
had been expected, the enemy replied with nearly the whole of his field artillery, and thus revealed his true position, which the jungle had partially concealed.
It has been said that the Sikh leader had determined
HftO allow the British to encamp in such dangerous proxi- mity, but that the impatience or indiscretion of his r I Artillery officers had frustrated this design. Now, how- "W / ever, when the heavy guns of the British promptly ^« ' rephed, this stratagem_being..foiled, Shere Singh lost no *vA^ time in bringing every available gun into action, thus Lju''" exposing his position, which had been, hitherto, to some extent masked by the jungle.
It was now about 3 o'clock ; the day was far advanced, and the exposure to a night attack on ground imperfectly known, seemed so hazardous, that order of battle was at once formed.
Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert's division occupied the right, flanked by Brigadier Pope's brigade of Cavalry, strengthened by the 14th Dragoons, and three troops of Horse Artillery under Lieut.-Col. Grant.
f^,^ The heavy grnis were in the centre, under Major Hors- ford, with whom were Bt. Major Ludlow and Sir E. Shakspear. Brig. -Gen. Campbell's division formed the left, flanked by Brigadier White's brigade of Cavalry, and three troops of Horse Artillery under Lieut.-Col. Brind.
The field batteries were with the Infantry divisions, between the intervals of brigades.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 45
The reserve was under Brigadier Penny, and Briga- dier Hearsey protected the baggage.
While these arrangements were being carried out, a heavy, but as afterwards appeared, ineffectual fire, was 02)ened by the heavy guns, directed, but under the circum- stances, with uncertainty, against the enemy's centre, where his guns appeared to be principally massed, and this firey'"^/^t was supported, on the flanks, by the field batteries of the Infantry divisions.
This cannonade having been maintained for about half f^
an hour, — probably without effect on either side, — Lord , t Jr Gough determined to advance.
Brig. -Gen. Campbell's division now received orders to attack, and a Staff Officer, according to the narrative of Thackwell, " in breathless haste," rode up to that gallant
7*
veteran and " ordered him to carry the guns in his front, at the point of the bayonet." Considering that an un- known jungle had to be traversed for a mile, before actual contact with the enemy could be effected, the propriety of such an order, delivered by one whose name has never transpired, may be questioned, as well as the incident itself. Be that, however, as it may, the Brigadier-General i
rode up in front of the 24th Foot, and addressed the men V^ in these words, — " There must be no firing, the bayonet -^,1*,^ must do the work ! " &c. He then rode away to the left, - ' where he personally suj)erintended the advance of Hoggan's brigade.
In the meantime, Maj.-Gen. Gilbert and Brigadier Pope
r
:l
46 COMMENTARIES ON
had, almost simultaneously, received orders to advance on the right.
Immediately after Brig. -Gen. Campbell had addressed the 24th, that regiment was put in motion, and when the right had cleared the village of Chillian walla, just where the jungle began to increase in density, ground was taken more than once to the right flank by echellon of com- panies, and in consequence, under the circumstances, as each company was of unusual strength, in re-forming line, overlapping occurred by the loss of distance, while the long rows of loose thorny hedges clinging to the men's legs and dragging after them, increased the un- steadiness, primarily caused by the impossibility to hear, at the extremities of the line, the words of command, as they were given from the centre of the corps. Moreover, the men of the 24th, unlike those of other European corps, went into action in full dress, and with the old- fashioned and inconvenient tall chaco, scores of which were subsequently lost in the advance, and particularly at the moment of impact with the enemy. Sa^ ^ length, the jungle became denser at every step, and y the keekur and kureel bushes higher. The advance was continued at a rapid pace, and in such an alignment as the various companies, now broken into sections or files, -^^ , could manage to preserve, acting on the independent judgment of individuals, and the habit of previous ^ \ training.
After this advance, almost at random, had been con-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 47
tinued for about 1,800 |paces, the jungle suddenly — -" ceased ; and when the regiment, pounded incessantly with round shot by an unseen enemy, emerged from it, rapid discharges of grape and canister, swept away whole sections. ••, y v^ In front, the enemy's position was protected by a natural glacis, a gentle grassy incline, forming a gradient of about six feet in fifty yards, rising from a net-work of pools of water with abrupt margins, and between these were many trees with pendant branches, almost entirely denuded of foliage.
There was no time to pause, and take breath, even had that been necessary, and the line now dispersed and broken in the advance, — in consequence of the men having been unable to pass through or overthe numerous and<^~^ r" high clumps of imjDervious thorns, — made a rnsh^ for thfS • ^hT*^ ^guns. Many fell at this moment, under discharges of J grape, and, but for the rapidity of the onset, many more 1 must have fallen. The pools of water in front of the enemy's battery obliged some to make a detour, and in doing so, a few began to load _and fire, — the pendant branches of the trees swept off the tall chacos of others, — the air soughed like the wind with the flight of bullets. All order in the wild mclce was gone amongst the con- fused and scattered groups, as they rushed upon the enemy, and, in a short fierce struggle, enveloped in the gloom of the smoke, which, from some atmospheric cause,
HTuTi
48 COMMENTARIES ON
' still clung about the guns, captured the latter, at the ^ VS I point of the bayonet.
' So impetuous was the assault, that the enemy at once f} gave way, while the men of the 24th, instead of following
'^up their success, committed the error of staying to spike the guns. The delay was fatal to the victors, for the van-
f quished, now realising the paucity of their numbers, quickly rallied, and reinforced by infantry from behind, recovered possession of the battery in a short and violent hand to hand conflict, in which the gleam of bayonets
. and flashing of tulwars were conspicuous.
^ The cotip d'ceil of the field of Chillianwalla, from the point of view of a spectator standing on the mound in rear of the village, or in the village itself, may be thus described : —
As the extended red line of Pennicuick's Brigade plunged into the depths of the dark jungle, it was for a c J time lost to the eye. Here and there, the gleam of a bayonet, or a red coat struggling onwards, appeared for a moment, and again disappeared. A death-like silence reigned, broken only by the booming of giuis.
Rising as it were on the farther limits of this dark ocean of verdure, the white clouds of smoke from the enemy's guns might have been taken for the foam of breakers on the far-off shore, but for the rush overhead of roimd shot, and the dull thud, as each successively struck the ground.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 49
Then, as nearer and nearer the gleam of bayonets, and the red coats approached the guns in front, the welkir sighed with the storm of missiles passing through it.
At last, the extremity of that part of the jungle was reached, and innumerable scattered groups emerged from it, to find themselves in an open space immediately in front of the enemy's guns, from which many were separated by long and intricate pools of water. Amongst these a few trees, denuded of foliage by the fire, arose here and there.
For a moment, there was a pause to consider these obstacles, — and then a rush. Sections fell prostrate under a storm of grape, but the survivoig-^ressed forward, and at the moment of impact with the enemy, the artillery fire ceased ; and, in the apparent lull of the storm, hoarse murmurs arose in that smoky atmosphere I which told of the death-struggle, haiidjto han^
This was soon over ; and the Sikhs, scattered and in disorder, fell back in the gloom, like dusky shadows, and the red uniforms of the British alone were conspicuous in the work of spiking the guns ; when, suddenly, a \ shout arose, — the dusky forms again dashed at their ! decimated assailants, now surprised in the moment of victory. A short struggle ensued ; and the wreck of that gallant corps, the 24th, might have been seen hurled back into the jungle, and retreating on the village from I which it had advanced, pursued, a short distance, by the I Ghorchurhas, who, however, warned of the approach of a new danger, reined in their horses, and galloped back
4 J
50 COMMENTAEIES ON
to meet the assault of another brigade, now emerging in the same manner from the jungle on the left.
It is an error to say, that "a fearful massacre was enacted" on the retreating brigade. The enemy can scarcely be said to have pursued it, for he was almost immediately diverted from doing so, by the onslaught of Hoggan's and Mountain's brigades. The wounded were
1 doubtless despatched in many instances ; but the Sikhs
j had no time allowed them to follow up the butchery.
Pennicuick and his son, both officers of the 24th, fell just as they reached the guns. A stalwart Sikh was in- flicting gashes on the body of the former, who had been prostrated by a shot, when the son, a boy of seventeen, who had that morning come off the sick list, rushed for-
'ward, and bestriding the lifeless body of his heroic father, dealt anjiVenging blow. But, overpowered, he too
\fell dead. This episode is given on Thackwell's authority. I ;' Colonel Brookes, who had recently exchanged from the 69th Foot, and had been on furlough in consequence of his marriage, arrived only a few days prior to the action, and assumed command. He was an officer of martial spirit and chivalric bearing, and fell nobly at the head of his corps.
Major Paynter, shot through the lungs, was carried out of danger by his horse ; but subsequently died of the wound.
Major Harris, — he whose horse was shot under him at Sadoolapore, was again unhorsed, and as he was retiring
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 51
with the remnant of his corps, a single Sikh sowar cut /-^ *Ct- him down from behind in presence qf^ the writer. ijj^ ^
. ^ Captain Williams, a young officer of robust constitution, , - fell wounded by a musket- shot, and as he lay insensible on the ground was hacked by the enemy's tulwars ; but was carried to the rear with twenty-three wounds, one of his hands being lopped off, and, to the surprise of everyone, he recovered. He received no recompense for his gal- lantry and sufferings, beyond the usual small pension for the loss of his hand.
There were several other, more or less, interesting inci- dents during the battle of Chillianwalla, which have not been mentioned in the many desultory narratives of that eyentf ul day, and, amongst others, the following : — fiisi/^ Lieut. Thelwall, distinguished by high courage and quick intelligence, who was acting as a mounted orderly officer of Pennicuick's brigade, had his horse shot under him, and was, at the same time, himself severely wounded in the thigh.
As he lay on the ground (where, had he remained, the enemy would have despatched him, as they did all those who were unable to follow the retreat of the unfortunate brigade), he was surprised by his favourite horse — which he had recently sold to the Brigade Major (Harris) who had just been killed — trotting up to him riderless. Re- cognising his old master, he appeared to offer his services in a friendly manner. The providential opportunity was not to be lost ; and the wounded officer mount- ing the poor animal, which seemed to understand the
4 A
52 COMMENTAEIES ON
necessity for his standing as still as possible, rode to the
rear.*
As Pennicuick's shattered brigade rapidly made for
the village of Chillianwalla, pursued for a very short dis-
j y fcV tance by a few horsemen, Hoggan's brigade, on the left,
) ,- ! came upon the scene of the disaster, and charging up to
the batteries in their front, drove the Sikhs before them
'■ with heavy slaughter, and then changing direction to the
■ right, speedily recovered the groimd won and lost by their
i less fortunate and unsupported comrades of the Eight
\ Brigade, a portion of which,t however, succeeded in join-
j ing the victorious battahons.
In the meantime, the enemy's horsemen arrested in their pursuit by the sudden attack of Hoggan's brigade on the position from which they had issued, the defeated brigade might have been seen from a shght elevation of the ground, making its way in a mass, to the village in rear, after which it seemed to disappear.
Immediately afterwards, an ofllcer of another corps, J who happened to be serving with the 24th, and who had been delayed by one of the enemy's sowars (who for a few minutes made a feint of attacking him, but, suddenly, for- some inexplicable reason, changed his purpose), §
^«^ * An obelisk in the gardens of Chelsea Hospital commemorates
the slain of the 24th, and a monument on the field has been erected to the memory of all who fell.
t Some Sepoys of the 45th N. I. X This coi-ps was not present. § The same conduct on the part of the enemy's horsemen on another part of the field has been attributed to bewilderment pro- duced by bhung, but this seems improbable.
THE PUNJAB CA:\rPAIGN. 53
reached the village, but seeing no one outside, entered it, when he found a considerable number of the 24th, who, with alacrity, obeyed, when he ordered them to follow him to the open space outside. There, having recognised a colour- sergeant, he called upon the latter to stand about ^,
twenty paces off, and shout to his company (naming its number), to J' falj^n^' while he did the same. The result was, that the survivors of the company quickly filled up the space between the officer and the sergeant. The j ^ y. former then " told them off," and awaited further results. \ ' In a few moments more, the Light Company, under Ensign ' Hinde, fell in gradually on the left of the nucleus thus : formed, while the reinnant of other companies came in on the right, and thus order was restored, and the line reformed. I This formation had barely been completed, when Lieut.- ,' Col. Lugard, Adjutant-General of Queen's Troops, rode up to the corps, now rallied, and inquiring of the officer re- ferred to, who was standing alone in front of the line, what had occurred, the circumstances were briefly ex- plained by the latter, who was thereupon ordered by the Adjutant- General to follow, while he gave " the direction." j\ Accordingly, the officer gave the necessary word of com- mand to the company of which he had assumed charge,
(that which he had first rallied having, in_the meantime,
^- - - -
been taken over by its own subaltern Lieutenant Clark, _j
who had come up), and the others conformed to thef^ movement directed by the gallant Adjutant -General
")
54 COMMENTARIES ON
Queen's Troops, who soon rode out of sight, the corps following with its seven ofl&cers.
As this advance was proceeding towards the left front, Capt. Blachford, who had heen appointed Acting Field Officer for the day, but had not accompanied the corps in its previous disastrous attack upon the enemy, or been present when it was rallied, now rode up, and having made inquiries of the same officer whom Lieut. -Col. Lugard had addressed, took over the latter's orders from him, assumed command, and continued the advance, in the course of which, he was met by the Assistant Adjutant- General, who gave him further orders.
But the action was already over ; and, on arriving at the enemy's evacuated position, the task was assigned to the regiment of blowing up several of the tumbrils which the Sikhs had just abandoned ; and, while doing so, as dark- O^Tt/W^ss was approaching, the two last artillery shots of the day, on the left, were fired by the retreating foe, and must have fallen close to the spot, as indicated by the sound. • It may here be observed, that the annals of British warfare present few such losses by a single corps as were sustained by the 24th Foot, in this action.
Penny's reserve brigade, consisting of the 15th and 69th Native Infantry, was, meantime, ordered to re- trieve the disaster of Pennicuick's brigade ; but, owing to the nature of the ground, where the point cVajypxu was to a certain extent obscure, it inclined too much to the right,
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 55
and after some sharp fighting, in which its loss was 123, including five European officers, it eventually succeeded in reaching Godby's brigade, with which, during the remainder of the day, it co-operated.
Many and conflicting accounts have appeared in various publications, of these events. But, in estimating the true extent of a danger, it is well to test, by the actual return of casualties, descriptions which may understate the cir- cumstances,— as in the dry despatches, for example, of the General of the Mooltan force — and those in which the graphic power of the writer may, quite unintentionally, give a disproportionate importance to an event, as, for instance, while describing the advance of Pennicuick's brigade, even so gifted a narrator as Arnold, has spoken • of "the ascent, long and steep" of "the hill crowned by'| -^^ a Sikh battery," which was stormed by the 24th. '
After an action, it sometimes, but, fortunately rarely, happers, that the command of a regiment devolves on an ofl&3er who may not have been under fire with it, and who, consequently, is incompetent to describe, of his own knowledge, its conduct. Yet, owing to his position, such an ofiEcer has absolute control of the regimental record, and may, as has happened, enter in its pages, an ac- count of battles shaped to an official convenience ; and, thus, a scarcely reliable statement, drafted according to ihe exigencies of the moment, becomes, in the course of time, authoritative, and supplies data and incidents
^f L
56 COMMENTARIES ON
in some instances, while omitting them in others, on which future historians may, — and can scarcely avoid, relying.
