spokesman, replied. "We were ordered to mount and ride with the
cavalry, just as daylight was breaking; and had to do so at once. On
the way we agreed that if the Sikhs got the best of it we would stay
with them, as in that case they would doubtless return to the camp; but
that if they were beaten we would get away if we could, for you would
certainly be moved. If you were moved at night we knew that you would,
as agreed, try to make your escape and join us here. If you were moved
in the day, and had no chance of escaping, we made up our minds to
follow and to get you away if possible, for we considered your life
would be in danger, and that, however great the risk, you would be
willing to try to escape.
"When we got near your people we were with the body of cavalry, who were
to move round their left flank and fall upon their baggage. As soon as
we got out of the shelter of some sugar-cane fields a battery of the
artillery opened at us, and over went men and horses. It was very
uncomfortable, almost as bad as it was at Ferozeshah, for although it
was but a single battery every shot told. They were firing grape and
shrapnel, and many of the shell burst just in front of us and cut big
gaps in the line. Then a regiment of dragoons rode at us, and though
they were but a handful the Sikhs would not wait for them, but bolted
back into the canes. All this was done three or four times, and Bhop
Lal and I saw that the Sikh game was up. Their cavalry were beaten on
the other flank just as thorough as we were, and the infantry never
stirred a foot beyond their shelter. So the next time we rode back into
the canes we separated from the rest. There was no difficulty whatever
about it. The different troops had all got mixed up together. Half the
party we were with had been killed, and the rest had enough to think of
without bothering about us.
"There were plenty of others drawing off, some wounded, some who did not
want any more of it. We dismounted as soon as we separated from the
others, so that our heads should not show above the canes, led our
horses back for a mile, and then mounted and rode till we got to a
nullah, in which we hid ourselves. The firing went on for some time,
then it stopped, and we knew that the Sikhs had had enough of it. We
agreed that it was best to wait where we were and find out what they
were going to do. If they marched back to the camp we could slip into
the ranks again and come with them; if they did not, we would come on
alone and reconnoitre. We did not know how many troops had been left
there, so when it got dark I made my way back again, and Bhop Lal took
charge of the horses. I got in among the infantry, and found them half
mad with rage that they had not been ordered to advance. They had
suffered heavily, for the canes were a poor protection against shot and
shell, and many hundreds had been killed there. I learned that the
orders were that the whole force were to march towards the Jhelum at
midnight. So I went back to Bhop Lal, and we rode till close to the old
camp; then he went in on foot to see what was going on.
"It was not long before he was back again, saying that the place was
entirely deserted, and that your tent had been left standing. So we
rode straight in and waited there. At daybreak I went to the river and
saw that some regiments of cavalry were preparing to cross. I hurried
back to the tent, and we talked it over. We did not know which way you
had gone, and might miss you if we went in search of you. We guessed
that it would have been dark before you set out, and as we had your
positive orders to wait, we made up our minds to do so. We took off our
arms and laid them down on the ground, and sat quietly at the door of
the tent till a white cavalry regiment rode up. We did not feel
comfortable, for we were not sure that they would not cut us down at
once. But as our horses were standing there and we could have ridden
away had we chosen, we hoped they would see that we were not enemies.
"None of the officers could speak Punjaubi, so after trying to question
us we were handed over to a guard. The other men you saw were brought
in later, and we were all transferred together to another dragoon
regiment, put in a tent, and made prisoners. We did not feel
uncomfortable then, for we knew that your people do not kill prisoners,
and that we should presently be questioned by someone who knew the
language, and would be able to explain how we came there; but we were
terribly anxious about you, and when we saw you we were ready to shout
with joy. Will the sahib tell us how he escaped?"
"Just as we had planned, Akram. I rode with them for three hours, by
which time they were all sleepy. Then I slipped over the crupper of the
horse, and as soon as they had passed on hid in the scrub. Then I
walked back till morning, and lay down among some bushes till, late in
the afternoon, I saw a battery of our own artillery come along. They
took me on to Heylah. There I got a horse and rode back at once, hoping
to find you here. It was ten o'clock when I arrived, too late to make
inquiries about you then; but I heard that ten prisoners had been taken,
and came over with Mr. Fullarton the first thing this morning to see if
you were among them."
