The heavy ordnance having arrived on the 8th February, the day on which the forces under Major-General Sir Henry Smith, who had been detached to Loodiana, and had obtained a signal victory over the enemy at Aliwal, rejoined the main body of the army, it was determined on coming at once to a battle with the Sikhs, to storm their entrenchments, and finally to drive them out of Hindoostan. This was an undertaking of some magnitude. From observations made during the time the head-quarters of the army were stationed at the village of Nihalkee, it was ascertained that the position at Sobraon was covered with formidable entrenchments, and defended by thirty thousand of the _élite_ of the Khalsa troops; besides being united by a good bridge to a reserve on the opposite bank of the river, on which was stationed a considerable camp, with artillery, which commanded and flanked the enemy's field-works on the British side of the Sutlej. About daybreak on the 10th February, the mortars, battering guns, and field-artillery were disposed on the alluvial land, embracing within its fire the enemy's works. As soon as the sun's rays cleared the heavy mist which hung over the plain, the cannonade commenced, but notwithstanding the admirable manner in which the guns were served, it would have been visionary to expect that they could, within any limited time, silence the fire of seventy pieces of artillery behind well-constructed batteries, or dislodge troops so strongly entrenched. It soon became evident to the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Hugh Gough, that musketry and the bayonet must ultimately decide the contest.