In its advance, Pennicuick's brigade was the only one that had not the assistance of flanking batteries of artil- lery,— an oversight which Brig. -Gen. Campbell discover- ing, promptly despatched Lieut. Sweton Grant, one of his orderly officers, to repair. But it was too late. "The light field-pieces which ought to have covered the advance, had unaccountably been left behind. Standing there alone, — the Brigadier, Colonel, and Major, already fallen,"_ — without an Adj utant, for that officer, owing to an early wound in one of his hands, had not advanced far with the corps, — and without a single mounted officer, — for although the senior Captain (Blachford) was mounted for the day, as acting field-officer, he had, unfortunately, been prevented from proceeding farther than a little vsuj be- yond the village, — with thirteen officers killed on tie spot, and ten wounded, out of a total of twenty-nine ; \Thile of about 960 which followed them an hour before, scarce one half remained untouched by the " showers of grape and musketry poured in from battery and thicket," — it was scarcely surprising, that " the brave, but raw yeung sddiers of the 24th, should have been' driven headlong froia. the position which they had captured." \
Had the other brigades suffered under such a disadV-an- tage as the absence of supporting artillery, a " Subaltern
.,.^« v^^^ t^
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 57
/ of the 2nd European regiment" has shown, that the day ,
would probably have been lost. — '
A comparison between the circumstances of Pennicuick's
brigade, and those of the 56th Native Infantry, so highly
eulogized in Thackwell's account of the battle, indicates an
inconsistency in that narrative that, to the impartial mind,
must appear quite unaccountable, — and the more so, as
Lord Gough's Despatch, and the statistics of the losses
sustained, in a great measure neutralize the value of the
writer's opinion on this point.
The 25th and 45th Native Infantry, advancing on the
right and left of the 24th Foot, although they did not
succeed in keeping up with the latter corps, in time to
support it, when it had reached the eneniy's guns, never-i'-
theless, sustained heavy loss. Of the 25th, three oflBcers'
and 201 men ; and of the 45th, four officers and 75 men
were placed Iwrs de combat, while the two regiments lost
all their standards.*
In consequence, not only of the comparatively rapid
advance of the 24th, — which, however, never JowftZetZ, as has
been asserted, until it had emerged from the jungle, but
also of the density and inti'icacy of the latter, — the Native
Infantry corps on its flanks, were unable to support its
charge ; and, says Thackwell, " it fell to the lot of this, r
gallant regiment to experience an atmosphere solely com-j 1 Y
pounded of fire, grape, and round shot," to counteract ^/f*'^
* They lost five colours, one being an honorary standard.
58 COMMENTARIES ON
which, " there was no artillery and no fire of muslfetrj — for the men were unloaded."
But there was no unwillingness on the part of the
y Native corps of this brigade ; and many men of that
which was on the left, joined Hoggan's brigade, which
was nearest, and thus participated in its gallant attack
on the flank of the same position.
It has been said that the 24th lost its colours, but the fact is, it lost only one, namely, the Queen's colour, and this was a pure accident, arising from the circumstances of jjf^ the battle. The centre of the regiment, where the stan- « dards are always carried, was nearly annihilated by the ' ^ enemy, whose fire was, for a considerable time, concen- trated upon it ; and, instead of its being surprising that either was lost, when their bearers were killed, it is rather a matter of wonder how, the colour that was saved should have been accidentally recognized in the confusion, amongst the slain, and recovered by a sergeant. / "Amidst the jungle, it was tantamount to an impossi- ( bility for many men of a regiment to keep their eyes on j the colours at the same time." The colours and their I bearers were often levelled to the earth at the same moment, their falling was apt to be unnoticed, and, in con- sequence, eight stand of colours were lost in this way, in the jungle of Chillianwalla. On the other hand, unlike the other corps of the army, the 29th Foot took the sensible precaution of casing their standards, as we shall see.
Whether through an oversight, or a mistaken interpre-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 59
tation of the Brigadier-General's order, that there " must 2/
be no firing," the 24th Foot, covered by its Grenadier
company in skirmishing order, certainly advanced j*2i=.
loaded. But the Colonel, it must be obvious, could not,
as has been said, have caused the men to move at the
double, by waving his sword ; for, in the intricacies of the
jungle, he could have been seen, at most, only by a few of
the men immediately behind him, and these could not
have directed the movements of their comrades further
off, with whom they soon became unconnected.
One of the principal causes of the irregularity of this t ^
advance may be attributed, perhaps, to the difficulty of '.j .
>y sufficient supeiwision on the part of the other mounted \ r ^>^
y' officers. While the fatal result, was partly due, to the
^yi^ Native corps on either flank of the 24th Foot, not having
reached the enemy's position in time to supportthe attack
J^ J of the latter. But the absence of the usual batteries of Y'l — — "
' artillery, as before obsei'ved, covering the advance of other / .^t>
brigades, must be regarded as the princij^al cause of the ' ^»>*-^ disaster in this instance.*
" Why the batteries attached to this brigade," says Thackwell, "were left in the background, is a question which must be left to Sir Colin Campbell and Lord Gough. In this matter, for rejtrehension, Pennicuick was not pro-
* Lieut. Sweton Grant of the 24th, who was orderly oflSccr to Brig. -Gen. Campbell, told the writer that the latter perceiving when, however, too late, this oversight, sent him scouring the field to find the batteries, but that he failed to discover them.
60 COMMENTARIES ON
minently implicated. One party declared the \ Chief ordered that the batteries should be immediately stormed with the bayonet, thereby implying the absence of all necessity for the use of the guns. The other retorts, that the only order given was to advance, and that no General of Division, furnished with artillery, ever went into action without it. We do not undertake to state what the exact nature of the order was ; but, it is very manifest, that neither the Brigadier-General, nor his brigadiers, regarded the artillery as necessaiy ; in other words, the contempt of the enemy was not confined to poor Pennicuick."
Most of the ofiicers of the 24th were, comparatively, strangers to their men. The corps had recently arrived in India, with a loss of many old ofiicers, and an influx of new ; while, at the same time, the rank, and file composed for the most part of young recruits, had scarcely acquired, as was said, comradeship with the older soldiers.
The exchanges so common amongst ofi&cers, under tha old system, and the augmentation of officers from other corjis, tended to weaken that lidbit which gives unity to a body of men. The 24th was led into action by its Colonel, — a stranger who had arrived in camp barely in time to participate in the anticipated victory, and was personally scarcely known to his men.*
* It may not be out of place to mention that while the 24th was
rallying, a straggq^fficer. mounted on a conspicuous iron grey charger,
/ galloped past to the rear, shouting — "Save yourselves! Their
Cavalry are upon you ! " — It was a mistake. His name appears in
the Despatch. He was thanked, promoted, &c. (See p. 53.)
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 61
CHAPTER yil.
Turning to other parts of the field, it was observable, that the interval between the Brigade of Pennicuick, and that of Hoggan, owing to the excessive attenuation of the line, was very considerable. Brig.-Gen. Campbell placed him- self at the head of the latter brigade, and was distin- guished by his j)ersonal daring and imperturbable coolness.
The 61st Foot was frequently surrounded, but by the rapid wheeling of companies, — a circumstance so charac-' teristic of the whole action, — in almost every direction, it gloriously rei^elled the several attacks made upon it. !
On nearing„ th&. Sikh position^Campbell poured in volleys of musketry ; and the 61st, bringing its left shoulders forward, retook the guns which the 24th had just been obliged to abandon. So resolute, however, were the Sikhs, that, profiting by the numerical inferiority of this brigade, they turned against the 61st, those guns, which, but a few minutes before, the latter had captured, but had failed effectuallj_to_sj^ike.
" The contest here," says Thackwell, " was more equal, and better maintained than in any other quarter. The
62 COMMENTARIES ON
Brigadier-General himself, was wounded in the act of cut- ;, ting down a Khalsa gunner. The 30th and 46th Native {Infantry supported the 61st Foot with steadiness and 'courage. Conolly, the junior Ensign of the 46th, is de- scribed as having encountered extraordinary dangers ; Hvhile Godby, of the 36th, son of the Brigadier, was cut down by a Ghorchurha, but not killed."
It ought not to be left unnoticed, that, while this brigade ■ was changing its direction to the right, a Khalsa chief- tain rode gallantly up to the front of the 61st, and re- connoitered with so cool a demeanour, that he was mistaken for one of the British irregular sowars. Having
(satisfied himself, he rode away, and in doing so, the 61st corrected their error, by opening fire, but ineffectually, upon him.
Under the eye of the Brigadier-General himself, and
led by the gallant McLeod, it is but just to observe, that
3 ' the 61st, and its faithful comrades of the 36th and
^j^/T 46th, mainly contributed, on the left, to re-adjust the
I trembling scale of victory.
Gilbert's left brigade, supported by artillery, and com- manded by Brigadier Mountain, — who afforded a good example in leading on his men, — had reached the rear of that part of the enemy's position, which had just been unsuccessfully attacked by the 24th, and which the 61st was now simultaneously assaihng, when the gallant 29th Foot — judiciously advancing with their standards cased, and prepared for hard work, — encountered the most reso-
I BUREAU or V " •!.,, _
I" .^?lX%frrf^|^^ a ■ ; J cr a ia 63
lute resistance : but with that determined valour, raised i ■ . ; to heroism by the j^roud sentiment of e^rUde corjps, for J 4 U which this regiment has always been distinguished, these n . 7 experienced soldiers carried all before them, and spiked ^ Z^
several guns, only five of which, however, were secured.
Amongst the casualties, was Lieut. Metge, a gallant officer, who, falling mortally wounded, expired some days .
after; while Mowbray (of a family renowned in English n^^-a^*- ^ ^history), as he carried one of the standards, with im- perturbability, was shot through the forage cap, but, happily, escaped being wounded.
This brigade, like all the others, was received with an incessant shower of grape and musketry. But, as often happens, the best services, modestly performed, often escape the general notice, while others, comparatively useless, are eulogized. /
The 56th Native Infantry boldly advanced up to the - — - hostile batteries, with undaunted courage, under its leader, the gallant Bamfield, who, however, fell, mortally r-*^^'^'^ struck by a bullet, and sunk bleeding into the arms oi) A _ { , his son.
Eight officers, and 322 men of this corps, were here killed and wounded, — the colours were lost, and, in the confusion of a combat in which each regiment seemed to fight its own distinct battle, this gallant corps yielded to, /^ ^
superior numbers, and was driven back by its brave ad-l versaries, who, however, paid dearly for their momentary/ \A^\y^ success.
64 COMMENTAEIES ON
The other regiment of this brigade, — the 30th Native
^, Infantry, encouraged by the noble example of the 29th
■' Foot, went well to the front, as its roll of killed and
wounded, — eleven officers, and 285 men, — fully attests.
X It, too, lost one of its colours, not, however, by capture,
'*^'' -but by reason of the jungle, where the slain fell unnoticed
in the general melee.
At the same time, the right brigade of Gilbert's In- fantry division, under Godby, had not penetrated far into the jungle, when it was assailed on both flanks, in front, ^'*' and also in rear, in consequence of which, the 2nd Bengal . . -. European regiment was compelled to meet the enemy [( at every point, and, at last, ,to charge, rear rank in fK/^yO front, while Dawes' Battery was clearing the way for their further advance, and the 31st and 70th Native Infantry ably maintained their ground.
The gallant Sir Walter Gilbert now put himself at the head of this brigade, and directed its brilliant attack on the enemy's guns, four of which were captured. ...i^he Journal of a Subaltern" of the 2nd European /f V regiment (now 104th Foot), supplies interesting details of a combat, which so greatly added to the renown of that corps ; and, as these details have a bearing on the conduct of other brigades, the following extracts acquire an additional value.
" The word came for the Infantry to advance, ' Fix
I bayonets ! Itoad ! Deploy into line ! Quick march ! ' And
\ ; into the jungle we plunged with a deafening cheer, the
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 65
roll of musketry increasing every moment. On we went at a rapid double, dashing through the bushes,* and bounding over every impediment ; faster rolled the musketry, — crash upon crash the cannon poured forth* its deadly contents. On swept our brigade, and gaining \ , an open space in the jungle, the whole of the enemy's line ■ burst on our view. " Charge ! " ran the word through our ranks, and the men bounded forward like angry bull- ; dogs pouring in a murderous fire. The enemy's bullets whizzed above our heads. The very air seemed teeming
with them. Man after man was struck down
Onward we went with a steadiness which nothing could resist. (The enemy) fired a last volley, wavered, and then » turned and fled. Pursuit in a jungle like that, where ; we could not see twenty yards before us, was useless ; so j ^ " we halted, and began to collect our wounded, — when all of a sudden a fire was opened upon us in our rear. A i large body of the enemy had turned our flank in the jungle, and got between us and the rest of the troops. Another party was on our left, and we found ourselves with our light field battery, completely surrounded, and ^ C /j, alone in the field.
"The word was given, — 'Right about face,' and we advanced steadily loading and firing as we went.
" Captain Dawes' battery was the saving of us. As the
* The jungle was not so dense on the right as in the centre, for Buch an advance would have boon impossible in front of the village of Chillianwalla.
5
Q6 COMMENTARIES ON
Cavalry was bearing down, the Brigadier shouted, — 'A shower of grape in there' . . . and a salvo was poured in, that sent horse and man head over heels in heaps . . . The fire was fearful ; the atmosphere seemed alive with balls. I can only compare it to a storm of hail . . . All this time the enemy were dodging about the bushes, banging away at us, and then disappearing.
" At last General Grilbert rode up and said to Steel, — * Well, Major, how are you ? Do you think you are near enough to charge ? * ' By all means,' said Steel. ' Well, then, let's see how you can do it.'
"'Men of the 2nd Europeans, prepare to charge, — Charge ! ' and on we went with a stunning cheer. Poor Nightingale was shot, and fell at my feet. The Sikhs fought like devils, singly, sword in hand, and strove to break through our line. . . . After a short struggle, we swept them before us, and remained masters of the field.
" We were on the extreme rigid, and the thickness of the jungle prevented our seeing what was going on elsewhere.
" We took three of their guns in our second charge, and spiked them on the ground. . . . Several of our wounded were cut to pieces in the rear. . . . Sur- rounded, as we were, it could'nt be avoided. . . . The colours were gallantly carried by De Mole and Toogood, — and are shot through and through." * ^
* The gallant writer describes eereral of liia own hair-breadtli j^ escapes. '
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. Q7
Sir Joseph Thackwell, second in command, and General of the Cavah'y, was on the extreme left. With White's Cavalry brigade, and three troops of Horse Ai*tillery, under Brind, he advanced some distance, and opened fire\ on that portion of the enemy, which was under the com- ; ^_ mand of Outar Siflgh, who appeared to be seeking anf /• opportunity to turn the left flank of the British. ' /
The cannonade had not been of long duration, when a body of Ghorchurhas made a demonstration to their right, with the evident intention of penetrating to the rear. To prevent this being carried out, Unett's squadron of the 3rd Light Dragoons, and three squadrons of the 5th Light Cavalry, were ordered to charge, which they did in/^ "1 m / line. The Sikhs opened a desultory matchlock fire. / -^ V> <*-
The 3rd Light Dragoons forcing their way through the hostile ranks, never pulled rein until they had gone some distance beyond the enemy. Unett, severely wounded, with his men dispersed, resolved with the few near him, to cut his way back, while Stisted and Macqueen returned as they could.
