The next was destined to be the decisive and final overthrow of the army of the Punjaub. The Sikhs no longer dared to remain within reach of our attacks in the open ground on the British side of the Sutlej, but they still occupied a strongly fortified camp at Sobraon, on that side which had been constructed for the purpose of protecting their bridge at Hurreekee. This was the only stronghold they now possessed on the left bank of the river; and it was determined to carry it by storm, and pursue the enemy into their own territories. The army under the immediate command of Sir Hugh Gough was reinforced on the 8th of February by the arrival of the division under Sir Harry Smith, which had occupied Loodiana after the battle of Aliwal, and a supply of howitzers and mortars had been sent from Delhi. It was computed that behind the entrenchments at Sobraon were sheltered not less than 30,000 of the best troops of the Sikhs, protected by seventy pieces of cannon, and a well-constructed bridge afforded an easy means of communication between them and another body of troops on the other side, who also occupied a fortified camp with artillery, which commanded and flanked the field works on the left bank at Sobraon. On the morning of the 10th of February, our attack upon this formidable position commenced. The battery and field artillery was arranged in an extended semicircle, which embraced within its fire all the works of the Sikhs. Before mentioning the disposition of our troops, we must record the signal gallantry of Sir Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General, who, as on a former occasion at the battle of Ferozeshah, was present in the

hottest of the action that followed, and contributed, by his animating example and active co-operation, not a little to the splendid success that crowned the British arms. The position of our forces will appear from the following extract from Sir Hugh Gough's despatch, written after the battle :

"It had been intended that the cannonade should have commenced at daybreak; but so heavy a mist hung over the plain and river, that it became necessary to wait until the rays of the sun had penetrated it and cleared the atmosphere. Meanwhile, on the margin of the Sutlej on our left, two brigades of Major-General Sir R. Dick's division, under his personal command, stood ready to commence the assault against the enemy's extreme right. His 7th brigade, in which was the 10th Foot, reinforced by the 53rd Foot, and led by Brigadier Stacey, was to head the attack, supported, at 200 yards' distance, by the 6th Brigade under Brigadier Wilkinson. In reserve was the 5th Brigade under Brigadier the Hon. T. Ashburnham, which was to move forward from the entrenched village of Koodeewalla, leaving, if necessary, a regiment for its defence. In the centre, MajorGeneral Gilbert's division was deployed for support or attack, its right resting on and in the village of the little Sobraon. MajorGeneral Sir Harry Smith's was formed near the village of Guttah, with its right thrown up towards the Sutlej. Brigadier Cureton's cavalry threatened, by feigned attacks, the ford at Hurreekee, and the enemy's horse under Rajah Lall Singh Misr on the opposite bank. Brigadier Campbell, taking an intermediate position in the rear between Major-General Gil

bert's right, and Major-General Sir Harry Smith's left, protected both. Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell, under whom was Brigadier Scott, held in reserve on our left, ready to act as circumstances might demand, the rest of the cavalry."

Soon after daybreak our field battery opened its fire, which was replied to by seventy pieces of cannon, admirably served by the Sikhs from behind strongly constructed redoubts and breastworks of earth planks and fascines.

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"At nine o'clock," we again quote from Sir Hugh Gough's despatch, Brigadier Stacey's Brigade, supported on either flank by Captains Horsford and Fordyce's batteries, and Lieutenant-Colonel Lane's troop of horse artillery, moved to the attack in admirable order. The infantry and guns aided each other correlatively. The former marched steadily on in line, which they halted only to correct when necessary. The latter took up successive positions at the gallop, until at length they were within 300 yards of the heavy batteries of the Sikhs; but, notwithstanding the regularity, and coolness, and scientific character of this assault, which Brigadier Wilkinson well supported, so hot was the fire of cannon, musketry, and zumboorucks kept up by the Khalsa troops, that it seemed for some moments impossible that the entrenchments could be won under it; but soon persevering gallantry triumphed, and the whole army had the satisfaction of seeing the gallant Brigadier Stacey's soldiers driving the Sikhs in confusion before them within the area of their encampment. The 10th Foot, under Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, now, for the first time, brought into serious

This

contact with the enemy, greatly distinguished themselves. regiment never fired a shot till it got within the works of the enemy. The onset of Her Majesty's 53rd Foot was as gallant and effective. The 43rd and 59th Native Infantry, brigaded with them, emulated both in cool determination.

