THE SUTLEJ CAMPAIGN. 1845–1846.
Reading edition
The Sikh army which had been formed by Runjeet Singh, and trained by French and Italian refugees in his service, according to European tactics, had, since the decease of that politic ruler in 1839, become the dominant power, and finally coerced, or induced the Lahore authorities to commence hostilities. The Maharajah was an infant, his advisers powerless; but the soldiers, who styled themselves the “Punth Khalsajee,” or true believers, accustomed to conquest, and elated by success, were eager for a contest with the English, whom they were confident of expelling from Hindostan. Accordingly the Sikh army, having crossed the Sutlej on the 11th. December, 1845, invested Ferozepore on one side, and took up an entrenched position at the village of Ferozeshah, about ten miles in advance of Ferozepore, and nearly the same distance from Moodkee, the enemy placing in this camp one hundred and eight pieces of cannon, with a force exceeding fifty thousand men. Sir Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General of India, had for some time been aware of the intentions of the Sikhs, and so far from being unprepared to meet and repel an invasion, before he had been three months in India, large bodies of troops were marching from different points towards the North West Frontier, to reinforce the army of observation on the Sutlej. At the beginning of December, 1845, there were 10,472 men and 24 guns at Ferozepore, 7235 men with 12 guns at Loodiana, and nearly 13,000 men with 70 guns at Umballa; in all, nearly 31,000 men and 70 guns, under the command of Sir Hugh Gough.
The Sikhs remained inactive in the vicinity of Ferozepore for some days, which may be regarded as a providential circumstance, as instead of annihilating Major-General Sir John Littler’s weak divisions, they contented themselves with stopping the dâks, and plundering the country, until the 17th. of December, when they marched to intercept the approach of the “Army of the Sutlej,” then advancing to the relief of Ferozepore from Umballa, under Sir Hugh Gough, with whom was the Governor-General.
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