The 5th Cavalry, despite the earnest exhortations of their gallant officers, avoiding collision with the foe, retired with precipitation.
The fate of Unett, and his squadron, seemed inevitable, when at length they were seen to emerge from their perilous position with honour to themselves.
Unett and Stisted were wounded, and many of their ' 5 A
§'f
68 COMMENTAEIES ON
men were killed and wounded.* No mention, however, was made of the devotion of these iDrave of&cers, in the body of Lord Gough's despatch, although some days after the action, his Lordship visited the former, and promised to recommend him for promotion.
The enemy's fire had now slackened ; when Brind re- ceived an order from the Commander-in-Chief to move his guns to the right flank ; and shortly after, White's brigade was directed to conform to that movement. But ,no sooner had the 3rd Light Dragoons been put in motion, 1^"*' ithan the enemy's fire was redoubled.
In the perplexing intricacies of the jungle, Brigadier
Pope's Cavalry brigade, which included a portion of the
9th Lancers, as well as the 14th Light Dragoons, not only
overlapped the troops of Horse Ai'tilleiy, on the right of
Sir W. R. Gilbert's division, but even got in front of the
latter, so that when the former found it necessary to open
^ f.' J fire, the Cavalry proved an unex]3ected obstruction.
*"■ ■■*■ ! During his advance. Brigadier Pope, who was at the
time in bad health, received a severe wound from a tulwar
on the head ; and it appears that a temporary halt was
ordered in consequence, when the Sikh Cavalry skir-
: mishing in front, were emboldened by what they mistook
for hesitation.
* This regiment lost during the day, in killed and wounded, twenty-four men killed, and two officers and fourteen men wounded.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 69
Meanwhile, Major Christie, commanding the Horse Artillery, on the right of Gilbert's division, had scarcely expressed astonishment at the movement of Pope's brigade, when, suddenly, the latter was observed to be in full retreat on his guns.
In an instant, guns, gunners, and wagons, were every- where upset by the rush of the British Cavalry, when the 14th Light Dragoons happened to be pushed agains^i Christie's troop by the other regiments ; and to crown the^- ^ / whole, the enemy's Ghorchurhas in close pursuit, entere^" the ranks of the Artillery.
Major Christie, with many of his gunners, was cut down on horseback, before he had time to draw his sword. Huish would have shared the same fate, had not Major i. Stewart, of the 14th Dragoons, despatched his assailant \*5^ with a pistol shot. Many were trampled by the horses. Lieut. Cureton, son of the gallant officer who had so recently fallen at Ramnuggur, met his fate by his horse becoming unmanageable, and carrying him into the J^ hostile ranks.
The few Ghorchurhas who pursued, had been mis- taken for a larger body, and would have penetrated still farther, had not one or two squadrons of the 9th Lancers rallied behind the guns, and opposed their progress. C iry^ Some of the former advanced to within a short distance i ^'■ftji of Lord , Gough and his staff, and his escort of Cavalry 0 § was preparing to charge, whereupon the Ghorchurhas retired.
70 COMMENTAEIES ON
Meanwhile, Major Ekins, Deputy Adjutant-G-eneral of
the Indian Army, seeking to deliver an order to the
■^Ctt*' retreating brigade, received a wound. His friend, Major
^^ ! Chester, hastened to his assistance ; the enemy was close
at hand. Ekins, however, begged him to leave him to his
f"^ I fate, and the enemy presently coming up, hacked him to
j pieces.
This disaster occasioned the loss of all the guns in Christie's troop, and two in Huish's ; but two of the former were afterwards recovered,* at the battle of Groogerat.
While these events were in progress. Col. Lane, of the Horse Artillery, with his guns, two squadrons of the 9th Lancers, and two of the 6th Light Cavalry, was
i^
r
~3 ^ engaged, repelling an attack of the enemy's horse, on the extreme right.
* The day after the action, a court for inquiry into the conduct of the 14th Dragoons was held, with a result satisfactory to that much injured but gallant corps.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 71
CHAPTER VIII.
It was now 5 o'clock, and night was at hand. The enemy were recovering and removing those gmis on the left oV^'^' ' their line, which although spiked, the British had been unable to carry off. Several points of the attack had failed, aad it was even doubtful whether the Siklis, under cover of the jungle, or of the darkness, might not make | C '/ a last aud supreme effort to snatch the victory, which had I w/y/. -i scarcely been secured. Had the latter been more enter- 1 i
prising, and perceived their a<lv,iut;iL;r, they might pos-jj ,
sibly ha^e done so. But they seemed to have forgotteni 2 ^k/ in the rcugh handling which they had received, accurately "', to calculate their chances of success in a iungle, when
^ ... y^ J '
darkness neutralized their superior local knowledge. 2;. Lord Grough proposed to hold the ground occupied by
the successful brigades, in order to secure any guns which might le found in the morning, and also to succour the woundec, when Brig.-Gen. Campbell pointed out the necessit; of falling back on the village of Chillianwalla, where tlone water could be procured, and where the baggag« would be ensured protection.
72 COMMENTAEIES ON
The British army bivouacked on the field, while the
! surgeons in rear were incessantly engaged throughout the
night, in amehorating the sufferings of the wounded, and
A If in performing the usual difficult surgical operations.
^^ ' During these painful scenes, the chaplain of the army was
untiring in his ministrations.
About 8 o'clock, a drizzling rain began to fall, and
those who were fortunate enough to secure some of the
men's quilts, which were scattered about near the baggage,
may have found a little j)rotection from the inclemency of
the weather ; but the majority of the Europeaas were
' 'i without cover of any kind, while the Sepoys, as many as
could be accommodated, sought shelter in the mud hovels
of the village of Chillianwalla.
l^f / It is by no means so^prbbable, as has been asserted, that
V^ the enemy emj)loyed the night in massacring the wounded.
That was done before ; but it is not unlikely tlat the
country-people of the adjacent villages, plundered and
strijjped the dead.
The loss of the British in this brief action Mas very severe, and amounted in killed (586), wounded (1641), and missing* (104) — to 2331, of all ranks (SlSf *i these casualties having occurred in the 24th Foot), and 17& horses. The aggregate calibre of the six guns bst, was
* In Indian battles the missing may generally be taken as kiUed. t The regimental returns show 520 ; of the twenty-two luropeaa ofSoers killed, thirteen were of the 24th Foot.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 73
54 (pounder) ; and 761 of the twelve captured from tlie enemy.
Thus ended one of the most severely contested of^ *''^- battles, in which, within the space of two hours and a half, eighty-nine British officers, and two thousand three hundred and fifty-seven fighting men either lost their lives, or were wounded ; while an unusual number of standards were lost — not captured — and six guns fell into the hands of the enemy, against the twelve small pieces which remained as trophies with the British-
Although the honour of victory remained with the latter, who held the enemy's position at the close of the »^ action, the Sikhs lost no prestige by their obstinate "' ^y struggle. Their strength was nearly double that of their opponents, but their real fighting power was, apparently, confined to only a portion of their force. -^^y
Instances of heroic courage on the part of individual j S » M'l / Sikhs were frequent, although the excitement of bhung, is said to have stimulated many others.
Single combats were not of rare occurrence ; and, as the ^?>c/ Sikh^awoi^man had the better weai)on, their issue was always doubtful. <rL, Lastly, it is an undeniable fact, that the enemy ended f I' .ml '^ r. the combat on the left of the line, with their artillery, h while Brind, now on the right flank, fired the last shot ' of the day in that quarter. ' '^"*t*
Nothing cotdd exceed the ferocity of the Sikhs, and,
although quarter was neither given nor taken on either i
^>^^
74 COMMENTARIES ON
side, they were so determined to inflict death, that they
often showered blows on the fallen, after they were dis-
' 'I abled by their wounds.
"In front of the village of Chillianwalla," says Thackwell, '■J \"lay a wounded Sikh, who had been abandoned by his
♦''^'*"**'iconirades. He was attired in the usual Khalsa infantry
J uniform, — a red coat of an old European pattern, with
white stripes of braid across the breast, and facings of a
different colour ; a white turban, and loose blue trousers,
; completed his costume. His handsome features were
I adorned with the usual thick black beard, whiskers, and
I moustache. A cannon-ball had shattered his thigh-bone,
and to alleviate Ms pain, he was seeking relief, by taking
bhung, a quantity of which seemed to be in his pockets."
On the approach of the officer, who has described him in
another work, he made a desperate effort to collect his
dormant energies, and convulsively grasped at a tulwar,
lying within reach ; but his strength failed.
Many such incidents are recorded ; and it is melancholy to reflect, how often brave men in such. a plight, refusing to ask for quarter, have met death with unflinching courage.
It has been trvdy remarked that, as : — " The ground was covered with thick high brushwood ... it did not seem improbable that the most carefully arranged com- binations might miscarry — that regiments would lose their distance, take a wrong direction, and even mistake friends for foes — as, indeed, happened on more than one occasion
dA
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. ' 75
during the day, and notably when, towards the close of the action, the 3rd Light Dragoons on approaching Huish's troop of Horse Artillery, being mistaken for the enemy's Ghorchurhas, narrowly escaped being fired into,"
The British army was scarcely half the strength of that commanded by Shere Singh ; and its advantage of V 0 superior discipline, was to a great extent neutralised by \jJjj '1/ an impervious jungle, in which regiments could not r J A *" preserve their proper formation, while the enemy's know- } ledge of the ground gave him a decided suj^eriority.
Moreover, finding himself considerably outflanked. Lord Gough was obliged to extend his line so considerably, I
f with large vacant spaces between brigades, that, so ■
attenuated, it occupied almost as great a space of ground , ■ ^ . as that of the British anny at Waterloo. On the other^ X«-^ hand, it is difiicult to excuse the General's neglect f - sufficiently to employ his artillery — especially his heavy i ordnance — in consequence of which, the brunt of the c^j action fell upon the troojjs_ and batteries of Huish, Christie, Brind, Dawes, and Lane.
Where so much depends upon Providence, as the result . ^ J^ of a battle, it is not always the most glorious victory, j 0 p that is most instructive to the victor ; and the disasters 1 '•'" ' of an action may afford lessons of the highest value, I
|.^_____Chillianwalla was undoubtedly a British victory, al- )i . ^ though so often questioned ; for Lord Gough, on the r cessation of^the fight, was in full possession of the field ;
*?(S COMMENTAEIES ON
1 ^ I , while the enemy fell back under cover of the darkness
j^ 1^ \ and the jungle. p In this action, the victor experienced the consequences
r<^ of : — 1st, undervaluing the enemy ; 2nd, imperfect topo- graphical information ; 3rd, — executing a flank move- ment in the presence of an enemy in position ; 4th, — disregarding the primary inij)ortance of artillery ; 5th, — relying on the bayonet, rather than on his superiority in. fire-arms, in difficult ground where skirmishing order . was appropriate ; 6th, — displaying standards in a jungle fight, and thus drawing the fire of the enemy on the leaders of battalions, and exposing, in consequence, the wings to sunderance ; 7th, — allowing, on the plea of equalization, additional companies to be made up for the occasion, which, in the melee, lost their cohesion. ^ It has been said, that Lord Gough, instead of giving
(orders for an "immediate and headlong attack," should have moved, " for the night, to a less exposed position." i But this was simply impossible under the circumstances. There was no option but to fight, and, owing to the j enemy's strategy, which precluded any movement to either I flank or to the rear, to have done otherwise, im.der the
/\^ circumstances of darkness, and an vmknown country, / would almost certainly have resulted, entangled as it would have been in the mazes of its camp, in at least seriously compromising the British force.
Many things happen on the battle-field, that might afford interesting studies for the metaphysician ; but
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 11
these are, not improperly, excluded from the domain of military history.
Some receive honours, as due to rank and position, which would be denied to the individual. But the in- fluence of the press, has, within the last twenty-four years, extended to the operations of war, and the creditable actions of the subordinate officers, and the rank and file, are now no longer allowed to be consigned to oblivion.
But the salutary reaction, has not been without the effect of producing some singular anomalies, in that combination of incongruous systems, under which, the most useful services and deserts, are liable to be measured by a standard, sometimes reliable, but purely arbitrary in its application, unless influenced by adventitious circum- stances.
78 COMMENTARIES ON
CHAPTER IX.
On the following morning, Brigadier White, with his Cavalry, scoured the battle-field, in hope of discovering abandoned guns, in which, however, he was disappointed ; while the Commander-in-Chief, with Major Mackeson, the political agent, ascended the mound, before described, to reconnoitre the enemy, if not already retreated across the Jhelum. They were, however, perhaps not altogether surprised to discover the defeated, but jiot_ subdued foe, nearly three miles off, still occupying their formidable entrenched position on the heights of Russool, on which their left flank had originally :ce.s±ed.
The scene of the retreat of Pennicuick's brigade, pre- sented a melancholy spectacle on the morrow. Rain had fallen during the night, and the mutilated corj)ses stripped entirely naked, by those who lurk about battle-fields in the darkness, presented a ghastly spectacle ; those of the British, pallid and blood-stained, were of the hue of white marble, and formed a striking contrast to the dusky slain of the native soldiery. The attitudes of death were sometimes singularly significant. Many were rigid, in the
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 79
position of ported arms, and bore a placid expression. Tliey had evidently been instantaneously struck dead. Others, with their mouths slit from ear to ear when on the ground, displayed the whole of their teeth, and were often thus made to bear evidence of the most atrocious muti- lation. Some appeai'ed to have expired in the act of protecting their heads from the blows of their assailants ; and one, struck down on his knees, had stiffened in that posture with upraised hands, the fingers of which had been sliced off with the blow of a tulwar ; the counten- ance was expressive of horror and agony, and the body was pierced with wounds. In another instance, the wounded man, while still alive, had, with ingenious malignity, been forcibly drawn through a bush, whose crooked thorns, like talons, had torn the skin into ribbons, giving the unhappy sufferer a striped appearance.
The remains of all the ofiicers were recovered ; and camels were sent out to bring in the bodies of the private soldiers, piled on their backs, to which they were fastened with ropes, and sometimes hanging suspended from the animals' sides. But so horrid was the sight of these bleached and mutilated corpses, so irreverently conveyed to the camp, that parties were sent forward to bury the '•.•— ^ remainder, chiefly about the pools of water, already de- f^ scribed. On the 16th Januarj^many were interred in the ,^»^^ same grave ; but, owing to unavoidable circumstances, so hastily, that, afterwards, as the writer passed by these slight tumuli, one evening in the gloamin, the villagers'
80 COMMENTARIES ON
dogs, and vultiires, were seen fighting and gorging them- selves on such fragments of humanity as they could drag from these shallow graves.