"At the moment of this first success, I directed Brigadier the Honourable T. Ashburnham's brigade to move on in support, and Major-General Gilbert's and Sir Harry Smith's divisions to throw out their light troops to threaten their works, aided by artillery. As these attacks of the centre and right commenced, the fire of our heavy guns had first to be directed to the right, and then gradually to cease, but at one time the thunder of full 120 pieces of ordnance reverberated in this mighty combat through the valley of the Sutlej, and, as it was soon seen that the weight of the whole force within the Sikh camp was likely to be thrown upon the two brigades that had passed its trenches, it became necessary to convert into close and serious attacks the demonstrations with skirmishers and artillery of the centre and right; and the battle raged with inconceivable fury from right to left. The Sikhs, even when at particular points their entrenchments were mastered with the bayonet, strove to regain them by the fiercest conflict sword in hand. Nor was it until the cavalry of the left, under MajorGeneral Sir Joseph Thackwell, had moved forward and ridden through the openings of the entrenchments made by our sappers, in single file, and re-formed as they passed them, and the 3rd Dragoons, whom no obstacle usually held formidable by horse appears to

check, had on this day, as at Ferozeshah, galloped over and cut down the obstinate defenders of batteries and field-works, and until the full weight of three divisions of infantry, with every field-artillery gun which could be sent to their aid, had been cast into the scale, that victory finally declared for the British. The fire of the Sikhs first slackened, and then nearly ceased, and the victors, then pressing them on every side, precipitated them in masses over their bridge and into the Sutlej, which a sudden rise of seven inches had rendered hardly fordable. In their efforts to reach the right bank, through the deepened water, they suffered from our horse artillery a terrible carnage. Hundreds fell

under this cannonade; hundreds upon hundreds were drowned in attempting the perilous passage. Their awful slaughter, confusion, and dismay were such as would have excited compassion in the hearts of their generous conquerers, if the Khalsa troops had not, in the early part of the action, sullied their gallantry by slaughtering and barbarously mangling every wounded soldier whom, in the vicissitudes of attack, the fortune of war left at their mercy. I must pause in this narrative especially to notice the determined hardihood and bravery with which our two battalions of Ghoorkhas, the Sirmoor and Nusseree, met the Sikhs wherever they were opposed to them. Soldiers of small stature, but indomitable spirit, they vied in ardent courage in the charge with the grenadiers of our own nation, and, armed with the short weapon of their mountains, were a terror to the Sikhs throughout this great combat.

"Sixty-seven pieces of cannon,

Such a victory could not be achieved without severe loss, and amongst the most distinguished officers who fell on this memorable day were Major-General Sir Robert Dick, and Brigadier Taylor; General M'Laren died afterwards of the wounds he received*. The carnage

side was as follows:-Total, 13 European officers, 3 native officers, 8 sergeants, 2 trumpeters, 292 rank and file, 3 syces, and 36 horses killed; 101 European officers, 39 native officers, 74 sergeants, 7 trumpeters, 1832 rank and file, 3 lascars, 5 syces, and 83 horses wounded; 29 horses missing.

*The official return of the loss on our

Killed. Wounded.

...

European officers...... 13 101 Native officers

3

...

39

2,063

Total...... 320 Grand total of killed and wounded, 2,383

NAMES OF OFFICERS KIlled. Artillery Division. 1st Troop 2nd Bde. H. A.-First Lieut. H. J. Y. Faithful.

First Infantry Division. Brigade Staff -Lieut. R. Hay, Major of Brigade. H. M. 50th Foot-Lieut. G. R. Grimes.

Second Infantry Division. Divisional Staff Lieutenant J. S. Rawson, Offg. D. A. Q. M. General. Brigade Staff Lieut. Col. C. C. Taylor, C. B., Brigadier. worth and Ensign F. W. A. Hamilton. 1st Eur. Lt. Infy.-Lieut. F. ShuttleSirmoor Battn.-Captain J. Fisher.

Third Infantry Division. Divisional

amongst the enemy was very great, and it was computed that not fewer than eight or ten thousand men of the Khalsa army perished in the action, and while attempting to cross the river in their flight when we had carried their entrenchments. Amongst these were some of their bravest and ablest leaders. This glorious victory was described by Sir Henry Hardinge, in a general order after the battle, an exploit, one of the most daring ever achieved, by which in open day a triple line of breastworks, flanked by formidable redoubts, bristling with artillery, manned by thirty-two regular regiments of infantry, was assaulted and

carried.

