THE BATTLE OF FEROZEPORE.
1845.
On the morning of the 21st, the Anglo-Indian army again took the
offensive, and marched against the intrenched position of the enemy,
and the details of the succeeding events of that bloody and glorious
day are thus lucidly and modestly given still by Lord Gough.
“Instead of advancing to the direct attack of their formidable works,
our force manœuvred to their right; the second and fourth divisions
of infantry, in front, supported by the first division and cavalry
in second line, continued to defile for some time out of cannon-shot
between the Sikhs and Ferozepore. The desired effect was not long
delayed, a cloud of dust was seen on our left, and according to the
instructions sent him on the preceding evening, Major-General Sir
John Littler, with his division, availing himself of the offered
opportunity, was discovered in full march to unite his force with
mine. The junction was soon effected, and thus was accomplished one of
the great objects of all our harassing marches and privations, in the
relief of this division of our army from the blockade of the numerous
forces by which it was surrounded.
Dispositions were now made for a united attack on the enemy’s
intrenched camp. We found it to be a parallelogram of about a mile in
length and half a mile in breadth, including within its area the strong
village of Ferozeshah; the shorter sides looking towards the Sutlej and
Moodkee, and the longer towards Ferozepore and the open country. We
moved against the last named face, the ground in front of which was,
like the Sikh position in Moodkee, covered with low jungle.
The divisions of Major-General Sir John Littler, Brigadier Wallace (who
had succeeded Major-General Sir John McCaskill), and Major-General
Gilbert, deployed into line, having in the centre our whole force of
artillery, with the exception of three troops of horse artillery, one
on either flank, and one in support, to be moved as occasion required.
Major-General Sir Harry Smith’s division, and our small cavalry force,
moved in second line, having a brigade in reserve to cover each wing.
I should here observe that I committed the charge and direction of the
left wing to Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Hardinge, while I personally
conducted the right.
A very heavy cannonade was opened by the enemy, who had dispersed
over their position upwards of 100 guns, more than 40 of which were
of battering calibre; these kept up a heavy and well-directed fire,
which the practice of our far less numerous artillery, of much lighter
metal, checked in some degree, but could not silence; finally, in the
face of a storm of shot and shell, our infantry advanced and carried
these formidable intrenchments; they threw themselves upon the guns,
and with matchless gallantry wrested them from the enemy; but, when the
batteries were partially within our grasp, our soldiery had to face
such a fire of musketry from the Sikh infantry, arrayed behind their
guns, that, in spite of the most heroic efforts, a portion only of
the intrenchment could be carried. Night fell while the conflict was
everywhere raging.
Although I now brought up Major-General Sir Harry Smith’s division,
and he captured and long retained another point of the position,
and Her Majesty’s 3rd light dragoons charged and took some of the
most formidable batteries, yet the enemy remained in possession of
a considerable portion of the great quadrangle, whilst our troops,
intermingled with theirs, kept possession of the remainder, and finally
bivouacked upon it, exhausted by their gallant efforts, greatly reduced
in numbers, and suffering extremely from thirst, yet animated by an
indomitable spirit. In this state of things the long night wore away.
Near the middle of it one of their heavy guns was advanced, and
played with deadly effect upon our troops. Lieutenant-General
Sir Henry Hardinge immediately formed Her Majesty’s 80th foot
and the 1st European light infantry. They were led to the attack
by their commanding officers, and animated in their exertions by
Lieutenant-Colonel Wood (aide-de-camp to the lieutenant-general), who
was wounded in the onset. The 80th captured the gun, and the enemy,
dismayed by this counter-check, did not venture to press on further.
During the whole night, however, they continued to harass our troops by
fire of artillery, wherever moonlight discovered our position.
But with daylight of the 22nd came retribution. Our infantry formed
line, supported on both flanks by horse artillery, whilst a fire was
opened from our centre by such of our heavy guns as remained effective,
aided by a flight of rockets. A masked battery played with great effect
upon this point, dismounting our pieces, and blowing up our tumbrils.