Mr. Whiting, the chaplain of the army, interred with Christian rites the bodies of the Europeans, including those of all the officers, that had been brought into camp. The latter were placed in one trench, the men in another. But there was one exception. Major Christie's body, at the request of the gallant survivors of his ill-fated troop of Horse Artillery, was buried in the same grave with his fallen comrades.
For the first few days after this sanguinary action, the
Engineers were engaged in protecting the camji with
earthworks. Official reports were being prepared ; while
the chaplain, the medical officers, and burying parties,
found incessant occuj)ation.
' y J I Some days later, Elihu Eux, the Peshawur artillery
I U jf officer, — a handsome man, with small beard, and dressed
" ^ ^ \ in the Afghan choga, — rode into camp, and surrendered
to Lord Gough.
^^^ Jr Shortly after this battle, the Commander-in-Chief con-
templatd a retreat on Dinghee, in order to keej) open
, his communications with Ramnuggur, where there was a
\ ' tete, de jpont, occupied by two native infantry regiments
^ ^and some guns — for the enemy had more than once made
Y* / i^eii^cing movements with large bodies of troops in this
p / direction.
There was, however, another line of communication open
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 81
by Heylah, where Thackwell's force had encamped after '"Y^^
Sadoolapore ; but this was no better protected.
Eventually, Lord Gough decided on maintaining his . ' ' . f position, until reinforced by General Whish from ^ Mooltan.
Orders were now despatched to the 53rd Foot, in garrison at Lahore, to march immediately to Eamnuggur, when relieved by the 98th Foot from Umballa; and at the same [time, Sir Dudley Hill's reserves were held in readiness to move on Lahore at an hour's notice.
Chutter Singh, who had arrived in the Sikh camp two or three days after " Chillianwalla," was received with a royal salute. He brought large reinforcements, and also his prisoners, Major Lawrence, and Lieuts. Herbert and Bowie, taken on the fall of the forts of Attock and Peshawur.
These officers were treated with much consideration by ,r , \%.
the Sikh chieftains ; but it was found necessary to guard ^
(\ ■ 1'""^' them against the fanaticism of the Akalees. They were \ ^jr tj, ,.
subsequently employed as the bearers (on their parole of I ^j^j^
honour to return) of overtures for peace ; but on terms j that were unacceptable.
The interchange of negociations served the purpose of keeping the enemy quiet, pending the anticipated fall of Mooltan.
On the 21st January, that stronghold fell ; and in \ A ^ consequence, General Whish's troops became available to > reinforce the army, under the Commander-in-Chief.
6
'/
82 COMMENTAEIES ON
Shere Singh was soon made aware of the surrender of Moolraj ; but is supposed to have withheld his knowledge of the fact from his troops, as long as possible.
The following day, the Sikhs were observed to throw back their left flank, which was also on the low hills of Eussool ; and, suspicious of some hostile design on their part, at dusk a large party was sent to construct a re- doubt on the British right flank. This was done with the utmost caution and despatch, and by daylight the work was finished.*
One day, a patrol of the 3rd Light Dragoons suddenly r^' *[ found himself confronted by two of the enemy, and, after a well maintained fight, succeeded in despatching both.
Men were daily employed clearing away the brushwood in front of the camp. But the camp itself was concen- trated in far too small a square, while in the centre there were crowded, elephants, camels, the camp-followers, and the enormous quantity of baggage which an Indian army carries with it ; an error commented upon by the Roman historian, in his Jugurthine War, who describes Met^llus kL/ I as having dispensed with the encumbrance altogether.
■ The British patrolling parties occasionally exchanged blows with the GThorchurhas, who were prowling about
* A trivial incident is often highly suggestive. During the night a young otficer, vrho had been indefatigable in filling the sand bags, had just sat down for a moment, about 3 a.m., to rest, when his senior, who had merely been looking on all the whUe, suddenly and authoritatively addressed him — " How is this, you ought to be doing something ! "
f
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 83
everywhere, in quest of food, or plunder; and the 9th Lancers, who were on the right, and consequently nearest to the enemy, were daily disturbed by false alarms ; and indeed, so unremitting were the outpost duties, that few ever undressed, except for a hasty ablution. / On the 25th of January, an alarm was raised that the enemy was turning out m battle array ; but this proved to be a mistake. v\ On the 30th, Lieut. Chamberlain, with a party of the
y 9th Irregulars, intercepted a body of Grhorchurhas, who were endeavouring to seize our camels, which had been sent out to graze. Sixteen were slain, and the rest put to flight. In this affair, the brave leader of the Irregulars received a wound.
It has been thought, that English Cavalry in India, although admirable for any special occasion, and useful in giving solidarity, and setting an example to the Native Horse, has rarely played a prominent part in the more useful, and less stately duties of that arm.
During the campaigns in India, within the present generation, outpost duties, and gathering intelligence j^r r ""^ have been chiefly performed by the Irregular Cavalry] T the ti'oopers, or sowars, of which as the owners of their' own horses, &c., have a stake in the corps, and being more independent, take a real pleasure in the performance of the most harassing duties.
The uniform of the Irregular sowar, is, moreover, better suited to the discharge of the duties imposed upon Light
6 A
84 COMMENTARIES ON
Cavalry in the field ; while, on the other hand, the British Dragoon, and his horse, are subject to such incessant surveillance, that his efficiency is, although it may appear paradoxical, thereby somewhat impaired, when continuous hard work has to be done.
During this campaign, the Irregular Cavalry were, in ■ vV^ truth, to use a familiar phrase, the eyes and ears of the army.*
Celerity of movement, and readiness for an emergency, are the characteristics of the latter. British Cavalry was then, except in pursuit, comparatively of secondary con- sideration to an army in the field ; and, in action, their valour was to a great extent wasted, on those who yielded to the charge, only to inflict heavier loss as the squadron passed by them. These results were notorious dviring the Punjab campaign, and still more so in that of the Sutlej, when, as at Aliwal, the Khalsa Infantij^_jllowed_ the ^X 1 Lancers to break their squares, f and then surrounded ' them separately, so that victory was dearly purchased.
The reason which induced the Sikhs to abandon their strong position at Eussool, has been variously stated. Scarcity of supplies — the discovery that it afforded no line of retreat in the event of defeat — the traditions of past Khalsa victories at Googerat — the interception of the
* In the Memoirs of Count Pajol, an excellent idea is given of the uses of Cavalry in a campaign, t Or " we
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 85
force advancing from Mooltan ; and, lastly, the treach- erous design of their own leaders, to decoy them to their
i
destruction,
— When, on the 5th February, it apjieared, from the ^ _ '"' absence of the usual signs of occupation, that the Sikhs yj had retired from their position at Eussool, two officers at ^,.!— — ^ once mounted their horses secretly, and set out to explore. Having ridden about two miles through the intervening jungle, they ascended the natural glacis, and entered / ^ cautiovisly the earthworks, which were admirably con- structed. The embrasures were strengthened by forked trunks of trees, hke the letter Y, beneath which the ground was excavated for the reception of ammunition, and for protection. Beyond this, the ground was deeply rent, in every direction, forming precipitous ravines ; while on an isolated little plateau stood the mud village of Russool, connected with the adjacent parts by an extremely narrow neck of land, slightly protected with wood ; while, on the opposite side, a deep escarpment was presented to the river Jhelum.
The place was entirely deserted, but swarming with flies.
The two officers, who were the first to enter this singular natural fortification, anticipating no interruption, pic- queted their horses, descended to the river, where they bathed, and were returning leisurely through the jungle, when they suddenly canie upon two of the enemy^s spies-^ to all appearance, by their long twisted hair, Akalees.
> I
1
M^J-
u
86 COMMEKTAEIES ON
Being quite unarmed,* the ofl&cers were obliged to adopt the first idea of self-preservation that presented itself, and, accordingly, plunging the spurs into his horses' sides, one of them dashed past one of the Sikhs, and seizing him as he did so, by the hair, carried him off his feet helpless for a considerable distance, and then dropped him. Both now rode to camp, as rapidly as possible, through the more open jungle, while three musket-shots in their rear, told them that their amateur reconnoitring had been successfully accomplished, without any un- pleasant consequences.
The outpost duties, at this period, were, as already remarked, severe. Few were unprepared for any sudden emergency, as the custom was to sleep in one's clothes, — and on dark, bitterly cold, and often wet nights, — on outlying picquet, generally on the bare ground. f
On the 5th February, it was discovered that the Sikhs,
uring the night, had abandoned their position at
Eussool ; but owing to the state of intelligence, it was
some time before the direction which they had taken was
ascertained.
The following day, on a false alarm, three signal guns were fired — the camp was struck, and the troops remained
* Their reconnoitring on their own account being contrary to orders, they had dispensed with arms to avoid notice.
f The writer commanded the outlying picquet of his corps, when his company was detailed for that duty, from the battle of Chillian- walla until the close of the campaign.
/>>
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 87
under arms from noon until sunset, within the entrench- ments.* The confidence of several, seemed, in many regiments, by the evidence of doubt as to the enemy's movements, not unshaken.
A good deal is said in " A History of the Second Sikh \1 War," of "the Koree Pass," where a slight affair of outposts occurred, on the 11th February, when " the Sikhs made great demonstrations," and " drove in the patrolling party."
Hand to hand encounters were frequent in the earher part of the day, and in these. Chamberlain, of the Irregular Cavalry, greatly distinguished himself.
At length, it was discovered that the enemy was marcli. ing on Goog'>rat, with the design, probably, of destroytt ing the communications of the British with Lahore.
On the 13tii, Brigadier Cheape arrived in camp, from ( ^ Mooltan, with some squadrons of Irregular Cavalry ; and, next day, inteligence was received that Shere Singh had occupied Googe-at.
Ou the 15tt February, the camp was broken up, and \ S the army pursuing the direction taken by the enemy, marched to Lusoorea.
The next day it proceeded to Puckha Musjid.
On the 17th, it was at Kunjah, and encamped near a large brick fort close to which appeared a small, but well built bazaar.
* The camp at Qiillianwalla is said to have been the first that a British army in In ia had ever entrenched.
88
COMMENTAEIES ON
The enemy was now descried in the distance, in the direction of Googerat.
Next morning, the British force moved to Truckhur, in rear of the position which the Sikhs had occupied at the affair of Sadoolapore.
Here there was a halt ; * and, on the 20th, the army- advanced to Shadawalla, where its picquets were in sight of those of the enemy.
On the previous night, at a late hour, Brig.-Gen. Dundas had arrived ; and, during this day. Brigadier Markham followed by forced marches from Mcoltan.
* In a well near the camp, were discovered a few aiuch decayed bodies of Sikhs who had fallen at Sadoolapore on theiSrd December 1848.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 89
CHAPTER X.
While, and before these operations of the army of the Punjab were in progress, under Lord Gough's personal command, as before stated, so early as October 1848, Brigadier Wheeler was employed in the reduction of the covmtry north of Lahore ; and, in the following month, he was engaged in clearing the jungle, in the Doab be- tween the Ravee and the Chenab, of armed marauders; while, in the Julunder Doab, across the river Beeas, a fresh rebellion, which had broken out, was ably repressed by Lawrence.
Reinforced by troops from Bombay, to the number of about 3,000 men, of whom 1,600 were British, with up- wards of sixty siege guns, General Whish (who had been obliged to retire a short distance from Mooltan, the stronghold of the rebel Moolraj), on the 26th of Novem- ber, renewed the siege ; on the 27th of December following, he delivered his attack, and, on the 29th, commenced the bombardment.
At noon on the 30th, the enemy's principal magaziuf blew up with a roar that seemed to shake the earth for
90 COMMENTARIES ON
miles ; and, the following day, the city was stormed. On ': the 31st, the citadel was invested ; and on the 21st of January 1849, it was unconditionally surrendered by Moolraj .
During the period of this siege, as before mentioned,
many slight skirmishes occurred, and one action on a
larger scale, on the 7th November 1848, when a force,
j under Herbert Edwardes, defeated an attempt of the
enemy, at Soorujkhoond, to raise the siege.
The Mooltan column shortly afterwards arrived at Eam- nuggur, under Maj.-Gen. Whish. The menacing dis- position of the enemy's force, indicated a design on Lahore, and, amidst conflicting rejjorts, the Commander-in-Chief determined, in the first instance, while at Lussoorea, almost equi-distant between Ramnuggur and Wuzeerabad, to secure the fords of the Chenab near the latter town.
Accordingly, after a counsel of war had been held, an order was despatched to Maj.-Gen. Whish to detach a force from Eamnuggur to these fords. But the order had been ably anticipated ; and Col. Byron, with the 53rd Foot, 13th Native Infantry, Holmes' Irregulars, and some guns, already held the ferry and ford, so that when a body of the enemy, numbering about 6,000, made a demonstration of crossing the Soodra ford, that officer prepared to dispute the passage ; whereupon, the Sikhs abandoning their design, returned to Googerat.
About this time. Lord Gough resolved to reduce the astounding baggage of the army, by sending all super-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 91
fluous tents, and camp-followers, to Eamnuggur, with the records of the various departments, and the officers at- tached to them, who were " dispensed with for a time." In consequence, the army was relieved, to say the least, of the inconvenience of nearly eight thousand camels, and its leader, seems deserving of the commendation bestowed upon him, for so judicious, although tardy a measure.
92 COMMENTARIES ON
r
CHAPTER XI.
The strength of the Sikh army was about 60,000 men of all arms, and fifty-nine pieces of artillery, under the com- mand of Sirdar Chutter Singh, and his son Eajah Shere Singh, with a body of 1,500 Afghan horse, led by Akram
/ Khan, son of the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan. It, there- fore, was a matter of urgency, that the Mooltan reinforce-
•T . ,^^inents, as we have seen, should effect a junction with the
' , 'force under the Commander-in-Chief.
^ i
2- • Brigadier Markham had crossed the Chenab at Kanokee
by forty-seven boats. Brig. -Gen. Dundas, who had been repeatedly urged to join by forced marches, in conse- quence of not having at first paid sufficient attention to his orders, during the last two days, reheved the anxiety of Lord Gough, by a march of forty-five miles, — harassing to troops on the eve of battle, and which might have been avoided by less compromising procrastination. I'^/J-' On the 20th February, a reconnoissance was made of the enemy's position, and it was ascertained that their camp nearly encircled the finely situated town of Googerat, their regular troops being placed immediately fronting
j".-^- .': -\u'"t'' tJ-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 93
the British advance, and in the open space between the
town and a deep watercourse, the tortuous dry bed of the
river Dwara.-
^/l^^;S^ This nullah, passing round nearly two sides of the town,
"^^^Z ' diverges to a considerable distance on its northern and
^ western faces, and then taking a southerly direction, runs
\ through the centre of the encampment previously occujiied
by the British, at Shadawalla.
