The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

THE CONFLICTS IN INDIA

We extract the following sketch of the battle at Mood-
kee and Feroze,hur from Sir Hugh Gough's despatches to
the Governor-General:—
" About three p.m. information was received that the
Sikh army was advancing. We had not proceeded be-
yond two miles, when we found the enemy in position.
They were said to consist of from fifteen to twenty thou-
sand infantry, about the same force of cavalry, and forty
thousand guns. They evidently had either just taken up
this position, or were advancing in order of battle against
us. The country is a dead flat, covered at short intervals
with a low, but, in some places, thick jhow jungle, and
dotted with sandy hillocks. The enemy screened their
infantry and artillery behind this jungle, and such indula-
tions as the ground afforded ; and, whilst our twelve bat-
talions formed from echelon of brigades into line, opened
a very severe cannonade upon our advancing troops, which
was vigorously replied to by the battery of horse artillery
under Brigadier Brooke, which was joined by the two
light field of batteries. The rapid and well-directed fire
of our artillery appeared soon to paralyze that of the ene-
my ; and, as it was necessary to complete our infantry
dispositions without advancing the artillery too near to
the jungle, I directed the cavalry under Brigadiers White
and Gough to make a flank movement on the enemy's
left, with a view of threatening and turning that flank if
possible. Wilh praiseworthy gallantry, the 3rd light
dragoons, with the second brigade of cavalry, consisting
of the body guard and sth light cavalry, with a portion of
the 4th lancers, turned the left of the Sikh army, and,
sweeping along the whole rear of its infantry and guns,
silenced for a time the latter, and put their numerous ca-
valry to flight. Whilst this movement was taking place
on the enemy's left, I directed the remainder of the 4th
lancers, the 9th irregular cavalry, under Brigadier Mac-
tier, with a light field battery, to threaten their right.
This manoeuvre was also successful. Had not the infan.
try and guns of the enemy been screened by the jungle,
these brilliant charges of the cavalry would have been
productive of greater effect.
" When the infantry advanced to the attack, Brigadier
Brooke rapidly pushed on his horse artillery close to the
jungle, and the cannonade was resumed on both sides.
The infantry, under Major-Generals Sir Harry Smith,
Gilbert, and Sir John M'Gaskill, attacked in echelon of
lines the enemy's infantry, almost invisible amongst wood
and the approaching darkness of night. The opposition
of the enemy was such as might have been expected from
troops who had every thing at stake, and who had long
vaunted of being irresistible. Their ample and extended
line, from their great superiority of numbers, far out-
' flanked ours ; but this was counteracted by the flank
movements of our cavalry. The attack of the infantry
now commenced ; and the roll of fire from this powerful
arm soon convinced the Sikh army that they had met with
a foe they little expected ; and their whole force was dri-
ven from position after position with great slaughter, and
the loss of seventeen pieces of artillery, some of them of
heavy calibre; our infantry using that never-failing wea-
pon, the bayonet, whenever the enemy stood. Night
only saved them from worse disaster, for this stout con.
flier was maintained during an hour and a half of dim
starlight, amidst a cloul of dust from the sandy plain,
which yet more obscured every object.
The final charge is thus described :—" Our line ad-
vanced, and, unchecked by the enemy's fire, drove them
rapidly out of the village of Forozesbah and their en.

campment ; then changing front to its left, on its centre,
our force continued to sweep the camp, bearing down all
opposition, and dislodged the enemy from their old posi-
tion. The line then halted, as if on a day of manoeuvre,
receiving its two leaders, as they rode along its front, with
a gratifying cheer, and displaying the captured standards
of the Khaiva army. We had taken upwards of 73 pieces
of canon, and were masters of the whole field. For
twenty-four hours not a Sikh has appeared in our front.
The remains of the Khai.a army are said to be in full re-
treat across the Sutlej, or marching up its left bank, in
the greatest confusion and dismay. Their camp is the
scene of the most awful carnage ; and they have aban-
doned large stores of grain, camp equipage, and ammuni-
tion. This has apparently terminated this unprovoked
and criminal invasion of the peaceful provinces under
British protection."
The irruption of the Sikhs seems to have been ma-
naged with all the address which distinguishes the Orien-
tals, and renders them adepts in intrigue. So well had
they masked their designs, that while an army of 100,000
men were concentrating with 150 pieces of canon of heavy
calibre, Sir Henry 1-lardinge was countermanding head-
quarters orders for advancing the British forces nearer to
the Sutlej. The Meerut division had been ordered to the
frontier, and her Majesty's 9th lancers sent off post haste
in advance, but by an express order from Sir H. Elardinge
to General Grey the whole division was ordered to stand
fast, and the 9th lancers marched back into Meerut on
the 29th November, just one fortnight before the irrup-
tion of 100,000 men fully armed, provisioned and equip-
ped, with 150 pieces of artillery, The fact noticed by Sir
Hugh Gough that in the third engagement we had not a
round of ammunition to answer the Sikh heavy cannon,
and the absence of all carriage and medical aid for the
British wounded still further demonstrate how well the
Siks cloaked their invasion. Had our troops been nearer
the scene of action, the battle might not have been so
glorious to their valour, but probably not a Sikh would
have recrossed the Sutlej except as a fugitive.
KILLED AND WOuNDED AT MOODKEE.—KiIIed :
European officers, 13 ; native officers, 2 ; non-commis-
sioned officers, drummers, rank and file, 192; sycees, &c.
B.—Grand total, 215 Wounded : European officers. 39 ;
native officers, 9 ; non-commissioned fficers, drummers,
rank and file, 588; sycees, &c., 21.—Grand total, 657.
Grand total of all ranks, killed and wounded, 872.
KILLED AND WOUNDED AT FEItOZEPORE.—KiiIed:
European officers, 37; native ditto, 17; non-commis-
sioned, drummers, rank and file, 630 ; Sycees, drivers,
&c., 10.—Total, 691. Wounded : European officers, 78 ;
native ditto, 18 ; non-commissioned, drummers, rank and
file, 1610; Sycees, drivers, &c., 12; warrant officers, 3 ;
total, 1721.—Grand total of all ranks, killed and wounded,
2115.