*CHAPTER XIX.*
*CHILLIANWALLA.*
There was a long pause after the battle of Sadoolapore. The country
between Heylah and the Sikh position, fifteen miles distant, was covered
with dense jungle, and a great number of native wood-cutters were
employed in cutting roads through it. Skirmishes often took place
between the Sikh regular cavalry and our patrols. On the 18th of
December Sher Singh moved ten thousand men to Dingee. As this movement
threatened the Wuzeerabad ford, a force was despatched there to bar the
passage, which if effected would have placed Sher Singh between the
British force and Lahore. The Sikhs retired again, and nothing was done
until the 10th of January, when the British force concentrated at
Lussoore. It was known that considerable reinforcements had joined Sher
Singh, among these being two troops of horse-artillery from Peshawur.
These batteries had been disciplined by a British officer, and had been
presented to Chuttur Singh by the Resident at Lahore, to enable him to
repel the attacks of the Afghans. They were in all respects exactly
similar to those used in the Company's service, and were a most valuable
addition to Sher Singh's strength.
During the six weeks that had elapsed since the battle, Percy had been
kept busily employed; at one time buying provisions, at another
questioning villagers as to routes and the obstacles to be encountered,
and gathering as much information as possible as to the Sikh position at
Russool. The descriptions he obtained were vague in the extreme, but
all united in describing the country as excessively difficult, being
covered with jungle and abounding in deep nullahs.
"This will be a different business altogether, Groves, from our former
attacks on the Sikh positions," said Mr. Fullarton.
"I should think much easier, sir. There we had to go right across the
open with fifty or sixty cannon and ten or twelve thousand infantry all
blazing away at us, and to storm a place difficult to climb, and where
we were exposed to their fire while they were sheltered. Fighting in
the jungle we have just as good a chance as they have."
"Except, Groves, that they will know every foot of the ground, and we
shall know nothing of it, which makes all the difference in the world."
"It does make a difference, no doubt, Mr. Fullarton; but you see we
turned them out of the jungle at Moodkee quickly enough."
"That is true; but there our cavalry got round behind them. No doubt
that shook their resistance very much; nothing alarms undisciplined
troops so much as the belief that their retreat is cut off. With highly
disciplined troops it is just the contrary; when they know they must
either conquer or be destroyed, they will fight more obstinately than on
any other occasion. To-morrow morning we move forward to Dingee, and I
expect that we shall fight on the following day, for it is not more than
eight miles from there."
At Dingee a Pathan deserter from the Sikh camp came in, and from him
further particulars than had before been learned were obtained.
The camp, he said, was round the village of Russool, a mile from the
river. In front of it was a ravine some hundreds of feet deep and
almost impassable. Upon the ground on the other side of this ravine the
Sikhs had erected a long line of intrenchments, to reach which they had
to cross the ravine from their camp on a narrow wooden footbridge thrown
over it. At a council of war held on the evening of the arrival of the
army at Dingee, it was determined that an attempt should be made to
outflank the Sikh intrenchments, to attack Russool on the Sikh left, and
so to intercept their retreat to the river. This successful, all their
guns, magazines, and stores would be captured, although doubtless the
infantry would escape through the jungle.
The next morning the troops were put in motion; for a time they marched
without difficulty, as the jungle had been cut for them, but after that
their movements were slow. Several Pathan deserters came in as they
advanced, and gave information as to the route and position. After a
march of some miles a halt was made. The troops ate some of the food
carried in their haversacks, and an allowance of grog was served out.
The direction of the line of march, which had hitherto been direct upon
the heights of Russool, where the Sikh camp was plainly visible, was now
changed, and sweeping round they reached a long bare hill in front of
the village of Chillianwalla, turning out some Sikhs who were stationed
in a small intrenchment there. Lord Gough's intention was to encamp for
the night at this spot, where plenty of water was obtainable, so that
the troops could rest and prepare for the fight in the morning, when the
whole day would be available for the operations.