Thus, the enemy's position on the right, owed its chief ^ C-' ^ strength to this nullah affording cover to the Infantry, < 4-;: in front of his guns; while another deep, though narrow wet nullah — an affluent of the Chenab — running from the east of the town, covered his left. * The ground between these nullahs, for a space of nearly
_^ three miles, was a dead level, without obstructions of any kind — some three isolated villages rising considerably above it,- — and was well calculated for the transit of the heavy guns, as well as the operations of other arms. ^ Accordingly, the Commander-in-Chief, with the design fr-^'^of penetrating the centre of the enemy's line, so as to (/ ^ -i" turn the position of his force in rear of the nullah, and j^-t-r thus enable the British left wing to cross it, in co- operation with the movement of the right wing, and so double upon the centre of the enemy's wing opposed to it — gave the word, and, at half- past 7 a.m. the army advanced, with the precision of a parade, in the following order : —
On the left, the Bombay column, under Brigadier the Hon. H. Dundas, supported by Sir Joseph Thackwell
^9>
94 COMMENTAEIES ON
(second in command), with White's Cavalry brigade, the Scinde Horse, and Duncan's, and Huish's troops of Horse Artillery ; while the Infantry was covered by the Bombay Horse Artillery, under Blood.
On the right of the Bombay column, with its right resting on the nullah, Brig.-Gren. Campbell's division of Infantry, covered by Ludlow's and Robertson's Light Field batteries. n^,_ ' In reserve. Brigadier Hoggan's Infantry Brigade.
^^^ On the right of the nullah, and in alignment with the f /force on the left of it,- — the Infantry division of Sir y^ Walter E,. Gilbert, on the left flank of which, and nearest the nullah, were the heavy guns, eighteen in number, drawn by elephants, mider Majors Day and Horsford, and Captain Sir Richmond Shakespear. 0 » y The line was far^er-^rolongedTby Whish/s division of
..^ Infantry, with Markham's brigade in support, covered by the three troops of Horse Artillery of Fordyce, Macken- zie, and Anderson, with Dawes' Light Field Battery, — Lane and Kenleside's troops of Horse Artillery in a second line being in reserve, under Col. Brind. ^r> The right flank was protected by Brigadier Hearsey's
and Lockwood's Cavalry, and Warner's troop of Horse Ai'tillery.
The baggage was protected by Lieut.-Col. Mercer, with the 5th and 6th Light Cavahy, 45th and 69th Native Infantry, and the Bombay Light Field Battery.
The village of Burra Kalra, the centre of the three
^(^Iv-
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 95
mid-way in the plain, and that of Chota Kalra on the right, were almost simultaneously attacked ; the former by Pemiy's brigade, and the latter by that of Harvey, while the third village, on the left, was taken without resistance by the skirmishers of the 24th Foot.*
The enemy had been observed to fall back in consider- al)le numljers on Burra Kalra, which was flanked by two SJkh batteries. Sir Walter Gilbert ordered Penny's brigade to storm it, when at about 200 yards distance, in consequence of the galling fire of the retreating Sikhs <:, ^ from it. The 2nd Europeans, supported by the 31st and 70tli Native Infantry, and led on by their gallant Briga-; dier himself, advanced to the attack. The resistance was, most obstinate on the j)art of a portion of the enemy, who covered the retreat of their comrades from the other side, of the village, as the British entered it. No quarter was; given. Those who shut themselves up in the small mud huts and houses, found there no protection. The doors were burst open, volley after volley was poured in, and the defenders perished, fightingJbraiVely;_to^ the last, with a rare courage, as the casualties of the victors proved — 1 72 in the Native Infantry alone, exclusive of the Europeans. Three standards were captured during the combat. While the left wing of the Europeans held the village, the right debouched on the plain, and found themselves
* The enemy directed a heavy cannonade, but it was ineffective, the shot passing at least thirty paces to the left of this village.
96 COMMENTARIES ON
under a. hot fire of grape and canister, which was concen- trated upon them, in consequence of the supporting troop of Horse Artillery having been disabled in the attack. r In the meantime, the village of Chota Kalra was * "^ '*■ , carried in brilliant style by Harvey's brigade, composed of the 10th Foot, imder Col. Franks, and the 52nd and 8th Native Infantry, supported by Fordyce's troop of Horse Artillery. The assailants effected an entrance under a galling fire from looj) holes. The 10th Foot in a few minutes had sixty, the 52nd, thirty-five, and the 8th, fifty-nine, put liors de combat. During this affair, / Anderson's Horse Artillery was exposed to a heavy fire, under which their leader fell mortally woimded; while Fordyce's troop was nearly annihilated.
The Sikh Cavalry made several attempts to turn the
British right, but were out-manoeuvred by Brigadier
Hearsey. " The enemy," says Thackwell, " poured a
' heavy fire into the 14th Dragoons,* whose skirmishers
often resolutely repulsed the daring foe."
Warner's troop of Horse Artillery arrested the advance n ■ /of the Grhorchurhas, a large party of whom, however, * ' penetrated to the rear of the heavy guns, and approached Lord Gough, but were put to flight by the personal escort under Lieut. Stanners, who received a severe wound. On the same occasion, Mr. Cocks, of the Civil
^lA^
* This corps lost in the action and pursuit, one European officer killed and two wounded, and four rank and file wounded.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 97
Service, who accompanied his Lordship, met a Sikh who
had dismounted to attack the latter in single combat,
and, after receiving a very severe wound in the leg, \
succeeded in slaying the bold assailant.
The enemy opened a feeble fire on White's Cavalry Brigade, which was soon silenced by the guns of Huish , , and Duncan. Observing tliat the Sikhs had abandoned ^
one of their guns, a party of Huish's troop, on securing it, discovered it to be one of their own, which had been taken at Chillianwalla.
During the battle, a large Sikh gun had drawn a very ,- heavy fire on itself from the British Artillery, and all its |r , 4*^^ gunners were hors de combat, save two men. These, how- ' ever, continued to serve it, as the line approached. At length, one of these heroic men was killed ; but, so in- domitable was the courage of the last survivor, that alone, 1 and unaided, he succeeded in firing two rounds, and then " took to flight," or, as in European warfare it would be described, — abandoned his gun when further resistance ^ was impossible.
A wounded Sikh, in the same proud spirit, exclaimed,[ <^ as a British officer passed by — "God has given you the' battle."
The cannonade was magnificent, and terrible in its [ efEect. '^'^^jv
The Sikh guns were served with their usual rapidity ; and the enemy well, and resolutely, maintained his position
7
98 COMMENTAEIES ON
as long as it was tenable under the British fire, and sullenly fell back.
The heavy guns continued to advance with extraordi- nary celerity, taking up successive forward positions, and driving the enemy from those to which he had retired, while the rapid advance, and splendid practice of the Horse Artillery and Light Field batteries, — strengthened by two troops of the former, under Brind, brouglit from the reserve, the whole being under the superintendence of Brigadier Brooke, — broke the ranks of the enemy at all points.
Large bodies of Sikh Cavalry hovered in front, while the Afghans, on their right, under Akram Khan, threat- ened the British left. The Scinde Horse, however, headed by the dauntless Malcolm, and supported by two squad- rons of the 9th Lancers, dashed with impetuosity upon them, and sent them flying in retreat, leaving in the hands of the victors two standardsj gallantly captured.
• The rout of the Afghans was immediately followed by a wavering in the enemy's right wing, which was soon converted into a flight, followed by the remainder of his forces.
The whole Lifantry line now rapidly advanced, and drove the enemy before it ; the nullah was cleared, the guns in position carried, the camp captured, and the enemy routed in every direction, — the right wing with Campbell's division in pursuit, passing to the east^vard of
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 99
the town of Goog^^rat, while the Bombay column advanced on the westward.
The British Cavalry was launched in. pursuit. The whole country was strewn with the wreck of the Khalsa power, — guns, bullocks, wagons, tents, standards, and merchandize, &c. For miles around the country pre- sented a dreary spectacle of the dead and the dying. Many cast away their arms and uniform to disguise their profession. Others hid themselves in the corn-fields and villages, but, the cavalry of Hearsey and Lockwood, dis- persing in every direction, drove them out with great slaughter.
Corporal Payne, of the 14th Dragoons, captured a standard from a fugitive, and cut him down at the same c ^ .y time, while Major Scudamox^j^ received a severe wound "7
from a Sikh whose life he had spared.
The troopers did not draw rein until they had pro- ceeded a distance of fourteen miles, by which time, even- ing had closed in. General Tha^kwenjntended to bivouac .., . P-*x. for the night, and resume the pursuit next morning, but'i -' ' was recalled by Lord Cough. Had the pursuit continued, however, there can be little doubt that it must have been kept up by the Cavalry alone, for, even during the heat of • ■ .^ the pursuit. Blood's magnificent troop of Bombay Horse ^-^ / / Artillery, was the only one that rendered any assistance.
Unlike their followers, it is said that the majority of' - the Sikh chieftains, early la the day, deserted the field,}
100 COMMENTAEIES ON
and fled towards the Jhelum, taking with them the English officers made prisoner at Peshawur and ^ I Attock.
The Afghans never halted till they had reached the
fj7 Jhelum, a distance of more than, thirty miles. Akram
• Khan, their leader, who was wounded, did not stop until
^ tj^p he had crossed that river, and approached close to Eawul
^^ ([^ -Pindee.
It l*-*!/^ ■" -^f ^6^ ^^6 battle, small detachments were posted at the
/ »«W principal fords of the Chenab, to disarm any fugitives
• 'returning home, but, to allow them their liberty, and the
\ ! retention of their horses.
•;- '\'-' ' I Meantime, on reaching Googerat, the 2nd Brigade of
"^ "Whish's force took possession of the eight gates, and then
of the fort, where about eighty of the enemy laid down
- 'their arms, and were made over as prisoners to the 30th
^^ Eiegtment, along with other detachments, found in different
.,„t^*^ parts of the town, that, with few exceptions, made no
i, 'i/.' -.J. resistance.
Four comjjanies (two of the 32nd Foot, and two of the ^^,,,..^-^5 1st Native Infantry), while proceeding to occupy the town, captured a gun, standard, and some horses, with the loss of one man killed, and an officer of the former corps wounded ; and, about the same time, a sub-division of the 10th Foot, and the Grenadier Company of the 62nd Native Infantry, gallantly stormed and captured a temple and garden defended by the enemy, who suffered
^H
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 101
severely, between thirty and forty having been put liors de ''' ■ "^ combat, and a great number taken prisoners.
The Sikhs left their picturesque camp standing near S / ^ the Bura-daree, a kind of pleasure house, in an orange | grove, close to the town. But, before the order was issued the following day, commanding all persons pos- sessed of spoil, to deliver it up, the whole encampment, to the very tents themselves, had vanished piece-meal amongst the British camp-followers.
An Infantry oflSeer, entering one of the enemy's tents, was taken by surprise. A stalwart Sikh had ventured to remain, and now confronted him ! Drawing his sword, the latter dashed past him, at the same time inflicting a ^ severe wound, and escaped.
The Bombay troops saw little of the battle ; the enemy gradually retired as they advanced. The 60th Rifles were extended in skirmishing order, but did not come into collision with the foe.
Immediately after the battle, life and property were, by a proclamation, assured to the terrified citizens of Googerat, most of whom had temporarily sought safety in concealment, and, next morning, the town presented its ordinary appearance.
The troops that remained at Googerat were, for some days, occupied with the exjilosion of the different maga- zines and tumbrils, with which the camp abounded, and, in the course of doing so, two European soldiers, and
102 COMMENTARIES ON
V four Sepojs, thoughtlesslv sitting down to smoke on an I ammunition wagon, were blown into the air.
The total loss sustained by the British in this crowning victory, was ninety-six (including five European officers) killed ; and 711 (including twenty-four European officers) wounded, — in all 807.
The British captured fifty-three * of the enemy's guns, some of which, however, were of very small calibre, and. it is only surprising, what an admirable use was made of them against the overwhelming artillery of the victors, — namely, eighteen pieces of heavy ordnance, and sixty-six 9-pounders, exclusive of the Bombay Artillery.
From the point of view of the author, then an officer of Campbell's division, the general features of the action may be thus described : —
The battle of Googerat was a magnificent scenic display. The day was bright, and the sky cloudless. The immense level expanse of young corn, about four inches high, pre- sented a sea of verdure, bounded, in the far distance, by the snowy range of Cashmere. To the left rose the towers of the walled city of Googerat, with orange groves in great part surrounding it, while the mid-distance was occu- pied by three nearly equi-distant mounds, on which stood ancient and isolated mud and brick villages, each with a small pond of water close to it. Here and there
* The total number finally captured, including fifty at Mooltan, was 158. The British actually had at Googerat 106 pieces.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 103
a few light and graceful Arabian acacia and wild plum trees, alone broke the view, and from one to the other, flights of small birds, scared by the advancing red line, and the thunder of artillery, were twittering to and fro, in their alarm.
This great cultivated plain was bisected by a deep dry nullah or watercourse.
The first note of battle was a cloud of white smoke curling up into the blue sky, on the right of the enemy's hne, and immediately afterwards came the booming of a gun, as a round shot ploughed the_g]:fiU£xi_in front.
The order was then given to engage, whereupon the batteries of artillery, from the intervals of brigades, galloped about 300 yards to the front of the line, which lay down, and opened fire. These batteries were con- nected by skirmishers in extended order, — while, in the centre of the British force, and on the right of the nullah, advanced the stately elephants, the central one bearing on its back the banner of St. George, with its red. cross on a white field, waving in the light breeze. These animals were drawing the heavy guns, which had only a few days before reached the army.
After each interval of cannonading, as the enemy slackened fire, and retired, the Infantry advanced, pre- ceded by the Artillery, and skirmishers in the same order ; and, again and again, the same tactics were repeated.
The striped red and white tents of the enemy's camp, below the walls of Googerat, were now in sight, when
^
COMMENTARIES ON
a cloud of horsemen rushed past the skirmishers of the 24th, from the direction of the elephants and heavy guns. The men prepared to fire, but some one cried out, " They are our own Irregulars," — when another,
\ seeing two sowars on the same house, shouted, — " Our men would not ride in that fashion towards the enemy ! " and taldng instant aim, he brought them down. Before the remainder could profit by the momentary hesitation of the skirmishers, about half-a-dozen more were struck .by the fire now fully opened upon them.
,,/f Lieut. Hiude, a young officer always cheerful and calm in danger, observing one of the slain horsemen to be very handsomely dressed, said to the narrator, " Come, let us see who the fellow is," and both pro- ceeded to the spot. The fallen man seemed to be an Afghan of note, and was remarkably handsome. On his finger was a gold^ring, on the stone of which, in Per- sian characters, was engraven his name, followed by " Chief of Ghorchurhas" (Afghaja Cavalry). This trophy was securedby the officer mentioned.
Later on in the day many large triangular red and green gold embroidered silken standards were picked up, and three of these afterwards come into the possession of the same officers, but were lost or stolen some weeks later.
But, to return. — After the repulse of the enemy's Cavalry, which, as it appeared, had made a dash to capture the heavy guns, there arose a dense cloud of
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 105
reddish dust, which completely obscured jthc Sikh position. The monotonous sound of familiar tom-toms or drums, had suddenly ceased, and, in their stead came a rushing sound as of feeti_from.ilie cloud of -darkness. The explanation was simple. The enemy had taken to flight, entirely abandoning all his guns, and camp equipage.
