The battles of the British Army : $b being a popular account of all the principal engagements during the last hundred yearsBlackwood, Robert Melvin
History
The battles of the British Army : $b being a popular account of all the principal engagements during the last hundred years
Blackwood, Robert Melvin
Battles -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
The country is a dead flat, covered at short intervals with a low,
but in some places, thick jhow jungle and dotted with sandy hillocks.
The enemy screened their infantry and artillery behind this jungle,
and such undulations as the ground afforded; and, whilst our twelve
battalions formed from echellon of brigade into line, opened a very
serious cannonade upon our advancing troops, which was vigorously
replied to by the battery of horse artillery under Brigadier Brooke,
which was soon joined by the two light field batteries. The rapid
and well-directed fire of our artillery appeared soon to paralyse
that of the enemy, and, as it was necessary to complete our infantry
dispositions without advancing the artillery too near to the jungle,
I directed the cavalry under Brigadiers White and Gough to make a
flank movement on the enemy’s left, with a view of threatening and
turning that flank, if possible. With praiseworthy gallantry, the 3rd
light dragoons, with the 2nd brigade of cavalry, consisting of the
bodyguard and fifth light cavalry, with a portion of the 4th lancers,
turned the left of the Sikh army, and, sweeping along the whole rear of
its infantry and guns, silenced for a time the latter, and put their
numerous cavalry to flight.
Whilst this movement was taking place on the enemy’s left, I directed
the remainder of the 4th lancers, the 9th irregular cavalry, under
Brigadier Mactier, with a light field battery, to threaten their right.
This manœuvre was also successful. Had not the infantry and guns of
the enemy been screened by the jungle, these brilliant charges of the
cavalry would have been productive of greater effect.
When the infantry advanced to the attack, Brigadier Brooke rapidly
pushed on his horse artillery close to the jungle, and the cannonade
was resumed on both sides. The infantry, under Major-Generals Sir
Harry Smith, Gilbert, and Sir John M‘Caskill, attacked in echellon of
lines the enemy’s infantry, almost invisible amongst the wood and the
approaching darkness of night. The opposition of the enemy was such as
might have been expected from troops who had everything at stake, and
who had long vaunted of being irresistible. Their ample and extended
line, from their great superiority of numbers, far outflanked ours;
but this was counteracted by the flank movements of our cavalry. The
attack of the infantry now commenced; and the roll of fire from this
powerful arm soon convinced the Sikh army that they had met with a foe
they little expected; and their whole force was driven from position
after position, with great slaughter, and the loss of seventeen pieces
of artillery, some of them of heavy calibre; our infantry using that
never-failing weapon, the bayonet, whenever the enemy stood. Night only
saved them from worse disaster, for this stout conflict was maintained
during an hour and a half of the dim starlight, amidst a cloud of dust
from the sandy plain, which yet more obscured every object.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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