At this moment, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Hardinge placed himself at
the head of the left, whilst I rode at the head of the right wing.
Our line advanced, and, unchecked by the enemy’s fire, drove them
rapidly out of the village of Ferozeshah and their encampment; then,
changing front to its left, on its centre, our force continued to
sweep the camp, bearing down all opposition, and dislodged the enemy
from their whole position. The line then halted, as if on a day of
manœuvre, receiving its two leaders as they rode along its front with a
gratifying cheer, and displaying the captured standards of the Khalsa
army. We had taken upwards of seventy-three pieces of cannon, and were
masters of the whole field.
The force assumed a position on the ground which it had won, but even
here its labours were not to cease. In the course of two hours, Sirdar
Tej Singh, who had commanded in the last great battle, brought up
from the vicinity of Ferozepore fresh battalions and a large field of
artillery, supported by 30,000 Ghorepurras, hitherto encamped near the
river.
He drove in our cavalry parties, and made strenuous efforts to regain
the position of Ferozeshah; this attempt was defeated, but its failure
had scarcely become manifest when the sirdar renewed the contest with
more troops and a large artillery. He commenced by a combination
against our left flank; and when this was frustrated, made such a
demonstration against the captured villages as compelled us to change
our whole front to the right. His guns during this manœuvre maintained
an incessant fire, whilst our artillery ammunition being completely
expended in these protracted combats, we were unable to answer him with
a single shot.
I now directed our almost exhausted cavalry to threaten both flanks at
once, preparing the infantry to advance in support, which apparently
caused him suddenly to cease his fire and abandon the field.
For twenty-four hours not a Sikh has appeared in our front. The remains
of the Khalsa army are said to be in full retreat across the Sutlej,
at Nuggurputhur and Tella, or marching up its left bank towards
Hurreekeeputhur, in the greatest confusion and dismay. Of their chiefs,
Bahadur Singh is killed, Lal Singh said to be wounded, Mehtab Singh,
Adjoodhia Pershad, and Tej Singh, the late governor of Peshawur, have
fled with precipitation. Their camp is the scene of the most awful
carnage, and they have abandoned large stores of grain, camp equipage,
and ammunition.
Thus has apparently terminated this unprovoked and criminal invasion of
the peaceful provinces under British protection.
On the conclusion of such a narrative as I have given, it is surely
superfluous in me to say that I am, and shall be to the last moment
of my existence, proud of the army which I had to command on the 21st
and 22nd instant. To their gallant exertions I owe the satisfaction of
seeing such a victory achieved, and the glory of having my own name
associated with it.
The loss of this army has been heavy;[16] how could a hope be
formed that it should be otherwise? Within thirty hours this force
stormed an intrenched camp, fought a general action, and sustained
two considerable combats with the enemy. Within four days it has
dislodged from their positions, on the left bank of the Sutlej, 60,000
Sikh soldiers, supported by upwards of 150 pieces of cannon, 108 of
which the enemy acknowledge to have lost, and 91 of which are in our
possession.
[16] Killed.--European officers, 37; native officers, 17;
non-commissioned, drummers, rank and file, 630; syces, drivers, &c.,
10. Total, 694.
Wounded.--European officers, 78; native officers, 18; non-commissioned,
drummers, rank and file, 1,610; syces, drivers, &c., 12: warrant
officers, 3. Total, 1,721.
Grand total of all ranks killed and wounded, 2,415.
In addition to our losses in the battle, the captured camp was found to
be everywhere protected by charged mines, by the successive springing
of which many brave officers and men have been destroyed.”
These glorious battles were within a month followed up by that of
Aliwal--as sanguinary an affair as either of its predecessors, and,
in a military point of view, decidedly more scientific in arrangement
and execution. In one operation, it seemed a pendant to the beautiful
movement on the retreat from Burgos, when Wellington carried his army
bodily round Souham’s and placed the French general in the afternoon
in the same unfavourable position in which he (Wellington) had found
himself that morning. The action had not been expected, for the service
required had been effected without resistance.