The British Cavalry was now launched in pursuit, /i" • f-^^ while the Infantry, advancing through the gaily striped' ■ -: tents which had been abandoned, drew up in line on the left, and a little in advance of the town of Groogerat.
It was now nearly sunset ; arms were piled ; and, while •^' '^ here and there, mines and combustibles were exploding, 1^ ', the bands of the various regiments struck up, at the hour , • of retreat, their martial music, dominated by the spirit- stirring " Rule Britannia."
In Indian battles, it may be observed, that quarter is rarely bybt given or taJcen, and never can be forgotten the expression on the countenances of two severely wounded Sikhs, who were discovered secreted ui a small house, after the battle had ceased. On lifting the purdah, or curtain, behind which they lay, they looked ^ steadily at the intruder, as much as to say, " We are in your power, — do your worst." It was evident that they were prepared to die without any further struggle, and listened with indifference to the officer's assurance
106 COMMENTAEIES ON
that they were safe, and should be sent to hospital, and taken care of. / This indifference to death, is not always, however, ; paralleled by indifference to pain and danger.
Sometimes, through what might be regarded as mere
_JivhJJQlsicalrt^ the natives of India display considerable
indifference to danger. Thus, at the battle of Googerat,
an officer skirmishing in front, was surprised to find that
his young Khidmutgar (Mahomedan table attendant),
had followed under_fire, to offer him a small bottle of
^ . sherry and water, with a biscuit. Yet, some month's later,
■^ « the same man stole his horse !
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 107
. ^ , J CHAPTER XII.
iOn the morning" of the 22nd, two flying columns were ^ ^ /despatched in pursuit of the- enemy. The smaller under / Brig. -Gen. Campbell, which included the 24th Foot, pro- > ^ ceeded to the Bimbu Pass, to secure any guns which might have taken that route, and returned in a few days without any result. p. The larger, under Sir Walter E. Gilbert, proceeded by Dinghee to the Jhelum, and crossing that river, followed up the enemy with such vigour, that, on the 6th March, ' the Sikh Commander allowed his prisoners, — taken at Peshawar and Attock, to go over to Gilbert's camp ; and, ►"M*" on the 8th^_Sheee.. Singh had an interview with that V'^''"'' General and Major Mackeson, and was informed of the only terms admissible, namely, unconditional surrender.
On the lith, Sirdar Chuttur Singh, Eajah Shere Singh, and the principal Sikh leaders, deliveredtheir swords into the hand>^ of the British General ; and, at the same time, , were surrendered forty-one pieces of artillery ; while the remnant of _the Sikh army, without provisions, with , Abbot's force on their rear, the Cashmerians on their
108 COMMBNTAEIES ON
/s right, Sheik Eman ood Deen and Gilbert in front, — to the I . number of 16,000 men, laid down their arms in presence ^' '\ of the British troops.*
. V On the 21st March, Grilbert came in sight of Peshawar,
^ ^, rand occupied that important stronghold. ""^ Galloping to Attock with his staff, and a small escort of Cavalry, the General surprised the Afghans, who, on the farther side of the Indus, were in the act of destroy- ing the bridge of boats ; but, at once, in presence of a f ' troop of the British Horse Artillery, abandoned their ' attempt, when seventeen of their best boats fell into the I hands of the indefatigable General.
The Afghan Army, commanded by the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan in person, had, in the meantime, on the I 19th, precipitately retreated from Peshawar; and, thus
/' 'I " these brilliant results," says Lord Gough in his de- spatch of March 25th, — " have been obtained without a single shot being fired by our troops, since the victory of Googerat."
^^^_,(^ The annexation of the Punjab was proclaimed, on the
,/^' i 30th March 1849.
In April, the leaders Chuttur Singh, and his two sons, " I __ Shere Singh and Outar Singh, were dismissed to their
ij~y native village, Attari, with a competence. '"^ ^fyf' Moolraj, the traitor or patriot of Mooltan, was sentenced ) J^ in July (1849), to imprisonment for life.
* This incident is represented on tlie reverse of the medal granted to the army of the JPunjab.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 109
Dhuleep Singh, the titular sovereign of the Punjab, ,/fi£iA yielded up his rights for an annual pension of 50,000Z., ,--' / with liberty to dwell wherever he might choose, beyond the limits of his late kingdom.
The Royal treasures of Lahore were secured, and from the sj)oil, the celebrated diamond, the Koh-i-noor, was reserved for the Queen of England.
The remainder of the spoil, valued at many millions, was adjudged to the army by whose instrumentality it had been acquired, and, in the meantime, six monihus batta i was all that the captors of Mooltan, the victors oi\L,'ij-^ Googerat, and, the final conquerors of a warlike nation, y jf/>^ were permitted to receive; and, with a few exceptions', among the higher grades, this was all that the ofl&cers and men ever had; for, under an extraordinary arith- metical coincidence, it was ascertained, when millions came to be apportioned, that the latter had received, in batta, the exact equivalent of their share of prize money, and, accordingly, as the donative was dp(l ncteflfroTn the latter, the balance was found to have been already struck ! A more equitable system, as regards the proportion of shares, in the distribution of prize-money has, since then, been established. But, as the fate of the Kirwee, and other prize property has shown, there is no absolute security for the soldier, against the necessities of the State, — ^if , indeed, only the State. S (^t^
110 COMMENTARIES ON
CHAPTER XIII.
Until the appearance of 'J'hackwell's "Narrative of the ^ " . Second SeikhWar," the Parhamentary.Blue Book of that campaign, could scarcely have afforded to the reader, un- acquainted personally with the subject, without a very careful analysis of its contents, any very j^erspicuous idea ,, of the sequence of events. Moreover, many incidents of C-^'t V that remarkable campaign, have been overlooked, either f fSi unavoidably, or owing to circumstances of a peculiar ^ nature ; and it is remarkable, that Lord Grough himself should not have considered it necessary to correct any of the numerous errors that crept into public notice, affecting, in some instances, his own reputation as a commander.
In the annals of war, there are certain campaigns that have given rise to more than ordinary diversity of criti- cism, even when the principal events might appear to have been the easiest of narration.
As regards the wars of Great Britain, one of the causes of this difficulty, j)rior to th 3 period of the__Crimean, appears to have arisen, in distant parts, such as India,
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. Ill
from the absence of those xmprofessional, and conse- quently, untrammelled correspondents of the Press^ whose-' <J^ accounts of operations in the field, have rarely heen''''^" influenced by ofiicial prescription which dictated who should, and who should not, irrespective of merit, be brought to the notice of their countrymen.
It has been said by an eminent German, that " it is a ;
i kind of piety to move along without consideration." But
in war, on the other hand, it seems to be a disparage- ment of Providence to be hindered from motion through the apprehension of stumbling.
With all his proverbial personal gallantry, Lord Gough, has been accused by his detractors of timidity as well as rashness of judgment. But, his fault may rather have been, that he relied too much, in the Council, onthe opinions of those whose plausible assurance, animated by \J>L^ G^ doubtful motives, were mistaken by him for the evidence C^~f of superior ability. "
While a strildng vigour marked his conduct of the First Seikh Campaign, extreme vacillation, — no doubt, in a/ / / great measure, du^„to.j)olitical and distant influences, to I ^ which the field operations were subordinated — characterised/ the Second.
At the very outset, orders and counter-orders succeeded each other so rapidly, that a state of feverish excitement, prejudicial to the public interests, was unnecessarily, as time has shown, kept uj) ; and regiments showed the effects of varying and harassing rumours, in their hospital returns.
fH-
112... COMMENTARIES ON
/ The intelligence department of the army was defective, strategical blunders were very naturally the result, and in order to cover these, the chronology of events, was ob- scured in the General's despatches, — -an instance of which is to be found in those relating to the affair of Sadoola- pore,* when Sir Joseph Thackwell, in command of a de- * . tached force, making a forced march to Wuzeerabad, f i missed his way, and being discovered by the enemy, was himself surprised by the sudden appearance of the Sikh ,.army in his front, while Lord Gough, supporting as was 5 '^ [believed this diversion, delayed a whole day, cannonading ^1^ 'the evacuated Sikh position at the ford of the Chenab, tiear Ramnuggur — which were long suppressed.
It ought not, however, to be forgotten, that, although
Lord Gough f had at first ignored the signs of revolt at
h 'J Mooltan, and, had only thrown off his inactivity on the
^ urgent remonstrance of Lord Dalhousie, it was the latter
^^^ who restrained him, from the 5th of December (1848),
until the 12th of January following.
According to the belief of Sir Henry Lawrence, not more than 10,000 Sikhs, were opposed to Thackwell, at Sadoolapore, on the 3rd December, and, it is not im- probable that, had Lord Gough, instead of listening to
I^
^t"^
* The able compiler of a certain Dictionary of Dates was excus- ably led into an error throiigli the same cause.
f Lord Gough seems to have attributed nervousness to Sir F. Currie as Resident at Lahore, and absurd stories were afloat on the subject.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 113
timid counsels, crossed the Chenab on that day, the resiilt would have been a decisive victory. / -
fi "^ i^^yJBut, there was no efficient co-operation between the two forces of the British ; and Thackwell, equally uncertain of the movements of the Commander-in-Chief and of the enemy, was satisfied to hold his ground. Arnold says, z^- " Thackwell's guns, however, after two hours fighting, ■ completely subdued the Sikh fire." But this is in- ; / correct, as the particulars related elsewhere show, that Thackwell, having passively sustained the enemy's fire for nearly four hours without returning a shot, at length opened fire, but, only when the enemy's object of keeping', him in check had succeeded, and they were, in conformity/ '> to their original design, already retiring. '
Lord Dalhousie, conscious of the j)ossession of com- manding talents, was, perhaps, too ready to overlook the fact, that, although his inferior in mental calibre. Lord Gough, with many noble qualities, was also the favourite .' ■ of fortune ; and, as a successful General, had won the ' t devoted attachment, and even confidence of the army, -- which, appreciating his great personal gallantry in the field, was reconciled, in a measure, to such losses as might be occasioned by a strategy, which, however, always i resulted in victory.
Thackwell, in his " Narrative of the Second Sikh War," while reflecting on the capacity of Lord Gough as a com- mander, to some extent neutralizes his_jtrictures, by re- ferring to the tutelage imposed upon him by a distant
^^
114 COMMENTAEIES ON
civilian, whose representative in camp, practically relieved the General of much of his responsibility. As an in- stance of this subordination of military to political con- siderations, it was well kaown, that while negociations with Shere Singh were pending, shortly after the battle of Chillianwalla, beef was not killed in the British camp, in deference to the enemy's veneration of the sacred animal.
At the same time, it seems only reasonable that, under the peculiar circumstances of the British rule in India, some political authority should always be present with the Commander in the field.
Sir C. J. Napier, the successor of Lord Gough, resisted
any such check upon his military operations and com- / ■
mand. But, this arose from his self-confidence, which -/ •' ' / was quite equal to that of the Governor-General. Each
seemed to regard the other as his intellectual inferior, — and, at the same time, the talents of both were too much alike, to admit of harmony between them. The conse- quence was, that this incompatibility of ^.emper weakened S" the authority of both, and might have been detrimental to the Imperial interests.
Lord Dalhousie, with the same autocratic disposition as Lord EUenborough, missed the popularity of the latter, who invariably recognised the fact, that India is ruledjby the sword, whereas, the former had the reputation of affecting to undervalue the true source of power, and was even unworthily suspected of seeking to intercept the glory of the Commander by the subtleties of diplomacy.
THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN. 115
In the army of former times, — or, thirty years ago, — the great difficulty was, not to induce officers to acquire a knowledge of the higher duties of their profession, but rather to overcome the jealousy of superior and yet limited, knowledge, which was supposed by the higher grades to be the special privilege of each, in progressive degrees. Under that system, young officers who, after perhaps three years service, and who had never really been taught a kuowledge of drill, were, sometimes, invested with independent command, while others, with a suffi- cient amount of instruction, for the period, but who happened to have, on first appointment, joined their corps, might be rigourously relegated to the supernumerary rank, for years, and never be afforded, all the while, a single opportunity of commanding their own companies.
Thus, under an arbitrary Colonel, or one whose authority was delegated to an Adjutant, majors were ciphers, and subalterns grew to be captains without confidence in themselves, while their special powers were usurped, — and the terrorism of the confidential and secret report induced them, too often, to submit to an abridgment of their authority.
It has always been the bane of the army of India, that a jealousy between, the officers of the European and Native .^ Infantry regiments has subsisted, which used, sometimes, to be fomented oven by those who had risen to high command.
The imputation that the best officers of a Native in-
8 A
116 THE PUNJAB CAMPAIGN.
fantry corps were almost invariably removed to the staff, was felt, by those who remained with their regiments, as a dis- paragement. At the same time, these favoured officers, and those of the Queen's corps seemed to coalesce, while the latter, in many instances, asserted an unintelligent exclusiveness.
But, in the course of time, the advantages have been reversed, by the amalgamation of the two services, and the local officer has not only secured a superior retire- ment, but, has acquired official rank in England, for which the former had been a compensation. Hence, many remarkable anomalies.
A new era dawned with the struggle on the banks of the Jhelum and the Chenab. The conquest of the Punjab led to the annexation of Oude, and both events exercised a powerful, although opposite, influence during the sub- sequent revolt of the Bengal army.
When the kingdom of the Sikhs was reduced to the position of a British province. Sir Henry Lawi'ence was appointed its first Governor, and, although he was blamed for a generous policy of non-exaction, by justice, concilia- tion, and tact, such as might have graced the narrative of " The Anabasis," he won the confidence of a jiroud race, enhanced the reputation of the English name, and lived to see the fruits of an enlightened administration, in the devotion and fidelity of those brilliant soldiers who fought shoulder to shoulder with the British, for the maintenance of an Empire which they had themselves disputed and lost.
APPENDICES.
119
APPENDIX A.
GENERAL NOTES, from PEIVATE JOUENALS, «fcc.
Chillianwalla. ?4 "7 I. When the 24th had cleared the jungle, and were ad- vancing on the enemy's battery in front the dak trees {Butea frondosa) , between the large pools of water which stood there, were entirely denuded of their fohage by the successive discharges of grape-shot.
Here was foiind, it has been said, the body of a poor bhestie, or water-carrier, attached to the regiment, who, with singular generosity, and without any hope of reward, had followed the Europeans with his massick (skin) of water to afford a drink to such as might require it. . There were many poor camp-followers of the same class, equally disinterested.
II. The antelope, which used to walk in front of the band of the 24th, was here also, in the thickest of the fight, and seemed to bear a charmed life. Perhaps he was spared through the superstition of the enemy, or perhaps his life was of no consequence.
-/
■'.J
120 APPENDIX A.
^/,,A . III. The placid expression on the countenances of the dead was remarkable ; but, in those cases in which the enemy- had had time, in the fierce struggle, to cut open the lips of dying or dead, to the ears, the expression was, of course, very different. In one instance, an officer had had all his fingers sliced off with a tulwar, ere he received the fatal blow. His arms in death were still upraised, as though in defence of his head, while the contortion of his features was dreadful.
