THE DEFEAT OF THE BILUCHIS.
1842.
For a time, affairs in Scinde, after the Afghanistan disasters, looked
peaceable; but the conditions proposed by new treaties to the Amirs,
in the infringements upon their game preserves, and the abolition of
transit duties, occasioned some discontent. Gradually this jealousy of
the Scinde chieftains ripened into hatred; and while evasive policy was
resorted to by the Amirs, a corps, under Sir Charles Napier, advanced
to support the British representative, Major Outram.
The agency had been attacked, gallantly defended, and Outram effected
an honourable retreat; while the Amirs, collecting in great force at
Fulali, Sir Charles, with his small force, determined to attack them.
An extract from his own despatch will best describe this daring and
most brilliant affair:
“On the 16th I marched to Muttaree, having there ascertained that the
Amirs were in position at Miani (ten miles’ distance), to the number
of 22,000 men, and well knowing that a delay for reinforcements would
both strengthen their confidence and add to their numbers, already
seven times that which I commanded, I resolved to attack them, and we
marched at 4 a.m. on the morning of the 17th; at eight o’clock the
advanced guard discovered their camp; at nine o’clock we formed in
order of battle, about 2,800 men of all arms, and twelve pieces of
artillery.
We were now within range of the enemy’s guns, and fifteen pieces of
artillery opened upon us, and were answered by our cannon. The enemy
were very strongly posted, woods were on their flanks, which I did
not think could be turned. These two woods were joined by the dry bed
of the river Fallali, which had a high bank. The bed of the river was
nearly straight, and about 1,200 yards in length. Behind this and in
both woods were the enemy posted. In front of their extreme right,
and on the edge of the wood, was a village. Having made the best
examination of their position which so short a time permitted, the
artillery was posted on the right of the line, and some skirmishers of
infantry, with the Scinde irregular horse, were sent in front to try
and make the enemy show his force more distinctly; we then advanced
from the right in echellon of battalions, refusing the left to save it
from the fire of the village.
The 9th Bengal light cavalry formed the reserve in rear of the left
wing; and the Poona horse, together with four companies of infantry,
guarded the baggage. In this order of battle we advanced as at a review
across a fine plain swept by the cannon of the enemy. The artillery and
H. M.’s 22nd regiment in line, formed the leading echellon, the 25th
N.I. the second, the 12th N.I. the third, and the 1st grenadier N.I.
the fourth.
The enemy was 1100 yards from our line, which soon traversed the
intervening space. Our fire of musketry opened at about 100 yards
from the bank in reply to that of the enemy; and in a few minutes the
engagement became general along the bank of the river, on which the
combatants fought for about three hours or more with great fury, man to
man. Then was seen the superiority of the musket and bayonet over the
sword and shield and matchlock. The brave Biluchis first discharging
their matchlocks and pistols, dashed over the bank with desperate
resolution; but down went these bold and skilful swordsmen under the
superior power of the musket and bayonet. At one time the courage and
numbers of the enemy against the 22nd, the 25th, and the 12th regiments
bore heavily in that part of the battle. There was no time to be lost,
and I sent orders to the cavalry to force the right of the enemy’s
line. This order was very gallantly executed by the 9th Bengal cavalry
and the Scinde horse; the struggle on our right and centre was at that
moment so fierce that I could not go to the left.
In this charge the 9th light cavalry took a standard and several
pieces of artillery, and the Scinde horse took the enemy’s camp, from
which a vast body of their cavalry slowly retired fighting. Lieutenant
Fitzgerald gallantly pursued them for two miles, and, I understand,
slew three of the enemy in single combat. The brilliant conduct of
these two cavalry regiments decided in my opinion the crisis of the
action, for from the moment the cavalry were seen in rear of their
right flank, the resistance of our opponents slackened; the 22nd
regiment forced the bank, the 25th and 12th did the same, the latter
regiment capturing several guns, and the victory was decided. The
artillery made great havoc among the dense masses of the enemy, and
dismounted several of their guns. The whole of the enemy’s artillery,
ammunition, standards, and camp, with considerable stores and some
treasure, were taken.”
