The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-28 00:00:00

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LONDON, SAmURDA1T orgia
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rIpHE CAMPAIGN on the SUTLEJ creating
A_ immense interest at the present moment, there is exhibiting
at the ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION Portraits of the
most Distinguished Men botk in the SIKH ARMY and GOVERN-
MENT of LAHORE, taken by a lady of rank, distiagnisked in the
Fine Arts, during her residence In India. Also, Portraits of Sir Henry
Hardinge, Sir Robert and Lady Sale, &c. By means of the OPAQUE
MICROSCOPE these interesting Portraits are on a magnilick nt
scale. Mornings, at Half-past Four o'clock ; Evenings at a Quarter
to Ten. The LECTURES include these on ABTRONOMY, during
Lent on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, COLEMAN'S WORK-
2(G MODEL ascending and descending Inclined Planes, &e. &s.
Admission, Is. ; Sckoels, Half-priee.

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In a few days, post 4to.
A RAILIVAT TRAVELLER'S REASONS
FOR ADOPTING UNIFORMITY" OF GAUGE,

Stated In a Letter to I. K. Brunel, Esq
Joseph Cundall, 12, Old Bond-street.

ULACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.
No. CCOLXVL APRIL, 1846.

WAR IN ILA CIA.

THE
LOit-;DON GAZETTE

EXTRAORDINARY.
FRIDAY, MARCII 27.