Most of the bodies were stripj^ed during the darkness of the night, probably by the country-people, who had, perhaps, taken advantage of the opportunity to plunder the dead.
As the brigade was being driven from the guns. Major
^VV" ■/ Harris, a tall portly old officer, appeared to be much
f'^ fatigued, and scarcely able to walk. In this condition,
-^ one of the enemy's sowars, who had ridden out from
between the intervals of the guns, rushed upon him un-
perceived from the rear, and cut him down with one blow
of his powerful tulwar.
Some of the dead appeared afterwards to have been dragged completely through the thorny bushes, as evi- denced by their bodies, the flesh of which was torn in long ribbons by the peculiar crooked thorns of this jungle.
rV. To give some idea of the nature of the disaster, it is noticeable, that one of the senior officers of this ill-fated
APPENDIX A. 121
corps, on passing another, like himself, wounded, exclaimed, " This is a bad day for the 24th." ^ i^
V. Lieut. Grant, of this regiment, who was orderly officer to Brig.-Gen. Campbell, as soon as the latter perceived that Pennicuick's brigade was advancing unflanked by artillery, despatched him to look for guns, and bring them up. But the mistake was even then iri-etrievable.
VI. When the 24th were rallying at the village of Chillianwalla, an officer^ of^ rank, splendidly mounted on an iron-grey Cabul horse, dashed wildly past, crying out to themj^jto save themselvss, in the belief that the enemy's Cavalry were in pursmt. But, the men knew better. ' The horseman was evidently not a good judge of distance ; but with this exception, he was considered a good officer, as indeed appears from the fact, that he received pro- motion, and the Companionship of the Bath. *
VII. The martial spirit_ofjthe artillerymen was very conspicuous on this occasion, and the following incident should not be passed over : —
In the darkness and^rg^in that succeeded to the action, while some groups were arranging themselves in circles, each man reclining on the side of his next neighbour, — a apital protection against cold, — and others were seeking unclaimed quilts which had been brought up, but which now had no owners, an officer parched with thirst accosted a gunner, who, with a bucket, was about to take some
122 APPENDIX A.
water from a pool, and offered him a rupee for a drink. Bvxt the latter drew himself up proudly, and replied, "No, Sir, a soldier never sells water on a battle-field: you may have what you like, free."
There was another instance of liberality, amongst many more which have been forgotten. A soldier of the 61st, named Watson, hearing in the darkness, an officer com- plaining that he could find nothing to smoke, suddenly started up from the ground, and offered half of a pipeful which was all that he possessed. The officer accepted it ; and, while walking about in the dark, came upon one of the Brigadier-General's orderly officers, who, being a per- sonal friend, gave him a surprise, in the shape of half a bottle of ale, and a piece of cold mutton and bread. It was now the officer's opportunity to repay a kindness, and, after calling out several times for Watson, at length the man himself appeared, whereupon the former, to his great satisfaction, shared with him the hon houche.
Vin. A day or two after this battle, the dead, stripped naked and blood-stained, were brought into camp, slung up by ropes, three or four, on each camel ; but the sight was so repugnant to the feelings of the men, that the remainder were buried where they fell, in shallow graves ; and it was a tragic sight, afterwards, in the peculiar hght of the gloamin, — jackals or dogs, dragging at the protruding limbs of the dead, while on others, completely exposed,
t
f
APPENDIX A. 123
these animals, and vultures, with flapping wings, were contending for the carrion meal, on the body itself.
IX. The European regiments at Chillianwalla, observed uniformity in dress. Thus, while the 24th Foot wore full y j attire, with the then inconvenient chaco,* the 29th were in undress jackets and forage caps. Some officers wore their blue frock coats, some dark trowsers, and shell jackets, and others, long rod or blue cotton coats, quilted, with turbans ov ^iigrees wound round their forage caps. v.^^v'-|i Considering the charaqter of the ground, and the prac- " «2 tice of the enemy, of always, where possible, directing ^ ** their principal fire on the colours of regiments, thus ex-
i.7-"^ ' posing the centre and commanding officer to increased ^^ danger, the 29th Foot wisely and judiciously disregarding ' ,-it , .
"t^ the mere ]><)ni|> and circumstance of war, advanced in //»..^ t more business-like fashion, with their standards cased. ^4 t
fQ X. Having learnt a lesson from the disaster that befell
Z|. the 24th, the troops, whenever practicable, were subse- ^ ^,„,*»"''*'^uently exercised by corps, in advancing and firing in
if
loose order, a principle now fully established.
XI. It is a curious fact, as compared with the large pro- motion of officers, in subsequent campaigns, that the only officer of the Queen's army, under the grade of Captain, rewarded with^a step of brevet rank, after Chillianwalla,
i^vi{
* Many of these were lost, even in the advance.
124 APPENDIX A.
was Lieutenant and Adjutant Macdonnell, Brigade Major of Mountain's Brigade, in Sir W. R. Gilbert's division.
XII. Sir Henry Lawrence, and Lord GifEord, who had attended Lord Gough on the field of Chillianwalla, left the camp for Lahore on the 18th January.
Xni. A curious story is told, by Thackwell, of the 5th '^^ Bengal Light Cavalry. Lord Gough, for some unexplained reason, presented this corps with 100 rupees ; but, with rare modesty, under the circumstances, the men declined to ^ accept the donation, as not due to themselves, and with considerable magnaminity, purchased with it a piece of plate, which they presented to the 14th Dragoons.
XIV. We have a suggestive incident in the following: — A subaltern oificer, being one very dark night, on out-lying picquet, after visiting the European chain of sentries, conceived the idea of testing the vigilance of those who continued the line of his own men, and, having a quick ear, and keen sight, after passing far to the front, succeeded in re-entering the British lines without ■i r detectionj^
S 7
125
APPENDIX B.
The name Pimjab, it is scarcely necessary to say, signifies the region of the five waters or rivers (panj-dh), bounded on the north-west by, but not including, the Indus, i These five rivers ai'e : —
1. The Hydasjies, or Jhelum (Sanskrit, Vi-tasta, " never standing "). / 2. The Ascesines, or Chenab (Asikni, " the black or
j dark").
I 3, The Hydraotes, or Ravi (Irawaii, "the water"; Ravi,
I " the sounding ").
4. The Hyphasis, Bibasa, or Beas (Vipasa, "uncon-
trollable"). "" ■
5. The Sutlej (Satadm, " the hundred currentg-^').
Between these rivers, the country is divided into Doabs, j / 1, the Sind Saugor, — Indus and Jhelum; 2, the Chuj, or t>***^ Jetch ; 3, the Eechna ; 4, the Bari, or that between the Beas and the Ravi.
" The people of the Punjab," says the Rev. C. E. Moberly (in his Introduction to " Alexander the Great in the Punjab, from Arrian, Book V."), " have always been war- I^ like by necessity ; " and, their struggle against the Mace- donian Conqueror, is but a type of subsequent conflicts in defence of their liberty. In a.d. 1000, Mahmoud of Ghuznee here encountered the stoutest resistance, while
126 APPENDIX B.
Jenghis Khan, Timour, and others, were, successively, unable to proceed to the conquest of India proper, until 1 this resistance had been subdued. In the seventeenth 1 "^ ^ century, arose the fanatical " Sikhs" (disciples), or followers
of the Hindu schismatist Nanuk, ^-■^ An invader, efiierging from the Afghan passes, and crossing the Indus, as Alexander the Great did, opposite Attock (the forhidden, beyond which a Hindu loses his caste), would I'each a point where two great roads bi- furcate. The western one, followed by Alexander, crossed the Jlielum, below, Jelapur, the Chenab, below Eamnug- gur, the Eavi, below Lahore, and the Sutlej, at its junc- tion with the Beas. The eastern road was, by Jhelum, Wuzeerabad, and Umritsir (foiintain of the water of life).
Alexander was compelled to take the former road, by the position of Porus (Ptimsha, " the hero ") king, as is supposed, of the Bari Doab.*
The battle with Porus has been described by Sir W. Napier, and more recently by General Cunningham. Both writers have drawn attention to the admirable skill dis- played by the invader in his passage of the Jhelum, and it has been observed, that "Alexander managed Ms ' battle of Chillianwalla ' in a way which it is profitable to com- pare " with the advance of Lord Gough from the Chenab, to " the identical ground " where, in April or May, b.c. 326, '^ g the Indian monarch was so iitterly defeated. f ■■■.■-
The characteristic of Alexander's strategy and tactics, / was, a caution and preparation, which left little or nothing
* No sufficient reason seems to ha^'S been given for the exclusion of the Jetch and Rechna Doabs.
f The village of " Mong," mentioned in connection with the battle of Chillianwalla, is identical v.ith the NtKaiav of the Greek historians ; and the Greek coins arc still occasionally found there with the inscription " NIK.
APPENDIX B. 127
to fortune. His lieutenants never failed when acting in- dependently in the execution of his orders, for he had imbued them with the power of his own commanding in- tellect; and this fact, they seemed to recognise. One mind animated the whole mass, and, the result was, har- mony. How different from divided command, and " dual government " in the field !
128
APPENDIX 0.
The Second Advance of the 24i7i Foot, at Chilliamvalla.
" On tlie second advance of the 24th Regiment," . . . at the battle of ChilHan walla, " Lieut. Archer commanded No. 6 company," and, " although wounded in the leg, he continued on the field till the close of the day," &c. (Signed) A. G. Blachford, 20th September 1853.
The following are also extracts from subsequent letters written by Maj.-Gen. Blachford, the originals of which are in the possession of the oflBcer to whom they were addressed, and have been periodically referred to the Horse-Guards and War Office.
After the regiment had been rallied, and was advancing in line, " Lieut. Archer led, and commanded No. 6 com- pany," * — i.e., before Captain Blachford had overtaken the advance, and after, the Adjutant- General Queen's Troops (Lugard) had ridden out of sight. The former
* This officer continued in command of the same company, until a captain, on the staff of the Governor-General, was temporarily attached to the corps, when, by ordei of Lieut.-Col. M. Smith, it was transferred to him, and its late commander was posted to another company, as subaltern. But, he commanded the latter, on all out- lying picquets, until the close of the campaign, but not within the regimental camp.
APPENDIX C. 129
continues — " I found myself senior officer on the fii'ld with only seven officers to comioand. . . . Lieut. Archer had, previously to this, rallied No. 7 company,
with the help of Colour- Sergeant Eastall " "I
know that you (Liout. A.) got hold of the Colour-Sergeant, — Eastall was his name, and rallied the company (No. 7). . . . This was the first company rallied . . . you got (tooli) charge of No. 6 company, and led in the second advance (in line)."
Capt. Blachford, succeeding to the temporary command of the corps, prepared the Begimental Record.
Amongst other documentary references to the above incidents, — and which, at the time, might have been multi- plied, are the following : —
From James Michal. " I was with the Light Com- pany of the 24th Regiment at Chillianwalla. I was in the second advance, in which Mr. Hinde commanded my company. The Brigadier-General (Campbell) rode up, and told the regiment before the first advance, that the battery before them must be taken without firing, and at the point of the bayonet. No. 7 company ^ being the first rallied, and drawn up for the second advance, the Light Company was next rallied under En- sign Hinde, and formed on its left. I was present when it did so."
From Sergeant Thompson. " Colonel Brookes addressed the regiment in the~~'(earliest) advance on the mound, from which the enemy had retired (saying), 'Men, we are'h w.--<r'^ going to charge the mound, and, by the grace of God, we ' ' shall gain a glorious victory ! ' With that, he waved his sword. In the next (and disastrous) advance. Colonel Brookes did not again wave his sword, (after) Brig.-Geu. Campbell had ridden up, and told us, ' You must not f "* ytre, — steel ' (or ' the bayonet ') * must do the work,* " &c. '
9
130 APPENDIX 0. ^X,'~^\'
From SirE.Lugard. "War Office, 8th June 1865. . . . I am desired by Sir Edward Lugard ... to acquaint you that he will have much pleasure in corroborating your statement, that when, at the battle of Chillianwalla, he rode up and assumed command of the 24th Foot, in order to lead it again against the enemy, you were, though wounded, one of the seven officers that followed him in that advance . . ."
The following narrative is the more necessary, as the above extracts contain (as will be noticed on comparing them), some obscurities : —
" Lieut. Archer, at his own request, was, in the absence of his regiment, appointed to serve with the 24th Foot, by *;>' the Commander-in-Chief in India, with the approval of the G-overnor-G-eneral, and accordingly joined the latter corps, f on the eve of the combat of Eamnugger (22 Nov. 1848}j^' ^ " at which he was present. He continued throiighout the Punjab campaign, with the corps to which he was attached. At the passage of the Chenab, and action of Sadoolapore, he was with the skirmishers covering the advance ; and afterwards, at the final victory of Googerat. In the meantime, however, was fought the battle of Chillianwalla (the occasion of these remarks), when he was still doing duty with No. 7 company, which, in consequence of Cap- tain Blachford's acting as field-officer, was commanded by Lieut. Clark. On line of battle being formed (Jan. 13, /x, tfj 1849), Brigadier Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde) rode up to ^^ , the regiment, and impressed upon the men that " there must be no firing," but that the bayonet must do the work. ' He then rode away, and the corps advanced into the dense jungle, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Brookes. 5 The real cause of the ensuing disaster, appears to have t^: been the absence, in the brigade, of flanking batteries of artillery, &c. On the violent repulse of the 24th Eegi-
%
APPENDIX C. 131
nient from the enemy's guns, the former retreated on the village of Chillian walla.* No vestiges of the brigade being observable in the open, Lt. Archer (who had been held at bay by a Sikh horseman) entered this village, and discovering the'lnenTEere^ called on them to follow him into the field, and recognising Sergt. Eastall, ordered the latter to stand opposite to him, about twentv paces off^ and shout out incessantly, ' Fall in, number oeven.' This proved effectual ; and the remnant of that company was soon reformed, and told off in sections, &c., by Lieut. A. Lieut. Clark then came vi^ (followed by Ensign Hinde, who at once began to form up the Light company in alignment with No. 7), and resumed command of the company. Thereupon Lieut. Archer directed his attention to No. 6 company, which was reforming on the right of No. 7, and assumed command of it. The other com- panies gradually followed the example, and the corps was at length ready for the seco»^_advao£e. At this con- juncture, the Adjt.-General Queen's Troops (Colonel Lugard) rode up, and, having inquired of Lieut. Archer the above circumstances, ordered him to follow — he giving the direction, and the word of command from Lieut. Archer being taken up by the Commanders of the other companies. Thus commenced the second advance. Colonel Lugard then rode ahead, and was scarcely out of sight, when Captain Blachford rejoined the regiment — made some brief inquiries. of Lieut. Archer (whom he confirmed in command of No. 6^ company), and thus ascertaining the orders of Colonel Lugard from him, continued the ad- vance. The Assistant Adjt.-G-eneral afterwards met the regiment, and it was then that the orders refeiTed to by
* On passing to the roar, wounded, Capt. lim-riedly ex- claimed, Avith much emotion, for he had considerable esprit de corps, " This is a bad day for the 24th."