The ground was marked out for the different regiments to occupy, and the
men were in the act of falling out, when a large body of men were seen
some distance in the front, and several guns opened fire. The Sikhs had
left their intrenchments, and were drawn up in the jungle. Battery
after battery opened fire, and the British artillery at once responded,
while the troops fell into their ranks again. Lord Gough issued orders
for the battle to begin. He has been blamed by many for so doing, but
it is difficult to see how it could have been avoided. The Sikh army
was at hand in full force; it was out of the question to retreat,
equally out of the question to remain passive under the fire of the
enemy. Inaction or retreat would equally have been interpreted as
evidence of fear, and would have vastly encouraged the enemy. The
troops, although tired by their march through the jungle under the sun,
had not had a long day's work. That the dispositions for battle were
hurried, incomplete, and faulty is undeniable, but that it should have
taken place was under the circumstances inevitable.
The din of the cannonade was prodigious, echoed as it was by the
surrounding hills. The Sikh batteries were almost invisible, and the
British artillerymen directed their fire solely at the flashes and smoke
rising from the jungle. The position of the infantry was equally
hidden, and it was only by the sparkle of the sun on bayonet and
spearhead that any indication of its line was obtainable. But having
determined upon attacking, it was necessary that some plan of operation
should be decided upon, some specific object of attack assigned to each
of the commanding officers of divisions and brigades. No such orders
were given, and without any instructions whatever beyond the order to
advance and capture the enemy's guns, the British force, numbering some
eighteen thousand, of whom but a small proportion were white
troops--there being but four regiments of English infantry and three of
cavalry--moved forward to attack a force estimated at forty thousand,
with sixty-two guns, entirely hidden in a jungle, and in an exceedingly
broken and difficult ground.
The two infantry divisions of Major-general Gilbert and
Brigadier-general Colin Campbell advanced boldly to the attack, and
plunging into the jungle were at once engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle
with the Sikhs. The cavalry on the right flank, consisting of the 9th
Royal Lancers, the 14th Dragoons, and two regiments of native cavalry,
were ordered to advance. They were commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Pope,
an officer of the native cavalry. He was unfortunately in such infirm
health that he could not mount his horse without assistance, and had no
experience whatever of the command of a brigade of cavalry. The result
was that owing partly to the difficulty of keeping a straight line in
the jungle, the force not only overlapped the troops of horse-artillery
placed between them and Gilbert's division, but got in front of
Gilbert's infantry. The guns were therefore unable to afford them any
assistance.
Moving forwards at a walk, the cavalry found themselves opposed both by
infantry and cavalry. Colonel Pope was wounded severely in the head.
The troops, being without orders, faced about in different directions as
fresh opponents appeared, and presently came to a halt. The Sikh
cavalry boldly skirmished up to them, and then, under the belief that
the order had been given to retreat, the cavalry turned and galloped
back, hotly pursued by the Sikhs. In their retreat they rode right over
the batteries of horse-artillery, disorganizing the gunners and carrying
off the horses in their rush; while the Sikhs, of whom there were but a
handful, following hard in the rear of the flying troopers, cut down the
artillerymen, captured six guns, and continued their pursuit until close
to Lord Gough and the head-quarter staff. Then a couple of guns,
judiciously placed, opened upon them, and they fell back, checked by the
appearance of a couple of squadrons of the Lancers, which had been
rallied by their officers.
Had the cavalry, when they first came in contact with the enemy,
received the orders to charge, the result would probably have been
altogether different. Indeed the colonel of one of the cavalry
regiments requested permission from Pope to charge, but it was refused.
The men who fled thus precipitately had shown an almost reckless valour
at Ramnuggar, and would, under other circumstances, have distinguished
themselves equally here; but cavalry at a walk are the most defenceless
of troops, and broken up as they were by the jungle, unable to see what
was going on on either side, exposed to a fire from hidden foes, and
feeling that they were badly handled, it is not surprising that when
they came to a halt they were liable to turn and go about with alacrity
at the first sound of retreating hoofs at any portion of the line.
