The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-25 00:00:00

The Eerl of GALLOWAY felt diet, while as British
e&ijects and Peers they were c xpr: ieing their obligations
to the distinguished individuals who had exerted their
power at the Council Board, and perilled their lives in
the field in defence of British interests in India, it would
be worthy of a Christian Legislature not to pass by that
Almighty power who was the giver of all victory.
Oh Goal thy arm was there,
And not to us, but to thy arm alone,
Ascribe we all,"
was the language of one of the greatest sovereigns in
British history. These were the words, too, of one of
our greatest warriors, after one of his moat celebrated
victories. As a Christian man, addressing himself to a
Christian Legislature, he called upon their Lordships,
and particularly upon the Right Revere ml Bench, to
second him in the appeal which he now made to the
Government to take these things into consideration, and
advise the Sovereign to appoint a day of general thanks-
giving for the mercies voirchsaled to this country, ac-
companied with a deep acknowledgment et the national
unworthiness.
The Duke of WELLINGTON (who addressed their
Lordships with great energy and earnestness) said,—
My Lords, I shall not oppose the proposition of the
Noble Lord who has just addressed you; but I do not
think it exactly a subject for your Lordships' conridera-
lion at the present moment. The Noble Lord, if he
thinks proper, may make such a proposition, and I think
the House will willingly take it into their consideration;
but that which is the object of the motion before your
Lordships this day is to take into consideration the
propriety of voting your thanks to the army which has
fought during the recent military operations in the run•
jaub. My Lords, I entirely concur in the observations
expressed by the Noble Marquis in making this motion,
and by my Noble Friend (Lord Stanley) in seconding
the motion made by the Noble Marquis. My Lords, it
has fallen to my lot to know, and to have to consider,
the great difficulties under which this war has been
conducted.—(Hear, hear.) And, my Lords, I must say
that in no case have I seen stronger instances of good
conduct than in carrying on the operations of which it
is now proposed to your Lordships to pronounce your
approbation. My Lords, this war originated in the dis-
honour, perfidy, and faithlessness of the servants and
officers of the native Government of Lahore. The Go-
vernor-General being, under the articles of a treaty, the
guardian of the infant Maharaja of the Punjaub, was
bound by the treaty to control the acts of his Govern-
ment, and to give his assistance in carrying on its ope-
rations. My Lords, all the servants of the Government
betrayed their trust. As the Noble Lord has stated,
Dewan Moolraj, the Governor of Moultan and the
country under the subjection of that fortress, be-
trayed his trust, and refused to deliver the command
to the officers sent to relieve him, and murdered the
two gentlemen sent by the British Resident, in
order to superintend the delivery of the fortress to
the officers selected by the Maharaja, under the super-
intendence of the British Resident, to take the command.
This act of treachery and insubordination was followed
by the revolt of the whole country in the neighbourhood
of Moultan; and, my Lords, it was followed by degrees,
one after another, by the treacherous revolt and insur-
rection of all parts of that country, by the revolt of no
less than three other fortresses, all of which refused to
obey the orders of this Government, the troops being in
a state of mutiny and insurrection, all of which had to
be gut the better of at the same moment.—(Hear, hear.)
And all this, my Lords, occurred at a season in the year
dating which it was utterly impossible to put in the field
any European troops. It was, indeed, scarcely possible
to keep the native troops in the field, but the European
officers and troops could not take the field at that season
of the year. But, my Lords, by the care and attention of
the Governor-General and the officers of the British
Government, and of the Commander-in-Chief and offi-
cers of the army, a body of men was by degrees col.