~ 9 A
132 APPENDIX 0.
Major-General Blachford, were given. Col. Lugard's orders having been taken over by Capt. Blachford from Lieut. Archer.
The seven oflBcers, in the order of their rallying, re- ferred to by Sir E. Lugard were, — Archer, Hinde, Clark, Bailley, Mackechnie, Drew, and Lutman. Capt. Blachford, who having afterwards joined in the second advance, made the eighth.
He had not, however, been with the corps when, in the earlier advance, it siiffered so severely.
133
APPENDIX D.
Detailed Statement op the numerical Strength op Corps engaged in the several Actions during the Punjab Campaign.
|
I. — Eamntjggub. |
All ranks. |
Authority. |
|
let Troop 2nd Brigade Horse Ar. |
125 |
Monthly Return. |
|
tillery. |
||
|
3rd ditto ditto |
148 |
Do. |
|
Ist Troop 3rd ditto |
I .^.SO |
( General Quarterly Return, |
|
2nd ditto ditto |
> *j*j\j |
I dated 1st October 1848. |
|
No 5 Lt. Field Battery and 3rd |
157 |
Monthly Return. |
|
Co. 7th Bn. Foot Artillery. |
||
|
No. 10 ditto and 1st Co. 1st dittc |
172 |
Do. |
|
Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dra |
693 |
General Quarterly Return, |
|
goons. |
dated 1st October 1848. |
|
|
Ditto 14th ditto |
648 |
Do. |
|
6th Light Cavalry |
514 |
Do. |
|
8th ditto |
513 |
Do. |
|
Her Majesty's 24th Foot |
1190 |
Do. |
|
Ditto 61st Foot |
1046 |
Do. |
|
2nd European Bengal Fusiliers |
818 |
Do. |
|
22nd Native Infantry |
952 |
Monthly Return. |
|
25th ditto |
905 |
Do. |
|
3l6t ditto |
949 |
Do. |
|
36th ditto |
. 1051 |
Do. |
|
46th ditto |
905 |
Do. |
|
66th ditto |
- 1008 |
Do. |
|
II. — Sadoolapore. |
||
|
1st Troop 2nd Brigade Horse Ar |
114 |
Chillianwallah figures plus |
|
tillery. |
the casualties at Sadoola- pore. |
|
|
2nd ditto ditto |
154 |
Do. |
|
3rd ditto ditto |
143 |
Do. |
|
No. 10 Light Field Battery |
184 |
Do. |
|
No. 5 ditto |
92 |
Do. |
|
Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dragoon |
s 710 |
Do. |
|
6th Light Cavalry |
511 |
Do. |
|
8th ditto |
509 |
Do. |
|
3rd Irregular Cavalry |
610 |
Do. |
134
APPENDIX D.
|
11. — Sadoolapore — con t. |
All ranks. |
Authority. |
|
HerMajesty's24th Regiment j^ |
*1006 |
*Bayonets. |
|
Ditto 61st Regiment £ |
813 |
Do. |
|
25th Native Infantry gj |
610 |
Do. |
|
31st ditto S - |
756 |
Do. |
|
36th ditto -g |
768 |
Do. |
|
46th ditto fi |
599 |
Do. |
|
56th ditto H L, |
838 |
Do. |
|
2 Companies Pioneers |
||
|
III. — Chillianwallah. |
||
|
1st Troop 2nd Brigade Horse Ar- |
109 |
Monthly Return. |
|
tillery. |
||
|
2nd ditto ditto |
154 |
Do. |
|
3rd ditto ditto |
143 |
Do. |
|
4th ditto ditto |
147 |
Do. |
|
1st Troop 2nd Brigade Horse "^ Artillery. > 2nd ditto ditto ) |
||
|
300 |
||
|
No. 1 Co. 1st Bn. and No. 10 Bat- |
181 |
Do. |
|
tery Foot Artillery. |
||
|
No. 3 Co. 1st Bn. and No. 17 Light |
178 |
Do. |
|
Field Battery. |
||
|
No. 3 Co. 7th Bn. and No. 5 Bat- |
92 |
Do. |
|
tery Foot Artillery |
||
|
No. 1 Co. 4th Bn. Foot ") / Artillery. ( Re- ) |
158 |
Do. |
|
No. 2 Co. 4th Bn. ditto t serve 1 No. 4 Co. 4th Bn. ditto ) C |
118 |
Do. |
|
69 |
Do. |
|
|
Her Majesty's 3i-d Light Dragoons |
709 |
Quarterly General Return, dated 1st January 1849. |
|
Ditto 9th Lancers |
768 |
Do. |
|
Ditto 14th Light Dragoons |
673 |
Do. |
|
1st Light Cavalry |
517 |
Do. |
|
5th ditto |
510 |
Do. |
|
6th ditto |
516 |
Do. |
|
8th ditto |
508 |
Do. |
|
3rd Irregular Cavalry - |
604 |
Do. |
|
9th ditto |
607 |
Do. |
|
Her Majesty's 24th Foot |
1176 |
Do. |
|
Ditto 29th Foot |
1134 |
Do. |
|
Ditto 61st Foot |
1136 |
Do. |
|
2nd European Bengal Fusiliers - |
976 |
Do. |
|
15th Native Infantry |
1026 |
Monthly Return. |
APPENDIX D.
135
III. — CniLIIANWALLAH — COUt.
20th Native Infantry
|
25th |
ditto |
|
30th |
ditto |
|
3l8t |
ditto |
|
36th |
ditto |
|
45th |
ditto |
|
4.6th |
ditto |
|
56th |
ditto |
|
69th |
ditto |
|
70th |
ditto |
6 Companies Pioneers
IV. GOOJERAT.*
4th Troop 1st Brigade Horse Ar- tillery.
|
l8t Troop 2nd |
ditto |
|
2nd ditto |
ditto |
|
3rd ditto |
ditto |
|
4th ditto |
ditto |
|
Ist Troop 3rd |
ditto |
|
2nd ditto |
ditto |
|
4th ditto |
ditto |
Ist Co. 1st Bn. Foot Artilleiy with
No. 10 Lt. Field Battery. 3rd ditto ditto No. 17 ditto 2iid Co. 2nd Bn. Foot Artillery - 3rd Co. 3rd Bn. ditto
4th ditto ditto
1st Co. 4th Bn. Foot Artillery - 2nd ditto ditto
4th ditto ditto (Dett.)
3rd Co. 7th Bn. Foot Artillery
(Dett.) 3rd Co. 7th Bn. Foot Artillery,
with No. 5 Lt. Field Battery. 6th ditto ditto
470
Authority.
Quarterly General Return,
1st January 1849. Monthly Return. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Quarterly General Return,
1st January 1849. Monthly Return. Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. Do.
145 Monthly Return.
Do. Do. Do. Do.
( Quarterly General Return, ^ 1st January 1849.
185 Monthly Return.
97 92
400 in- cluding'
absent
dett.4.th
Co.
IGG full stren^h
98 102
Monthly Return.
Quarterly General Return, Ist January 1849.
• In this return of the force at Goojerat it will be observed that the following European Kcffiinents are omitted, viz., the 24th Foot and 1st Bu. 60th, the King's Koyal Kifle Rei^inient. These two cori)s may be estimated at about a total of 1500 rank and tile and 44 officers.
Do.
Do. Do.
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 18-1.9.
Do.
136
APPENDIX D.
|
IV. — GooJERAT — cont. |
All ranks. |
Authority. |
|
3rd Troop Bomb. Horse Artil. - |
167 |
Monthly Return. |
|
Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dra- |
669 |
Quarterly General Return, |
|
goons. |
1st January 1849, deduct- ing casualties at Chillian- wallah. |
|
|
Ditto 9th Lancers |
756 |
Do. |
|
Ditto 14th Light Dragoons |
654 |
Do. |
|
1st Light Cavalry |
510 |
Do. |
|
5th ditto |
488 |
Do. |
|
6th ditto |
499 |
Do. |
|
8th ditto |
505 |
Do. |
|
3rd Irregular Cavalry |
604 |
Do. |
|
9th ditto |
607 |
Do. |
|
11th ditto (2 Ressallahs) |
— |
|
|
12th ditto |
592 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. |
|
13th ditto |
551 |
Do. |
|
14th ditto (2 Ressallahs) |
— |
|
|
Guide Corps ... |
— |
|
|
Sciado Horse |
— |
|
|
Her Majesty's 10th Foot |
1106 |
Monthly Return. |
|
Ditto 29th Foot - |
893 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849, deduct- ing casualties at Chillian- wallah. |
|
Ditto 32nd Foot- |
1139 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. |
|
Ditto 61st Foot - |
958 |
Monthly Return. |
|
2nd European Bengal Fusiliers - |
909 |
Quarterly General Return, deducting loss at ChiLian- wallah. |
|
8th Native Infantry |
917 |
Monthly Return. |
|
13th ditto |
993 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. |
|
15th ditto |
970 |
Ditto, deducting loss at Chillianwallah. |
|
20th ditto |
1008 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. |
|
25th ditto |
661 |
Monthly Return. |
|
30th ditto |
567 |
Do. |
|
Slst ditto |
804 |
Do. |
|
36th ditto |
833 |
Do. |
|
45th ditto |
897 |
Quarterly General Return, deducting loss at Chillian- wallah. |
|
46th ditto |
854 |
Do. |
APPENDIX D.
137
|
All ranks. |
Authority. |
||
|
I'V . — uooJERAT — conr. |
|||
|
51st |
ditto |
955 |
Monthly Return. |
|
52nd |
ditto |
822 |
Do |
|
56th |
ditto |
894 |
Do. |
|
69th |
ditto |
941 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849, deduct- ing loss at Chillianwallah. |
|
70th |
ditto |
1056 |
Do. |
|
72nd |
ditto |
1019 |
Quarterly General Return, 1st January 1849. |
|
2nd Co. |
and detachment 3rd Co. |
300 |
Do. |
|
Sappers. |
|||
|
6 Companies Pioneers |
333 |
Do. |
|
|
[Tota |
of all ranks imperfect for |
||
|
the |
reason explained in note.] |
P. S. LuMSDEN, Major-General.
Adjutant-General in India.
OfBcers and Men. H. A. - -
Other Artillery Sappers and Miners Pioneers (no returns obtainable in Eng- land) .
BESIEGING FORCE BEFORE MOOLTAN, 1848-9.
Artillery.
Giuis.* 146 8 2 1-prs.
391 19 18.prs.
583 5 10-in. mortars.
13 8-iu. 4 5^-in. ,, 3 10-in. howitzers. 8 . . .-pr., Horse Artillery. Cavalry. No Returns in England. Infantry. n.M. 10th Foot, 1088.
H.M. 32nd Foot. No Returns at H. G. or W. O. 8th N.I.") 49th „
51st „ !>No Returns in England. 52nd „ I 72nd „ J
The expenditure of aumunitiou or guns during the siege of Mooltau was 42,347 rounds.
138
APPENDIX E.
Chillianwalla and Googekat.
In the columns of the Behli Gazette maj be found some interesting particulars relative to the " Army of the Punjab," under the following dates: —
1849, Jan. 24th, p. 54. — Lord Gough at Chillianwalla.
„ Jan. 31st, p. 69. — Brig. -Gen. Campbell.
„ Feb. 7th, p. 83.—" The Sikhs have 20,000 regular
troops and 51 guns .... they fought manfiilly."
„ Feb. 14th, p. 9£^" The 61st went on (Chillian-
. walla) file firing and advancing, and whenever
L [ the enemy seemed incHned to make a stand
^^^^^ charging. The Sikhs tried to turn its right,
which attempt was defeated by the left com-
panics and 46th Native "Infantry bringing up
. \ ' '" left shoulders. The front rank of the Grenadiers
\ I *t 5 went on the knee, and thus, by their fire,
Cf , ^LCiM "* compelled the enemy to abandon two guns. The
« ' 46th Native Infantry behaved as men and
^f^'Y' soldiers." &c.
Feb. 21st, p. .— " On the 13th .... the sick were sent to Ramnuggur under the impression that the Sikhs had retreated. On the same day also the Commander-in-Chief, went in person to exa- mine the abandoned position of Russool. But the large body of the enemy at Kooree, re-
APPENDIX E.
139
mained on the same ground as before, our , intelligence department remaining in blessed J ignorance of their proceedings."
(14th.) " Orders were issued for the immediate march of the army at 9. It was then deferred till 12, when the order was that the march would be next morning." 1849, Feb. 24th, p. 124.—" Orders were despatched to Brig,- Gen. Dundas, through General Whish, to leave Lt^-'v^.l the Native portion of his force, and hurry on with his artillery and two European regiments, so as to ensure his arriving at Ramnugger on the 17th;. Instead of^ hastening to obey the order of the officer in qtiestion, he replied to the effect, that he saw no necessity for altering the rate of his progress, whidi was in accordance with the instructions previously sent to him, and that as an European court-martial was then sitting, of which Major Blood was president, he wished to have the proceedings concluded before he moved forward." " Lord Gough (thereupon) sent off such a peremptory order that, we will venture to say> Brig.-Gen. l)undas did not wait to read it a second time. A second despatch desired him to
/ -^end on the 60th Rifles by a forcedjnarch of -A ^ 30 miles on the 18th ; and intimated to the Brigadier-General that he might remain with the Native troops if he chose."
„ March 10th, p. 157.— Relative to the audacity of ' — ''the Sikhs.
140
APPENDIX F.
Despatches relating to the Campaign in the PuNJAUB, 1848-9.
General Lord Gough, G. C. B., Commander-in-Cliief, to the Governor- General of India.
Eamnugger, November 23^^1848. Deeming it necessary to drive the rebel force at this side the river across, and to capture any guns they might have had on the left bank, I directed Brigadier- General Campbell, with an infantry brigade of the troops under his command, accompanied by the cavalry division, and '' three troops of horse artillery under Brigadier-General Cureton, to proceed, during the night of the 21st, from Saharim, four miles in front of my camp at Noewulla, to effect this object. I joined the Brigadier at 3 in the morning to witness the operation.
I hope to be able to inclose Brigadier- General Camp- bell's report, with a return of the killed and wounded, which I regret to say is much greater than I could have ' ' anticipated, in a great measure from the officers leading '■ being unaccLuainted with the difficult nature of the ground in the vicinity of the fiver, and of which no native in- Q formation ever gives you a just knowledge ; and in some r'v. measure to the impetuosity of the artillery and cavalry, who, notwithstanding these difficulties, charged to the
APPENDIX P. 141
bank of the river, thereby exposing themselves to the fire of about twenty-eight guns. I deeply regret to say a gun was left behind, but spiked, having actually, in the im- petuosity of the advance plunged down a bank close under the fire of the enemy's guns. It was reported to me it would occasion a fearful loss of life to bring it away, which alone could be effected by manual labour, and scarping the banks under even the fire of the matchlock- men on the opposite bank ; I could not, therefore, consent to such a sacrifice. Though blameable as it may appear to have taken the guns into such close proximity to the enemy's guns in position, which could not, from the river intervening, be captured, it is impossible not