While this was happening a battery of horse-artillery, with some
squadrons of cavalry from three of the regiments engaged, had most
gallantly repulsed the attack of a large body of the enemy's horse on
our extreme left. Godby's brigade of infantry, which had been deprived
of a chance of taking part in the battle of Sadoolapore, were the first
of the infantry to come in contact with the enemy. Its advance was
assisted by a well-directed fire of a horse-artillery battery which
prepared the way. It plunged into the jungle with a cheer, and dashing
forward through every obstacle and driving its defenders before it, came
upon an open space, the opposite side of which was thickly lined by the
enemy. Our troops dashed across this under a tremendous fire of musket
and artillery, fired a volley, and hurled themselves upon the Sikhs, who
broke and fled. Pursuit was impossible; the jungle was so thick that
none could see ten yards ahead. Orders were given to collect the
wounded--an imperative duty, for the Sikhs murdered every man left
behind.
Suddenly, as they were engaged in the work, a tremendous fire opened
upon them from the rear. A large body of Sikhs had worked their way
through the jungle and cut them off, while a strong body of their
cavalry issued into the open space and charged down upon them. As quick
as thought the horse-artillery swept their guns round, loaded with
grape, and poured in their fire, creating terrible havoc among the Sikh
horse, and sending them flying back into the jungle. The infantry faced
about and retired steadily, but were pressed by a crowd of the enemy.
Then General Gilbert, who was with the brigade, gave the word, and the
second battalion of the Bengal Europeans turned and went at them with a
cheer. The Sikhs fought desperately each for himself, but they were
swept backward and bayoneted in great numbers. Three of their guns were
taken and spiked, and another captured by one of the native regiments of
the brigade.
The left brigade of Gilbert's division was even more severely treated.
The fighting was desperate; the 29th captured and spiked several guns in
the Sikh intrenchment, but could carry off only five of them for want of
horses. As it still pushed forward the brigade was swept with grape and
musketry. The 56th Native Infantry suffered terribly, losing its
colonel, seven other officers, and three hundred and twenty-two men
killed and wounded. The 30th Native Infantry suffered as heavily,
losing eleven officers and two hundred and eighty-five men killed and
wounded. Both the native regiments lost their colours. The brigade was
at length unable to withstand the attack directed against it, and fell
back.
Pennycuick's brigade of Colin Campbell's division were as roughly
handled; they had, through some blunder or other, advanced unsupported
by artillery, and orders were given by their commander that they were
not to fire but to charge the enemy's guns. The 24th, the European
regiment of the brigade, the strongest battalion of the force, advanced
in magnificent order under a terrific fire of musketry and artillery,
drove all opposition before them, and captured the guns opposed to them.
They had commenced spiking them, when some of the Bunnoo regiments,
lying concealed in the brushwood on rising ground behind the guns,
opened a tremendous fire of musketry. The troops were thrown into some
confusion by this sudden attack, and fell back, and as they did so they
were literally mown down by the enemy's fire. General Pennycuick fell
dead; his son, a young ensign, stood across his father's body and
defended it until he fell dead beside it. Colonel Brooks was also
killed. Eleven other officers fell, and ten were wounded either among
the guns or in the retreat that followed. The Sikh cavalry pressed hard
on the retiring soldiers, while their musketry and artillery swept their
ranks, and upwards of five hundred men were killed and wounded. The
regiment was in fact almost annihilated. The position this brigade
attacked was afterwards found to have been the strongest along the Sikh
line. The two native regiments of the brigade had advanced in line with
the 24th, but suffered far less severely in the retreat, the efforts of
the Sikhs being concentrated against the white regiment.
The other brigade of the division, at whose head Colin Campbell had
placed himself, was more fortunate. The 61st Foot repulsed several
desperate attacks, and pouring in heavy volleys swept the Sikhs before
it. Wheeling round it fought its way along, and retook the guns from
which the 24th had been driven. The capture of the guns was, however,
but of little avail, for as soon as they were abandoned the Sikhs
managed to draw the spikes, and in a few minutes they were again in
action. Two native regiments fought worthily by the side of the 61st.
