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
The complete surrender of the whole of the territorial possessions of
the Sikhs, lying between the Sutlej and the Beas: the payment of a
million and a half sterling, as a partial indemnity for the expenses
of the war; the disbandment of the Sikh army, and its reorganization
on the footing established by Runjeet Singh; the surrender of all the
guns used against the British, and the assumption of full powers by
the Governor-General to settle the frontiers and to fix the internal
government of Lahore. The youthful Maharajah, Dhuleep Singh, the son of
the Maharannee, being still regarded as an Ally, was required to meet
the British army on its entering Lahore, and tender his submission. It
was further stipulated, that the Sikhs should not have the power of
raising any armed force, without the consent of the British government.
On the 18th of February, the 9th Lancers reached the little mud-walled
village of Lulleanee, a distance of ten miles, during which I was on
baggage guard. It stands in the midst of corn fields and jungle. It is
about thirty-four miles from Ferozepore, and about midway between that
place and Lahore.
This evening, agreeably to the stipulation, the infant Maharajah,
Dhuleep Singh, came into the camp of the Governor-General. His council
sought forgiveness for the late act of aggression on the part of the
army. The Maharajah did not receive any military honours from the
Governor-General until he had made his submission; but after having
done so, he was treated with the style becoming the rank of a prince,
and remained in camp till the entry of the army into Lahore.
While we were at Lulleanee, we suffered much from scarcity of water. On
the 19th, we reached the village of Kankuch, a distance of ten miles.
Both yesterday and to-day the 9th Lancers were on the advanced guard of
the army. On the 20th of February, we marched to Lahore, a distance of
ten miles, and encamped on the celebrated Meanmeer, three miles from
the city--the ground where the Sikh troops used to be drilled. Through
the kindness of Major Lawrence I obtained a pass out of camp, and an
escort of two Sikh horsemen, for the purpose of visiting Lahore, the
renowned Sikh capital.
The appearance of the city is very imposing at a distance, from its
numerous mosques, with their azure domes and sparkling minarets rising
majestically above the palaces, houses and gardens, the far distance
being bounded by the bold out-line of the snow-capped Himalayas. To
the south, lies the ancient city of Lahore, completely in ruins,
interspersed with the remains of caravansaries, sepulchral monuments,
towers and domes, overshadowed here and there by the lofty crowns of
the graceful date-palm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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