After the death of Maha Shere Singh, the Punjaub was in a state of anarchy; the juvenile sovereign, Dhuleep Singh, under the tutelage of his mother and uncle, was unable to control the turbulent Sikh chieftains, and open hostility soon manifested itself against the British Government in India. In the beginning of December, 1845, the inclination of the Sikh Sirdars to invade the British territories appeared to increase, and about the 11th of that month, with a large army and a well-appointed artillery, they actually crossed the Sutlej, the boundary river which separates the Punjaub from the British dominions.[28] The Commander-in-Chief in India, General Sir Hugh Gough, sent immediate orders for the Umballa division of the army, which had lately been considerably increased in strength, to be pushed on towards the invaded frontier. Previous to its march, this force had been formed into divisions and brigades. The first brigade of the first division was composed of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, and two regiments of Native infantry, viz., the twenty-fourth and forty-seventh regiments. The first division was commanded by Major-General Sir Henry Smith; Colonel Bolton, C.B., of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, was appointed Brigadier to command the first brigade. Lieut.-Colonel Byrne, the next senior officer, assumed the command of the regiment. Captain Garvock was appointed Brigade-Major to the first brigade, and Captain Lugard, Assistant-Adjutant-General to the first division. It being of the utmost importance to aid the division of the army in the defence of Ferozepore, a fort on the left bank of the Sutlej, where the British Government had large magazines containing munitions of war, a park of artillery, military stores, and equipments for the field army, which protected the frontier, it was necessary to push on the Umballa division, with all possible speed, by rapid and forced marches, towards the point near which the Sikhs, after having crossed the Sutlej, were assembled in large force, emboldened by numbers, and their army composed of well-disciplined troops, with a numerous and well-appointed artillery. This army had been instructed and trained in European tactics and discipline by French and Italian officers; it was confident in its own strength and in the powerful aid of its formidable artillery.