BATTLE OF GOOJERAT. 21st February, 1849.

After the battle of Chilianwala, the enemy occupied their position for nearly a month, with the British encamped on their left flank, but on February 12th. they quitted their entrenchments, and took up a position between Goojerat and the Chenab, with about 61,500 men and fifty-nine guns, under Shere Singh. It appears to have been their intention to cross this river, and, after plundering the Rechna Doab, to have marched to Lahore; but this was prevented by Major-General Whish, who had detached a brigade to guard the fords above and below Wuzeerabad, in which direction Lord Gough had moved.

At half-past seven o’clock in the morning of the 21st. of February, the army advanced with the precision of a parade movement. The Sikhs opened their fire at a very long distance, which exposed to the artillery both the position and range of their guns. For the first time the English commander was superior in artillery to the enemy, having ninety-seven guns, some of heavy calibre, but only 24,000 infantry. The infantry was halted just out of fire, and the whole of the artillery were advanced, covered by skirmishers.

The Sikh guns were served with their accustomed rapidity, and the enemy well and resolutely maintained his position, but the terrific force of the British fire obliged him, after 330an obstinate resistance, to fall back. The infantry were then deployed, and a general advance was directed, the movement being covered, as before, by artillery.

Burra Kalra, the left village of those of that name, wherein the enemy had concealed a large body of infantry, and which was apparently the key of their position, lay immediately in the line of Major-General Sir Walter Gilbert’s advance, and was carried in the most brilliant style by a spirited attack of the third brigade, under Brigadier Penny, consisting of the 2nd. Europeans, and 31st. and 70th. regiments of Native Infantry, which drove the enemy from their cover with great slaughter. A very spirited and successful movement was also made about the same time against a heavy body of troops in and about the second or Chotah Kalra, by part of Brigadier Hervey’s brigade, most gallantly led by Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, of the 10th. Foot.

The heavy artillery continued to advance, taking up successive forward positions, driving the enemy from those he had retired to, whilst the rapid advance and beautiful fire of the horse artillery and light field batteries, which were strengthened by bringing to the front the two reserved troops of horse artillery, under Lieutenant-Colonel Brind, Brigadier Brook having the general superintendence of the whole of the horse artillery, broke the enemy’s ranks at all points. The whole infantry line then rapidly advanced, and drove their opponents before it. The nullah was cleared, several villages stormed, the guns that were in position carried, the camp captured, and the whole army of Shere Singh routed in every direction; the right wing and Brigadier-General Campbell’s division passing in pursuit to the eastward, and the Bombay column to the westward of the town.

Thus hotly pursued, the retreat of the Sikhs soon became a perfect flight, all arms dispersing over the country, rapidly followed by the troops for a distance of twelve miles, their track strewed with their wounded, their weapons, and military equipments, which they threw away to conceal that they were soldiers.

On the left a most successful and gallant charge was made upon the Afghan cavalry, and a large body of Goorchurras, 331by the Scinde horse, and a party of the 9th. Lancers, when several standards were captured. The 14th. Light Dragoons and the other cavalry regiments on the right, regular and irregular, by their bold front and gallant conduct, contributed much to the success of the day, while their conduct in following the fugitives received high commendation.

Thus were defeated the forces brought by the Sikhs into the field, amongst whom were the élite of the old Khalsa army. Their numbers were estimated at sixty thousand men of all arms, and fifty-nine pieces of artillery; under the command of Sirdar Chuttur Singh, and Rajah Shere Singh, with a body of one thousand five hundred Afghan horse, led by Akram Khan, son of the Ameer, Dost Mahomed Khan. For the first time had the Sikhs and Afghans combined together, but the complete victory of Goojerat showed the futility of the compact.

Among the fifty-three guns captured were recovered those lost at Ramnuggur and Chillianwala; and it was also a gratifying fact that the casualties of the British were less than could be expected.

For twelve miles did the exulting horsemen pursue the flying foe, and the shades of evening were falling when they returned weary to camp. The following morning Major-General Gilbert resumed the pursuit towards the Jhelum, with the view of cutting off the enemy from the only practicable gun-road to that river. Another division of infantry, under Brigadier-General Colin Campbell, advanced on the road to Bimber, scouring the country in that direction to prevent their carrying off their guns by that route; and a body of cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Bradford, successfully pushed on several miles into the hills, accompanied by Captain Nicholson, a most energetic political officer, with the same object; while Lord Gough remained in possession of the field for the purpose of supporting these operations, covering the fords of the Chenab, and destroying the vast magazines of ammunition left scattered in all directions. These combinations were entirely successful, and by them the power of the Sikhs was completely broken. The regiments which took part in this decisive victory were, the 3rd., 9th., and 14th. Light Dragoons; the 10th., 24th., 29th., 32nd., 53rd., 60th., and 61st. Foot; the 1st. and 2nd. Bengal European, 1st. Bombay European; 1st., 5th., 6th., and 8th. Bengal Light Cavalry; 3rd., 9th., 11th., and 14th. Irregular Cavalry; Scinde Horse; nine troops Horse Artillery, four batteries Bombay Artillery; 2nd. and 11th. Bengal Infantry, and 19th. Bombay Infantry.

Major-General Sir Walter Gilbert, K.C.B., crossing the Jhelum on the 3rd. of March, came up with a portion of the retreating army, under Shere Singh and Chuttur Singh, at Hoormuck, where they surrendered on the 11th. of March; the sirdars and the remainder of his troops, amounting to sixteen thousand men, laid down their arms at Rawul Pindee three days afterwards. Forty-one pieces of artillery were given up, and the Sikhs remaining, after so many fields of slaughter, being given each a rupee, dispersed to their homes. The Afghans were energetically pursued through Attock and Peshawur, as far as the Khyber Pass, losing half their number in the field, and many of the remainder in their retreat. Dost Mahomed then sued for peace, which was granted to him.

The Duke of Wellington, then Commander-in-Chief, being dissatisfied with the conduct of Lord Gough for incurring such heavy losses, superseded him in his command by Sir Charles Napier, who, selected at a moment’s notice, had proceeded to India, but found on his arrival that the British arms had gained the ascendancy in that country, and the consequence of Lord Gough’s crowning victory was the annexation of the Punjab. A pension was granted to the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh; and the celebrated diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, or Mountain of Light, taken from Shah Sooja by Runjeet Singh, was presented to Her Majesty.

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