An Extraordinary Gazette was published hat evening,
containing the Official Dispatches of Sir H. Hardinge,
Sir H. Gough; at d Sir H. Smith, detailing the proceed-
ings of the army of th6'Sutlej from the 22d December,
1845, the day, after the victory of Ferozsbah, to the 30th
January, 1846, two days after the victory of Aliwal.
The first dispatch given is the general order of the
Governor General, dated Camp Ferozepore, Feb. 2, 1846,
announcing the victory of Aliwal, which has already
appeared in th'e Sun. Then comes the following:—
General Sir Hugh Gough, Bart., G.C.8., Commander-in-
Chief in India, to the Governer-General.
Camp, Nihalkee, Feb. 1, 1846.
, (Extract.)
After its final r.epulse, on the 22d of December, the Seikh
army retired, in great confusion, across the ferries and fords
of the Sutlej.
I established my head
,quarters at Sultan Khan Walla on
the 24th, my divisions being encamped at that place, at Peer
Khan Walla, and at Kool. On the 27th, I advanced to Hur-
ruff; and, the same day, persanally pushed a reconnoissance
to the banks of the River, at the Ghat of-Sobraon.
The enemy was seen stretching along the right bank in
force, not more than half-a-dozen of his stragglers being sur-
prised by our irregular cavalry on this side.
Major-General Sir Harry tlnsith's d,!vision I placed in an
advanced position, with its right en the Tillage of Mallowal,
and its hat on a nullah, an offset from the Sutlej.
Front this point the enemy was watched by the Major-
General with equal activity and circumspection, whilst the
the rest of our troops were held in hand ready to support him,
should the Seikhs venture to resume the initiative.
On or about the sth, our attention was directed to a pre-
datory incursion of the enemy, in the direction of Loodiana.
They burnt a few of the residences of our officers, and bar-
racks of our soldiers, at that station, but avoided the combat,
when the Sirmoor battalion, and other troops, interrupted
them in the work of destruction.
Rumour exaggerated the nature and extent of this inroad,
and excited some alarm for our communications ; but the
object of this foray was, eventually, discovered to be for the
purpose of favouring the escape, across the Sutlej, of the
Raja of Ladwa, who had alone, of all the principal princes
and chiefs of the Protected States, evinced towards us, at
this conjuncture, decided hostility. With him, the predatory
Seiklis recrossed the Sutlej.
On the 12th of January, I determined to bring my whole
force into a position, from which it might more closely ob-
serve the movements of the enemy, now posted near the
greater Sobraon. on the right bank. At an early hour, it
executed an oblique movement to its right and front. Major-
General Sir Harry Smith, supported by a cavalry brigade,
under Brigadier Cureton (recently brought up, from Meerut)
was, in his new alignment, still on the right, opposite to
Hurreke Puttun ; Major-General Gilbert in the centre, and
Major-General Sir Robert Dick on the left, covered again by
cavalry. Major-General Sir John Grey, posted at Attarec,
' watched the Nuggur ford. The troops of Major-General Sir
John Littler occupied, or were drawn around, the canton-
ment and entrenchment of Ferozepore.
The enemy, on his side, reinforced his army on the right
bank, completed and strengthened his bridge, and increased
the force of his posts and picquets on the left bank. These
parties having, on the 14th, evinced more than usual
audacity, I caused that body of his infantry which held the
head of the bridge, to be driven in by the fire of artillery
and rockets, supported by the presence of our light troops.
On the following day, a partial cannonade, which was again
opened, on our side, upon the boats of the Seikhs, on their
outposts on the left bank, and their encampment on the
right, enabled me to ascertain, from the direction of their
corresponding fire, the nature of all their defensive dis-
positions.
Meanwhile, the upper Sutlej has become the scene of very
interesting operations.
It is a strange feature of this war that the enemy, pressed
for supplies on his own bank, has been striving to draw them
from his Jaghire States on this side of the river. In the
town and fort of Dhurmkote, which were filled with grain,
he had, in the second week of January, a small garrison of
Mercenaries, Rohillas, Eusufzies and Affghans. Major-
General Sir Harry Smith was, on the 18th, sent against this
place, with a single brigade of his divison and a light field
battery. He easily effected its reduction, the troops within
it surrendering at discretion, after a few cannon shots. But,
whilst he was yet in march, I received information of a more
serious character. There remained little cause to doubt that
Sirdar Runjoor Sing Mujethea, had crossed from Philour,
at the head of a numerous force of all arms, and established
himself in position at Baran Hera, between the old and the
new courses of the Sutlej, not only threatening the city of
Loodiana with plunder and devastation, but indicating a de-
termination to intersect the line of our communications at
Busseean and Raekote.
The safety of the rich and populous town of Loodianali
had been in some measure provided for by the presence of
three battalions of Native Infantry under Brigadier Godby ;
and the gradual advance of our reinforcements, amongst
which was included her Majesty's 53d Regiment, and the
position of the Shekawattee Brigade, near Busseean, gave
breathing time to us in that direction.
But, on the receipt of intelligence which could be relied
on, of the movements of Runjoor Singh, and his apparent
views, Major-General Sir Harry Smith, with the brigade at
Dhurmkote, and Brigadier Cureton's cavalry, was directed
to advance by Jugraon towards Loodiana ; and his second
brigade, under Brigadier Wheeler, moved on to support
him.
Then Commenced a series of very delicate combinations,
the momentous character of which can only he compre-
hended by reflecting on the task which had devolved on this
army, of guarding the frontier from Roopur down to Mun-
dote. •

