The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-05-05
FROM Wilmer & Smiths European Times.
Two Gfeat Victories over the
Sfkhs.---TermfRa OF the
war in India.

ha. inform of two more great battles hav-
ino beeu fought III India between the Bri-
. ,;sb and Sikhs armies, both terminating
IN decisive victory to the former. The
frstwas under the command of Sir III.
Smith. and the latter Sir Hugh Cough,
which was perhaps one of the most bloody
on record. In Sir H. Smiths battle, the
whole army Of the enemy has been driven
: beadlcns over the difficult ford Of broad
river; his .camp, cannon, (56 pieces
baggage, stores, of. ammunition and oi
grain-his all; in fact wrested from HIM
bv the repeated charges of cavalry and M
fantry: and in that of Sir Hugh Coughs,
the Sikhs lost 1900 men and s65 pieces
of artillery. The English had 300 men
killed, l3 of whom were officers, and q
500 wounded, of whom l0I were Off
GERS. Her Majesty's 53rd and 62nd re-
eiments suffered enormously. General
Dicke and Brlgadier Taylor are among
the dead
The following official account of the
battle is from the pen Of Sir III. Smith.
and contains simple narraIies simple
narrative of what really appears to have
been brilliant affair. The readers cam
not fail to be Struck with the unpreten-
ding heroics Of the writer.
TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
OF THE ARMY.
Camp, Field of the Battle of Aliwai,
January 80, 46.
Sir:My dispatches to his Excellency
Che Conmander-in-C Chief, OF the 23rd inst,
will have put his Excellcncy in posses
sion Of the position of the force under
my command after having formed juno
ton with the troops at Leodianah, hem
med in by formidable body Of the Sikh
army, under Runjoor Sing and the Ra-
jah Of Ladwa. The enemy strongly en-
uenched himself around the little fort
OF Buddawul by breastworks and 'abat-
tis'" which he precipitatcly abandoned
on the night of the 22nd list. (retiring,
as it were, upon the ford of Tulwun,)
having ordered all the boats which were
opposite PhiIour to that of Chat.
This movement he effected during the
night, and, by making considerable de-
tour, placed himself at distance of ten
miles, and, consequently, out of my
reach. could, therefore, only push for
ward my cavalry as soon as / had ascer-
tanned he had marched during the night,
and occupied Immediately his vacant
position. 1t appeared, subsequently, he
had no intention of recrossing the SUIT
lei, qut moved down TO the Chat of Tul-
wun, being cut off from that Of Phi
lour by the position my force occupied
after its relief of Loodianah,) for the pur-
pose of protecting the passage of very
considerable reinforcement oftwelve guns
and 400 of the Regular or Aleen troops,
called Avitabile's Battalion, entreuching
himself strongly in a semi-circle, his
tianks resting on the river, his position
covered with from 40 to SO guns, (gener-
ally of large calibre,) howitzers andsmor-
tars. The reinlorcemcnts crossed du-
ring the night of the 9th inst. and en-
camped TO the righl Of the main army.
Meanwhile his Excellency the Com
mander-in-Chiel. with that foresight and
judgment which marks the able general.
had reinforced me by considerable addi-
tlon 10 my cavalry, some guns, and the
2nd Brigade Of my own division under
Brigadier Wheeler. G. b. This rein
iorcement reached me on the 26th. and
had intended the next morning TO move
upon the enemy in his entertainments,
but the troops required one days rest al
ter the long marches Brigsdier Wheeler
had made.
have now the honor to Law before
you the operations of my united forces
on the morning Of the eyentful 2sth Jan
nary for his EycelIency's information.-
The body Of troops under nv COM
mand having been increased, ii became
necessary so to organize and brigade them
as to render them manageable in action.-
The cavalry under the command Of Brig
adler Cureton, and horse artillery under
Major Lawrenson, were put into two bri-
gades; and one under Brigadier Meadow
al, c. B., and the other under Brigadier
Stedman.
The first division as it stood, two brig
AIDES; her Majesty's sd and 30th Native
Infantry, under Brigadier Wilson,sof the
latter corps; the Both Native Infantry and
Nusseree Battalion. under Brigadier God
by; and the Skekawatice Brigade under
Major Forster. The Sirmoor Battalion
1 attached to Brigapier Wheeler's Brig
ade of the lst Division the 42nd Native
Infantry having been left at head quar-
iers.
At tdsy light on the 2sth, my order of
advance was. the cavalry in front, in con-
stguous columns of squadrons Of regi-
ments; two troops of horse artillery in
the interval Of brigaIes, the infantry in
continuous columns of brigadcs at inter
walls of deploying distance; artillery in
the intervals, followed by two eight inch
howitxers on travelling carriages, brought