Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1846-05-16
GREAT BATTLES IN INDIA,

8e 10 inc dUJubHUt-deHtTnt " It0 army
CAMp Field of Battle of Alwal Jan. 30, 1876
Sir: NY despatch to his ExcelIency the
COMMANDMENT Chief, of the 23d inst, will
have put his ExceIency in possession Of
the position OF the force under my com
mand after having formed a junction with
the troops of Loodianah, hemmed in by a
formidable body OF the Sikh army, under
Runjoor Sing and the Rajah Of Ladwa. The
enemy strongly trenched himself around
the little fort of Buddawal by breast-works
and "abattis," which he precpltely aban-
doned on the night of the Cpd inst, re-
firing as it we're upon the ford Of Tulwun,
having ordered all the boats which were
opposite Philour to that Of Chat. This
movement he effected during the night,
and, by making a considerable detour,
h placed himself at distance of ten miles,
and consequently out of my reach. |
could therefore only push forward my cav
airy as soon as had ascertained he hal
marched during the night, and occupied
Immediately his vacated position 1t APP
pearel subsequently, he had no intention
Of recrossing SutIej, but moved down to
the Chat o! Tulwun-being cut OIL from
that of PhiIour by the position my force
occupied after its relief OF Loodanah--
for the purpose Of protecting the passage
of a very considerable reinforcement oil
twelve guns and four thousand of the reg
ular Alien troops, called Avitanlle's Bat
tallion, entrenching himself strongly in a
semcirce, his tanks resting on the river,
his position covered with from forty tc
fifty guns generally Of large callbre,)
howitzers and mortars. The reinforce
ment crossed during the night OF the 9th
inst, and encamped on the right OF the
main army.
Meanwhile his Excellency the Com
mander-in. Chief, with that foresight and
Judgment which marks the able general,
had reinforced me by a considerable ad
dition my cavalry, some guns, and the
Cd Brigade of my own division under
Brigadier Wheeler, C.. B. This reinforce
ment reached me on the Goth, and hac
intended the next morning to move upon
the enemy in his entertainments, but the
troops required one days rest after the
long marches Brigadler Wheeler had
made.
have now the honor to lay before you
the operations OF my united forces on the
morning Of the eventful 28th January for
his Excelency's information. The body
of troops under my command having
been increased, it became necessary SO to
organize and brigade them as to render
them manageable in action. The caval-
~ under command Of Brigadier Cureton,
and the horse artillery under Major Law
renson, were put into two brigades; the
one under Brigadier Macdowal, c. B.,
and the other under Brigadier Stedman'
The first division as it stood, two brigades
her Maiesty's SD and 3Oth Native In,
fantry, under Brigadier Wilson, of the
latter corps; the seth Native Infantry and
Nusseree Battalion, under Brigadler God
by; and the Shekawattee Brigade under
Major Forster. The Sirmoor Battalion
ATTACHED to Brgadler Wheeler's Brigade
of the LIST Division, the 42d Native lnlan-
try having been left at headquarters.
AT daylight on the 28th, my order OF
advance was, the cavalry in front, in con,
tguous columns of squadrons of regI-
ments; two troops Of Horse Artillery IN
the interval OF briades; the Infantry IN
continuous columns Of brigades at inter-
walls Of deploying distance; artillery in
the intervals, followed by two inch how
witzers on travelling carriages, brought
into the field from the foot of Loodiauah
by the indefatigable exertions of Lieut.,
Col. Lane, Horse Artillery; Brigadler
Godby's brigade, which ] had marched
from Loodianah the previous evening, on
the right, the Shekawattee Infantry or