The Major-General, breaking up from Jugraon, moved to.
wards Loodiana, when the Sirdar, relying on the vast supe-
riority of his forces, assumed the initiative, and endeavoured
to intercept his progress by marching in a line parallel to
him, and opening upon his troops a furious cannonade. The
Major-General continued coolly to manoeuvre ; and, when
the Seikh Sirdar, bending round one wing of his army, en-
veloped his flank, he extricated himself, by retiring, with the
steadiness of a field day, by echelon of battalions, and
effected his communication with Loodiana, but not without
severe loss.
Reinforced by Brigadier Godby, he felt himself to be
strong; but his manoeuvre had thrown him out of commu-
nication with Brigadier Wheeler, and a portion of his bag-
gage had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The Seikh
Sirdar took up an entrenched position at Budhowal, support.
ing himself on its fort; but, threatened on either flank by
General Smith and Brigadier Wheeler, finally decamped,
and moved down to the Sutlej. The British troops made
good their junction, and occupied the abandoned position of
Budhowal. The Shekawattee Brigade and her Majesty's
53d Regiment, also added to the strength of the Major-
General ; and he prepared to attack the Seikh Sirdar on his
new ground. But, on the 27th, Runjoor Sing was.reinforced,
from the right bank, with 4,000 regular troops, twelve pieces
of Artillery, and a large force of cavalry.
Emboldened by this accession of strength, he ventured on
the measure of advancing towards Jugraon, apparently with
the view of intercepting our communications by that route.
It is my gratifying duty to announce that this presump-
tion has been rebuked by a splendid victory obtained over
him. He has not only been repulsed by the Major-General,
but his camp at Aliwal carried by storm, the whole of his
cannon and munitions of war captured, and his army driven
headlong across the Sutlej, even on the right bank of which
he found no refuge from the fire of our artillery.
I have the honour now to forward the Major-General's re-
port, which has just reached me. It is so ample and lu-
minous, that I might perhaps have spared some of the ,de-
tails into which admiration of the Major-General's conduct,
and of the brave army confided to him, in these operations,
has led me.
It now remains for me only to congratulate you, Right
Honourable Sir, and the Government of India, on the bril-
liant success which, under Divine Providence, the Major-
General has achieved; and to record my opinion that,
throughout these arduous and important operations, he has
displayed all the qualities of an able commander. Most
strongly, and most earnestly at the same time, I beg to bring
to your notice, and to that of his Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington, and the Honourable the Court of Directors, the offi-
cers and corps on whom he has so justly bestowed his com-
mendations.
This is followed by the dispatch of Sir H. Smith, K.C.8.,
to the Adjutant-General of the Army, dated Camp, Field of
the Battle of Aliwal, Jan. 30, 1846, giving the details of that
glorious victory, and of the masterly manoeuvres of the
British troops by which it was preceded, and followed by the
return of the killed and wounded. This dispatch has also
been already published. An abstract only has as yet ap-
peared of the following official
Return of Ordnance Captured from the Enemy, in Action at
Aliwal, by the Ist Division of the Army of the Sutlej,
under the Personal Command of Major -General Sir Harry
Smith, K.C.8., on the 28th of January, 1846.
Camp, Aliwal, Jan. 30. 1846.
Howitzers.
One brass 8-inch, 2 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 24-pounder, 3 feet 11 inches long, serviceable.
One copper 13-pounder, 3 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 12-pounder, 4 feet 9 inches long, serviceable
One bras 12-pounder, 4 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 7-pounder, 3 feet 511 inches long, unserviceable.
One copper 12 .pounder, 3 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One copper 12-pounder, 3 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One copper 12-pounder, 3 feet 9 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 12-pounder, 3 feet 9 inches long, highly orna-
mented, serviceable.
One copper 9-pounder, 3 feet 11 inches long, highly onaa•
mented, carriage inlaid with brass and steel, serviceable.
One copper 9-pounder, 2 feet 91,4 inches long, serviceable.
One copper 12-pounder, 3 feet 41% inches long, serviceable.

Mortars.

One brass 10-inch, 2 feet 3 inches long, mounted on a field
carriage, serviceable.
One copper Bi-inch, 1 foot 9 inches long, mounted on a field
carriage, serviceable.
One.brass 6-inch, 1 foot 4i inches long, a curious old piece,
with highly carved and ornamented carriage, mounted on
a field carriage.
One brass 4} inch, 1 foot 4i inches long, a curious old piece,
mounted on a field carriage.
Guns.

One brass 8-pounder, 10 feet 2 inches long, ornamented with
dolphins and rings, apparently a French battering gun,
being heavy metal, serviceable.
One copper 8-pounder, 4 feet 114 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 8-pounder, 4 feet 11 inches long, serviceable.
One brass 8-pounder, 5 feet 1 inch long, serviceable.
One brass 7-pounder, 4 feet 11 inches long, heavy metal,
serviceable.
One brass 7-pounder, 4 feet 3i inches long, heavy metal,
serviceable.
One copper 6i-pounder, 5 feet 1 inch long, serviceable.
One brass 6-pounder, 5 feet long, serviceable.
One brass 6-pounder 4 feet 1 inch long, serviceable.
One copper 6-pounder, 5 feet 3} inches long, serviceable.