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as

On the evening of the day on which the action was fought, six regiments of Native Infantry crossed the Sutlej; and the rest of the army soon after followed on a bridge of boats, constructed for the passage of the troops.

On the 14th of February, the whole army encamped at Kussoor, thirty-two miles from Lahore, on its march to that capital. The Governor-General then issued the following Proclamation, dated :

"Foreign Department, Kussoor, 14th February, 1846. "The Sikh army has been expelled from the left bank of the river Sutlej; having been defeated in every action, with the loss of more than 220 pieces of fieldartillery.

"The British army has crossed the Sutlej, and entered the Punjaub.

Staff M. Gen. Sir R. H. Dick, K. C. B., and K. C. H. H. M. 62nd Foot-Lieut. W. T. Bartley. 33rd Regt. N. I.— Lieut. W. C. Playfair. H. M. 10th Foot -Lieut. W. S. Beale. H. M. 53rd Foot-Capt. C. E. D. Warren.

"The Governor-General announces, by this proclamation, that this measure has been adopted by the Government of India in accordance with the intentions expressed in the proclamation of the 13th December last, as having been forced upon the GovernorGeneral, for the purpose of effectually protecting the British provinces, for vindicating the authority of the British Government, and for punishing the violators of treaties and the disturbers of the public peace.'

"These operations will be steadily persevered in, and vigorously prosecuted, until the objects proposed to be accomplished are fully attained. The occupation of the Punjaub by the British forces will not be relinquished until ample atonement for the insult offered to the British Government by the infraction of the treaty of 1809 A.D., and by the unprovoked invasion of the British provinces, shall have been exacted. These objects will include full indemnity for all expenses incurred during the war, and such arrangements for the future government of the Lahore territories as will give perfect security to the British Government against similar acts of perfidy and aggression.

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Military operations against the Government and army of the Lahore state have not been undertaken by the Government of India from any desire of territorial aggrandizement. The Governor-General, as already announced in the proclamation of the 13th December, sincerely desired to see a strong Sikh government re-established in the Punjaub, able to control its army and to protect its subjects.' The sincerity of these fessions is proved by the fact that no preparations for hostilities had

pro

been made when the Lahore Government suddenly, and without a pretext of complaint, invaded the British territories. This unprovoked aggression has compelled the British Government to have recourse to arms, and to organize the means of offensive warfare; and, whatever may now befall the Lahore state, the consequences can alone be attributed to the misconduct of that Government and its army.

"No extension of territory was desired by the Government of India: the measures necessary for providing indemnity for the past and security for the future will, however, involve the retention by the British Government of a portion of the country hitherto under the government of the Lahore state. The extent of territory which it may be deemed advisable to hold will be determined by the conduct of the Durbar, and by considerations for the security of the British frontier. The Government of India will, under any circumstances, annex to the British provinces the districts, hill and plain, situated between the rivers Sutlej and Beas; the revenues thereof being appropriated as a part of the indemnity required from the Lahore state.

"The Government of India has frequently declared that it did not desire to subvert the Sikh Government in the Punjaub; and although the conduct of the Durbar has been such as to justify the most severe and extreme measures of retribution, (the infliction of which may yet be required by sound policy, if the recent acts of violence be not amply atoned for and immediate submission tendered,) nevertheless the Governor-General is still willing that an opportunity should be given to the Durbar and to the

chiefs to submit themselves to the authority of the British Government, and by a return to good faith and the observance of prudent counsels, enable the Governor-General to organize a Sikh Government in the person of a descendant of its founder, the late Maharajah Runjeet Singh, the faithful ally of the British power.

"The Governor-General, at this moment of a most complete and decisive victory, cannot give a stronger proof of the forbearance and moderation of the British Government than by making this declaration of his intention; the terms and mode of the arrangement remaining for further adjustment.

"The Governor-General, therefore, calls upon all those chiefs who are the well-wishers of the descendants of Runjeet Singh, and especially such chiefs as have not participated in the hostile proceedings against the British power, to act in concert with him for carrying into effect such arrangements as shall maintain a Sikh Government at Lahore, capable of controlling its army and protecting its subjects, and based upon principles that shall provide for the future tranquillity of the Sikh states, shall secure the British frontier against a repetition of acts of aggression, and shall prove to the whole world the moderation and justice of the paramount power of India.

"If this opportunity of rescuing the Sikh nation from military anarchy and misrule be neglected, and hostile opposition to the British army be renewed, the Government of India will make such other arrangements for the future government of the Punjaub as the interests and security of the British power may render just and expedient.