lected, and that force was attended and equipped by a
body of artillery, and sent to Moultan, which place had
teen previously invested. Another force was sent to the
Purijaub, to aid and support the garrisoned places of
Lahore, and the other places in the Sodas territory under
the treaty. My Lords, the siege of Moultan could not
be commenced until the month of September, notwith-
standing that the original atrocities of the murder of the
two officers mentioned by the Noble Marquis occurred on
the 19th of April. But the ground was broken on the
7th September. On the 14th of September, after a good
deal of progress had been made in the siege, after a
gallant attsele made in order to lodge the troops
in a certain portion of the town which it was
necessary for them to occupy in order to carry
on the siege with advantage, it was found necessary
to raise the siege and withdraw the army a certain
distance until reinforcements could be received, because
the Seikh army under the chief who has been since coin
bating with the East Indian troops, had revolted and
gone over to the enemy.—(Hear, hear.) It was the
14th of September when the siege was raised, but the
care of the Governor-General and the generals and
officers in command of the troops in different portions
of the country had provided measures for bringing troops
from all parts into the great undertaking of pacifying
the country under these circumstances. A force was
sent up from Bombay, and arrived at Moultau on the
26th of September. On the very next day the city of
Moultan was attacked by General Whish and the troops
who had arrived under the command of General Dun -
das, and these Bombay troops carried some of the works
that defended the city, and took possession of parts of that
towr. I mention these circumstances in order that
you may vote to General Dundas your thanks for
the capture of Moultan, and to the troops
under his command, who were brought into
that attack and to that seige after such a march as it
is frem the Indus to Moultan in the very worst
reason of the year, and who arrived in time to be put in
line, and make the attack on the following morning.—
(Cheers.) I mention these circumstances to the credit
of Gcneral Dendas.—(Hear, hear.) While this siege
was going on the Governor-General and the Commander-
in Chief had termed a force to cover and protect the
country in tranquillity, which was generally in a state of
insurrection, 0,113 also to observe the movements of those
large bodies of troops which were collected on the fron-
tier, and prevent them from disturbing the operations of
the siege. The Commander-in.Chiet; my Lord Gough,
put himself at the head of this covering army, and had to
fight those actions to which the Noble Marquis has ad-
verted, and which he did with uniform success in each
of them. But with regard to Moultan, when it is
recollected that this strong place was provided
with arms, and that without conditions it sur-
rendered on capitulation when the breaches were
opened and the storming parties were preparing to at-
tack those breaches, and that this place fell into the
hands of our army without loss, I think that it may be
s't down that, on the whole, the service was effected
with smaller loss than could have been expected under
any circumstances.
(Loud cheers.) My Lords,
after the siege of Moultan the army that had be-
sieged and taken it was put in march to farm that part
of the army under the command of my Lord Gongh,
which was covering the operations of the siege. It made
a forced march and joined Lord Gough's army at the
very moment at which the junction became of most im-
portance.— (Hear, hear.) It joined on the very day
previous to that on which the battle was to be fought, as
it has been stated by the Noble Marquis, and on the very
following morning the troops were again in a state to be
able to take their station in lino against the enemy—
(Cheers)—and to take their place in the battle which
was fought on the 21st of January. My Lords, I can-
not tint think that General \Vhish and the officers of
that army are deserving of your Lordships' commenda-
tion for these services.—(Cheers.) My Lords, I have
already stated to you the course of the operations car-
ried on with a view to cover the siege and keep the
country in a state of tranquillity during that great
operation. Several actions were fought, and my
Noble Friend has adverted to a circumstance
which took place in one of these (the retreat
of the 14th Dragoons). My Lords, it is impose
sible to describe to you the variety of circumstances
which may occasion mistake or disarrangement during
an engagement in the operations of any particular force
at any particular moment.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
An inquiry into these circumstances has been instituted
and I have seen the report of that inquiry. It happens
that these cavalry had to conduct their operations over a
country much broken by ravines and by rough jungles,
which rendered it impossible for the troops to move in
their usual and regular order. It happened that the
officer commanding the brigade of which this corps
formed a part was wounded in the bead during the ad-
vance, and was obliged to quit the field. The officer
next in command being at a distance from the spot,
was not aware that his commanding officer was obliged
to withdraw from the field. Under these circumstances,
the word of command was given by some person not
authorised, and of whom no trace can be found; and some
confusion took place, which, from the crowd and the
circumstances of the moment, could not easily be removed.
But it was removed at last, and all were got in order,
and the corps successfully performed its duty, as I and
Noble Lents around me have seen them perform it on
other occasions.—(Hear, hear.) My Lords, those things
may happen to any troops; but we, whose fortune it has
been to see similar engagements in the field, feel what
must be felt by all your Lordships--that the character
of a corps must not be taken from them from scraps in
the newspapers, but the facts must be.sought in the re-
port of the Commander-in-Chief and in the inquiry made
by the proper parties; an inquiry very different from
that made kby the publishers of newspapers.—(Hear.)
The order was made, and no one needs be informed that
a movement in retreat is not a movement in advance ;
but your Lordships must be convinced, as I myself
am, that the movement in retreat was one of those acci-
dents which must happen occasionally, and that the
corps to which it happened were as worthy of conti.-
deuce then as they have been since, as they were
before, and as I hope they will always be.—(Cheere.)