War was now regularly proclaimed, and on the 22nd of March the Sikhs
recommenced hostilities at Mattari, Sir Charles Napier, in the
meanwhile, having effected a junction with his reinforcements. Halting
at the village of Duppa, on the 23rd, he decided on attacking the
Biluchis on the 24th. The enemy were in a strong position, numbering
20,000 men. The Anglo-Indian army might amount in round numbers to
5000, all arms included. Thus runs the despatch:--
“The forces under my command marched from Hyderabad this morning at
daybreak. About half-past 8 o’clock we discovered and attacked the army
under the personal command of the Meer Shere Mahomed, consisting of
twenty thousand men of all arms, strongly posted behind one of those
large nullahs by which this country is intersected in all directions.
After a combat of about three hours, the enemy was wholly defeated with
considerable slaughter, and the loss of all his standards and cannon.
His position was nearly a straight line; the nullah was formed by two
deep parallel ditches, one 20 feet wide and 8 feet deep, the other
42 feet wide and 17 deep, which had been for a long distance freshly
scarped, and a banquet made behind the bank expressly for the occasion.
To ascertain the strength of his line was extremely difficult, as his
left did not appear to be satisfactorily defined; but he began by
moving to his right when he perceived that the British force outflanked
him in that direction. Believing that this movement had drawn him
from that part of the nullah which had been prepared for defence, I
hoped to attack his right with less difficulty, and Major Leslie’s
troop of horse artillery was ordered to move forward and endeavour to
rake the nullah. The 9th light cavalry and Poona horse advancing in
line, on the left of the artillery, which was supported on the right
by Her Majesty’s 22nd regiment, the latter being, however, at first
considerably retired to admit of the oblique fire of Leslie’s troop.
The whole of the artillery now opened upon the enemy’s position, and
the British line advanced in echellons from the left, H.M.’s 22nd
regiment leading the attack.
The enemy was now perceived to move from his centre in considerable
bodies to his left, apparently retreating, unable to sustain the
cross-fire of the British artillery; on seeing which Major Stack, at
the head of the 3rd cavalry, under command of Captain Delamain, and the
Sindh horse, under command of Captain Jacob, made a brilliant charge
upon the enemy’s left flank, crossing the nullah and cutting down the
retreating enemy for several miles.
While this was passing on the right, H.M.’s 22nd regiment, gallantly
led by Major Poole, who commanded the brigade, and Captain George,
who commanded the corps, attacked the nullah on the left with great
gallantry, and I regret to add, with considerable loss. This brave
battalion marched up to the nullah under a heavy fire of matchlocks,
without returning a shot till within forty paces of the intrenchment,
and then stormed it like British soldiers. The intrepid Lieutenant
Coote first mounted the rampart, seized one of the enemy’s standards,
and was severely wounded while waving it and cheering on his men.
Meanwhile the Poona horse, under Captain Tait, and the 9th cavalry,
under Major Story, turned the enemy’s right flank pursuing and cutting
down the fugitives for several miles. H.M.’s 22nd regiment was well
supported by the batteries commanded by Captains Willoughby and
Hutt, which crossed their fire with that of Major Leslie. Then came
the 2nd brigade under command of Major Woodburn, bearing down into
action with excellent coolness. It consisted of the 25th, 21st, and
12th regiments, under the command of Captains Jackson, Stevens, and
Fisher, respectively; these regiments were strongly sustained by the
fire of Captain Whitley’s battery, on the right of which were the 8th
and 1st regiments, under Majors Browne and Clibborne; these two corps
advanced with the regularity of a review up to the intrenchments, their
commanders, with considerable exertion, stopping their fire, on seeing
that a portion of the Sindh horse and 3rd cavalry in charging the enemy
had got in front of the brigade.
The battle was decided by the troop of horse artillery and H.M.’s 22nd
regiment.”