Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
History
Journal of a Cavalry Officer; Including the Memorable Sikh Campaign of 1845-1846
Humbley, W. W. W. (William Wellington Waterloo)
India -- Description and travel; Sikh War, 1845-1846
In the immediate vicinity of the Sutlej, the country is in a high state
of cultivation, the valley being covered with a rich, soft verdure, but
scarcely a tree is visible till within three miles from the banks; then
the scene changes completely, and for miles and miles the eye rests
upon nothing but immense tracts of jungle, interspersed with bushes,
low tamarisks and tamarinds, with here and there the picturesque view
of some ancient mosque or tomb. Close to Kussoor, lie the ruins of a
large city scattered about in wild confusion; here mosques, domes,
minarets and columns, tell of the departed glory of the Mahomedan era,
when the arts and civilization were in their prime. The road runs
through the town, which stands on a lofty eminence, and completely
commands the place, and the ancient citadel of Kussoor. The town was
formerly divided into twelve parts, each surrounded by a wall; and
tradition says, that the founder gave one of these divisions to each
of his twelve sons. Major Hough states that an army might make a good
stand here, because there are not only heights, but each division
of the town could be converted into a fortified position. But I am
of opinion, that in the event of a hostile attack, it would not be
capable of standing either a lengthened siege or a vigourous defence;
it consists of a low wall, surrounded by narrow moats and projecting
bulwarks. The town itself is surrounded by a very high wall, flanked
with towers, and is densely built of brick. We encamped under the walls
of the ancient town. The Governor-General joined the army early on
the morning of the 14th. Kussoor is situated about sixteen miles from
Ferozepore, and thirty-two from Lahore.
On the following morning, after some previous negotiation, the
Maharannee of Lahore, who had appointed the Rajah Goolab Singh and
some of the council to confer with the British army, sent her embassy
to our head-quarters. They were intrusted by the queen mother with
full powers, upon the condition that the treaty should embrace the
continuance of the Sikh government at Lahore. The Governor-General
surrounded by a brilliant staff of officers, received the Lahore
embassy in his own tent. The deputation was then referred to Major
Lawrence, now Sir Henry Lawrence, K.C.B., and since President of the
Board of Administration for the affairs of the Punjaub, and Mr. Currie,
now Sir Frederick Currie, Bart., and late Member of the Supreme Council
of India, with whom they had a conference which lasted several hours.
The Sikh chiefs being at first extremely reluctant to enter into the
terms proposed by the English, their negotiations were prolonged far
into the night. The following are the terms which were proposed by the
English, and finally agreed to by the Sikhs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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