I entirely concur in the approbation which the
Noble Marquis has expressed of the conduct of Major
Edwardes, and other officers, in the course of these
tranenctions. My Lords, these officers were employed
under the Resident at Lahore and his officers in the
levying of certain inhabitants of the country, and certain
disbanded soldiers of the late Seikh army, in order to aid
in the defence of the Raja's government, and to prevent
the tranquillity of the country from being disturbed. I
am happy to say that these officers well performed that
duty, and they have immortalised themselves by their
conduct. It is impossible to speak too highly of Major
Edwardes and the other gentlemen who have been en-
gaged in these services.—(Hear, hear.) My Lords, I
also beg to draw your attention to that corps of Sinde
Horse raised under the superintendence of my Gallant
Friend who has been lately selected by the East India
Company to command the army in that country. These
corps had been raised not more than a few years, and yet
in this great battle, in a conflict with an enemy by no Teens
to be despised, they distinguished themselves
My Lards, these are the circumstances under which the
officers are placed in that country. They are under the
necessity of training the natives to arms, to ebecipline
them in the European mode, contrary to the manners,
the, customs, and the practices of the natives, and they
do this in such a manner as to Daftlie them feel :ugh OA'

fierce in their effesere that they ere reedy to folluie
them enrebere, even to the cannoe'e mouth, egainst
these St ikh watriors. It is a rewsoleabls eirctinee erica
that the Sinde Horse were form, d nut more than te oer
three years since, under Sir C. Napier, and I was not
aware of it until I saw it in the reports of these actions,
that this body of horse could be put in line to meet the
formidable cavalry of the Seikhs and Affehans. sly
Lords, I am certain that this motion will be agreed to
heartily, and that the unanimous vote of this llot3e will
be moat gratefully felt by the army that has fought
these actioee, and which I concur with the Noble Lord
in thinking is highly deserving of your Lordships' rip
p robe tion.— (Loud cheers.)
The Duke of RICHMOND acquiesced to the ful!est
extent in the vote of thanks proposed to the army in
India, and expressed the greatest pos,ible gratification at
the manlier in which he had heard their services spoken
of by the Noble Marquis who proposed the motion, and
the Noble Lord who seconded it, as well as by the other
Neble Lords who took part in the debate. Mention
having been made of the 14th Light Dragoons, he
thought the period opportune for stating that he had
the honour of the aequaintence of one of the gallant
officers, Colonel Cureton, who, when commanding that,
regiment, fell in the action. It was his flood fortune to
have known him for many years as a private soldier in
the Peninsular war, where, from being a non-com-
mitsioned officer of a troop, ho raise d himself by his
zeal, intrepidity, and intelligence, to one of the highest
staff positions in the Indian campaign. Colonel Have-
lock, Vo, who fell when gallantly making a charge, had
shed lustre on his Dame. He hoped the result of this
campaign would be, to prevent any future wars
occurring in India. The prestige of their military
exploits in that country would go far to achieve
so desirable an event; but he trusted that the Govern-
ment never could reduce the army in that country, so as
to prevent active operations if any etnergeaey again
arose. Unless they had had at command the force to
move up from the cut districts to Lord Geugh's head-
quarters, the war, in all probability, would nut be finished
lor many years to come. He hoped and trusted that
the war was at an end; but he felt satisfied that wher-
ever the British army was called on in the field of battle,
they would do their duty as before. They cared no•
thing for long marches or heavy fire, only give them
geed officers to lead, take care that their discipline is
correct, and the British nation reed fear not.
Lord HARDINGE was anxious on this occasion to
offer his hearty and most cordial gratulations to his Gal-
lant Friend Lord Gough and his companions of the Indian
army, for their glorious, successful, and triumphant issue
of the war, which ho never for one moment doubted. The
result had been most complete, and Lord Gough, with
that liberality which so justly characterised all his acts,
stated in one of his dispatches that the artillery, by their
skilful employment, principally achieved the success,
with comparatively small loss of life. So effectively was
this force employed, that although opposed to the Seikh
artillery, which always fought bravely, it was only ne-
cessary for two or three infantry regiments to fire on
the enemy. The conduct of the Indian artillery was
highly creditable; and it certainly proved instrumental
in obtaining one of the greatest and most splendid vic-
tories in the Indian empire. Having described the
mode in which the artillery was brought into play, and
shown that although harnessed by elephants, it never,
in the slightest degree, impeded the advance of the in•
fantry—a novelty never before witnessed in India
—the Noble and Gallant General paid a marked tri-
bute to the conduct of Brigadier-General Campbell, who
commanded the artillery, and then went on to observe,
that the importance of this branch of our military
force in modern warfare, and its signal advantage
having been so clearly exemplified in India, he sincerely
trusted that neither the Committee then sitting in an-
other place to investigate the efficiency of the Ordnance
Department would recommend, nor the Government
would sanction so useful and important a section of their
military force to be diminished, or any reduction of that
noble arm to be made. He had heard with great plea-
sure and infinite satisfaction the allusions made to Major
Edwardes. He was a must sensible clever young man.