The cavalry on the extreme left, under General Thackwell, did good work
by checking a very large body of Sikh horsemen, a squadron of the 3d
Dragoons charging and riding right through them; then gathering again
with a desperate effort they cut their way back to their friends, two
officers and thirty-six men having been killed or wounded in this
brilliant charge.
Night was now approaching. A portion of the jungle had been for the
moment cleared, but beyond this the Sikhs still swarmed, and during the
battle large bodies had worked round and had only been prevented by the
fire of the guns from falling on the rear. Nothing more could be done;
some of the officers advised that the force should fall back to the
village of Chillianwalla, in order to obtain water and to afford
protection to the baggage Lord Gough at first refused to do so, on the
ground that any wounded left behind would be massacred. The troops,
especially the Sepoys, were, however, so distressed by thirst, that the
wounded were as far as possible collected, and the force concentrated
round Chillianwalla.
Had the enemy attacked at night the consequence would have been
terrible, for the regiments were broken up and separated, and the
confusion was absolute; but at eight o'clock the rain came down in
torrents, and this and the fact that their own loss had been severe,
especially among the gunners, checked the ardour of the Sikhs, and
probably saved the British force. In the morning the enemy were seen
encamped on an eminence three miles distant. The cavalry scoured the
field of battle to collect any wounded that had been left, and bring in
the captured guns. Twelve small cannon, however, were the only trophies
of the fight. The rolls were called, and the loss ascertained: it
consisted of eighty-nine officers, two thousand three hundred and
fifty-seven men killed and wounded--an enormous loss in proportion to
the number of men engaged. Six guns were lost, together with the
ammunition that had accompanied several of the corps into the fight.
It was so far a drawn battle that the armies at night occupied the same
positions they had held at the commencement of the battle, but the
advantage was all with the Sikhs, for the fighting strength of the four
English regiments that had formed the backbone of the force was lessened
by half; while the Sikhs had proved to their delight that British troops
were not always invincible, and that occasionally they were even subject
to panic. The result was that their confidence was greatly increased,
and their losses were far more than balanced by the great number of
recruits who, at the news of the repulse of the British attack, poured
into Sher Singh's camp.
The British army remained stationary at Chillianwalla from the 13th of
January to February. Large numbers of the Sikhs at various times
penetrated to Dingee, and cut the lines of communication through that
place; there was indeed another line open through Hayleh, where the
force that had been engaged at Sadoolapore had remained since that
battle, to prevent the Sikhs from advancing towards Lahore. The
regiments that had been left behind at Ramnuggur rejoined the army,
their place being taken by the 53d Regiment from Lahore.
General Whish's force which had captured Mooltan was now on its way to
join that of Lord Gough. The siege of Mooltan had been renewed after
the departure of Sher Singh's army, and reinforcements having reached
General Whish, it was pushed on with great vigour. Two breaches were
effected in the walls of the fort, and the great mosque, which was used
as a magazine by the rebels, was pierced by a shell, which caused a
terrific explosion, entirely destroying the building, leaving a great
chasm where it had stood, levelling the Sikh works near it, and killing
five hundred men. Soon after this misfortune, Moolraj, finding further
resistance impossible, came out and surrendered unconditionally, just as
the British columns were formed up in readiness to storm the breaches.
He was taken to Calcutta and there tried; he was found guilty, but it
being considered that he had acted under a pressure from his troops that
he was unable to resist, he was sentenced only to imprisonment for life.
At the battle of Chillianwalla Percy Groves had been severely wounded.
He was sitting on his horse with Mr. Fullarton and two or three other
political officers at a distance of a hundred yards from the
head-quarters staff, when Pope's cavalry issued in headlong flight from
the jungle. An exclamation of dismay burst from each member of the
little party.
"It is a regular stampede," Mr. Fullarton exclaimed; "there come the
Sikhs after them! Why, they are comparatively a handful! What on earth
possesses the men? Why, they will be over the guns! Did you ever see
such madness?"
On came the fugitives.
"To the right there!" Mr. Fullarton shouted, "or these madmen will ride
us down."