Scinde is a large province, through the western portion of which the
river Indus flows before it reaches the Indian Ocean. Hyderabad is the
capital, situated on the banks of the Indus. This country was ruled by
a number of chiefs or princes, who held the title of Ameer. They were a
lawless and rapacious set, and tyrannised over their subjects with the
most barbarous cruelty. When, however, it was resolved (in 1831) to
open up the Indus for the navigation of our merchant vessels, it became
important to secure their friendship; and to effect that object, Colonel
Pottinger was despatched by Lord William Bentinck, and succeeded in
forming with them a treaty, by which they guaranteed all the objects
desired by the British Government. For some years, while they believed
that it was their interest to be honest, they remained tolerably
faithful to the English; when, however, they fancied, from our disasters
in Afghanistan, that the British power was on the wane, they instantly
began to plot with our enemies for our overthrow. To put a stop to
these proceedings, Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India,
despatched General Sir Charles Napier with an army into Scinde, and gave
him the following instructions:--"Should any Ameer or chief, with whom
we have a treaty of alliance and friendship, have evinced hostile
intentions against us during the late events, which may have induced
them to doubt the continuance of our power, it is the present intention
of the Governor-General to inflict on the treachery of such an ally and
friend so signal a punishment as shall effectually deter others from
similar conduct." Sir Charles, who was encamped at Sukkur, in upper
Scinde, on the right bank of the Indus, soon obtained ample proof of the
treachery and hostility of the Ameers, and prepared for war by
disciplining and organising his troops, who were composed chiefly of raw
levies with little experience. On the same side of the Indus as Sukkur,
and about twenty miles from the river, was Shikarpoor, with Roree on the
left bank, and the fortress of Bukkur between them.
One of the principal Ameers was Roostum, and an arch traitor. He had
already induced a large number of Beloochees, a warlike race from
Beloochistan, to prepare for battle. Many also remained in their homes,
ready for the signal to flock to his standard. He and the other chiefs
did not delay long in raising that standard, and a force of 60,000 men
was soon collected near the capital of Hyderabad, at a spot afterwards
to become famous, called Meeanee. Sir Charles had led his forces down
the left bank of the Indus, several steamers accompanying his progress.
On the 16th of February the British army had reached Muttaree, about
sixteen miles from Hyderabad, when Sir Charles heard that 20,000
Beloochees had suddenly crossed the Indus, and that not less than 36,000
men were really in order of battle. In consequence of the garrisons he
had been compelled to leave in his rear, his own army consisted at this
time of only 2600 men of all arms fit for duty. Still his resolution
remained unshaken. He well knew what discipline could do against
untrained hordes, however brave, and he was also well aware of the
danger of retreating before a barbarian enemy. He was informed that the
enemy's cavalry was 10,000 strong, and that they were posted on a vast
plain of smooth hard clay or sand, while his whole cavalry force
numbered but 800. Marching on the night of the 16th, his advanced guard
discovered the enemy at eight o'clock next morning, and at nine o'clock
the British line of battle was formed. The enemy, 36,000 strong, were
posted along the dry bed of the river Fullaillee, which falls into the
Indus. Its high bank, sloping towards the plain in front, formed a
rampart. Their position was about 1200 yards wide. Eighteen guns,
massed on the flank in advance of the bank, poured their shot on the
British troops while forming the line, and the Beloochee wings rested on
_shikargahs_ (copses or woods), which lined the plain so far as to flank
the advance on both sides. They were very large and dense, and that on
the Beloochee right intersected with _nullahs_ (water-courses) of
different sizes, but all deep, carefully scarped, and defended by
matchlock-men. Behind the shikargahs, the Fullaillee made a sudden bend
to the rear, forming a loop, in which the Ameer's cavalry was placed.
The shikargah on the enemy's left was more extensive, and, though free
from nullahs, very strong. It was covered towards the plain by a wall,
having one opening, not very wide, about half-way between the two
armies. Behind this wall 5000 or 6000 men were posted, evidently
designed to rush out through the opening upon the flank and rear of the
British when the latter advanced. Some matchlock-men were seen astride
on this wall, which was ten feet high, but they soon disappeared; and
the General, discovering that there were no loopholes or scaffolding to
the wall, ordered Captain Tew, with a company of the 22nd, to occupy and
defend it to the last. It was another Thermopylae. The gallant Tew
died in the gap, but the post was maintained, and thus 6000 enemies were
paralysed by only 80.
As the British army advanced--the baggage, cast into a circle, was left
close in the rear, surrounded by camels, which were made to lie down
with their heads inwards, and their bales placed within them for their
armed followers to fire over, thus forming a fortress not very easy to
storm. Two hundred and fifty Poona horsemen, and four companies of
infantry under Captain Tait, were the only force which could be spared
for its protection.