During a portion of the period that he (Lord Ilardinge)
served her Majesty in India, Major Edwardes was in
command of 11,000 or 12,000 men, and most cleverly
did he keep them together, displaying great tact, judg-
ment, prescience, and coolness. It was his wish to
notice the exertions of other officers—Blake, Pollard,
and Nicholson, also, in conjunction with Majer Ed-
wardes, bad rendered such signal services in that me-
morable action. With respect to the part taken by the
14th Light Dragoon at the Jhelum, he felt bound to
state that frequent opportunities were afforded him
of testing their efficiency, and he believed they justly
enjoyed the highest reputation for dashing courage. Oa
the occasion of the engagement with the Seikhs on the
banks of the Jhelum, the 14th Light Dragoons were
placed in difficult and embarrassing circumstances, but
he felt satisfied that their well-earned reputation would
not be in the slightest degree damaged when they ex-
plained the circumstances under which they retreated.
Lord Gough, in one of his recent dispatches, stated that
the corps under Major-General Gilbert bad orders to
impede the operations of the Seikhs and drive them be-
yond the Khyber-pass. He had no doubt that they
would be able to do so, aced he felt equally satisfied that
the last action had broken the neck of the insurrection.
One of the most remarkable circumstances connected
with that action was the junction between the Affghans
and the Sellths, who were not only of different religions
and of races, but entertained towards each other the
most inveterate hatred. The present was the fourth time
Lord Gough had received the thanks of Parliament, as
Commander in-Chief of the British Army in India, and
he (Lord Hardinge) could only say that when that
Noble and Gallant Officer had the satisfaction of learn-
Mg that his services were thus again recognised, he
would feel satisfied that by his lest and most brilliant
victory he head ren lered invaluable service to the British
empire.—(Cheers.)
The Earl of ELLENBOROUG II expressed entire
gratification at the unanimity of their Lordships' House
in voting thanks to the gallant men engaged in the
Indian war, and stated that it was with a good deal of
pleasure lie had followed all the movements made by the
different bodies employed in that campaign, which was
not a campaign of ordinary duration or ordinary toil,
but had extended over nine months, during six or seven
months of which period a large portion of the army wits
continually in the presence of the enemy, and freqiiently
under fire. He confessed it was most satisfactory that a
success so brilliant and decisive should have come to gild
the concluding services of his Gallant and Noble Friend
Lord Gough. It was not for him to say anything of the
ability displayed by the Noble Commander-in Chief, or
of those high military qualities which so eminently dis-
tinguished his career; bat he could not avoid allusion to
the attention paid by him to the sick and wounded of the
army under his command, and to the great care which at
all times he manifested for the comfort and health of the
soldiers. It was most just to associate in the vote of
thanks Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India.
It was for the Commander-in-Chief to direct operations
in the presence of the enemy, but it was for the Go-
vernor-General to prepare the means by which victory
was to be achieved, and to provide the force in the field
with all the munitions of war. That duty Lord Dal-
housie had most properly performed. Atter the expe-
rience they had had he thought it would be absurd to
place trust in Seikh troops or Seikh treaties; and there-
fore they ought to have a considerable force in their In-
di ,n possessions. There was one consolation at least to
the members of the families of those also had fallen in
tho recent actions, that the blood of their relatives had
not been shed in vain; and that they had fallen not only
for their own or their country's glory, but for the con-
solidation of the British empire in India. 'Living eoha-
sellee7 the Government to prevent the re-construction
of the Seikh army in India, the Noble Lord concluded by
expressing his heartfelt approval of the vote of thanks.
The Marquis of LA.NSDOWNE, in reference to the
observations made by the Duke of Wellington respect-
ing the omission of General Dundas's name from the
vote of thanks, said that it was not usual to . make
special mention of officers holding the military rank of
Colonel, in votes of thanks, and that was the only reason
why the gallant officer's conduct had not been signalised.
The motion was then put from the Chair, and carried
unanimously.
Their Lordships adjourned at half-past Seven o'Clock.