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incidental to active warfare, the Governor-General's thanks are due for their readiness in encountering these risks, and their endurance of privations.

The Governor-General acknowledges the able assistance he has at all times received from the Political Secretary, F. Currie, Esq. His acknowledgments are also due to his Private Secretary, C. Hardinge, Esq., and to the Assistant Political Agent, R. Cust, Esq.

Lieut.-Col. Parsons, Deputy Commissary-General, has succeeded in keeping the army well-supplied; and the Governor-General is much satisfied with his exertions, and those of the officers under his command. The army took the field under circumstances of great difficulty; and, by strenuous exertions, and good arrangements on the part of the Lieut.-Colonel, the army has now a large supply in reserve-a result very favourable to the Chief of the Commissariat Department. The manner in which Capt. Johnston has conducted the commissariat duties entrusted to him, has also met with the Governor-General's approbation.

To Dr. Macleod, Superintending Surgeon, and to Dr. Graham, as well as to the officers of the medical department generally, the Governor-General offers his acknowledgments.

His thanks are due to Dr. Walker, Surgeon to the GovernorGeneral, whose ability is only to be equalled by his zeal and humanity.

A salute of twenty-one guns will be fired in celebration of the victory of Sobraon at all the usual stations of the army.

By order of the right Honourable the the Gov.-Gen. of India.
F. CURRIE,

Secretary to the Government of India, with the Gov.-Gen.

General Sir Hugh Gough, Bart., G. C. B., Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in India, to the Governor-General of India.

Head Quarters, Army of the Sutlej, Camp Kussoor, February 13, 1846. Right Honourable Sir,-This is the fourth despatch which I have the honour of addressing to you since the opening of the cam

paign. Thanks to Almighty God, whose hand I desire to acknowledge in all our successes, the occcasion of my writing now is to announce a fourth and most glorious and decisive victory.

My last communication detailed the movements of the Sikhs and our counter-manœuvres since the great day of Ferozeshah. Defeated on the Upper Sutlej, the enemy continued to occupy his position on the right bank, and his formidable tete du pont and entrenchments on the left bank of the river, in front of the main body of our army. But, on the 10th inst., all that he held of British territory, which was comprised in the ground on which one of his camps stood, was stormed from his grasp, and his audacity was again signally punished by a blow, sudden, heavy, and overwhelming. It is my gratifying duty to detail the measures which have led to this glorious result.

The enemy's works had been repeatedly reconnoitered during the time of my head-quarters being fixed at Nihalkee, by myself, my departmental staff, and my engineer and artillery officers. Our observations, coupled with the reports of spies, convinced us that there had devolved on us the arduous task of attacking a position covered with formidable entrenchments, not fewer than 30,000, men, the best of the Kalsa troops, with seventy pieces of cannon, united by a good bridge to a reserve on the opposite bank, on which the enemy had a considerable camp and some artillery, commanding and flanking his field works on our side. Major General Sir Harry Smith's division having rejoined me on the evening of the 8th, and part of my siege train having come up with me, I resolved on the morning of the 10th, to dispose our mortars and battering guns on the alluvial land within good range of the enemy's picquets at the post of observation in front of Kodeewalla, and at the Little Sobraon. It was directed that this should be done during the night of the 9th, but the execution of this part of the plan was deferred owing to misconceptions and casual circumstances until near day-break. The delay was of little importance, as the event showed that the Sikhs had followed our example, in occupying the two posts in force by day only. Of both therefore possession was

taken without opposition. The battering and disposable field artillery was then put in position on an extended semi-circle, embracing within its fire the works of the Sikhs. It had been intended that the cannonade should have commenced at day-break; but so heavy a mist hung over the plain and river that it became necessary to wait until the rays of the sun had penetrated it and cleared the atmosphere. Meanwhile on the margin of the Sutlej, on our left, two brigades of Major General Sir Robert Dick's division, under his personal command, stood ready to commence the assault against the enemy's extreme right. His 7th brigade, in which was the 10th foot, reinforced by the 53rd foot, and led by Brigadier Stacy, was to head the attack, supported at 200 yards distance by the 6th brigade, under Brigadier Wilkinson. In reserve was the 5th brigade, under Brigadier the Honourable T. Ashburnham, which was to move forward from the entrenched village of Kodeewalla, leaving, if necessary, a regiment for its defence. In the centre, Major General Gilbert's division was deployed for support or attack, its right resting on and in the village of the Little Sobraon. Major General Sir Harry Smith's division was formed near the village of Guttah, with its right thrown up towards the Sutlej. Brigadier Cureton's cavalry threatened, by feigned attacks, the ford at Hurrekee and the enemy's horse, under Raja Lal Sing Misr, on the opposite bank. Brigadier Campbell, taking an intermediate position in the rear between Major General Gilbert's right and Major General Sir Harry Smith's left, protected both. Major General Sir Thomas Thackwell, under whom was Brigadier Scott, held in reserve on our left, ready to act as circumstances might demand, the rest of the cavalry.

Our battery of nine-pounders, enlarged into twelves, opened near the Little Sobraon with a brigade of howitzers formed from the light field batteries and troops of horse artillery, shortly after day break. But it was half-past six before the whole of our artilI lery fire was developed. It was most spirited and well directed. cannot speak in terms too high of the judicious disposition of the

guns, their admirable practice, or the activity with which the cannonade was sustained. But, notwithstanding the formidable calibre of our iron guns, mortars, and howitzers, and the admirable way in which they were served, and aided by a rocket battery, it would have been visionary to expect that they could, within any limited time, silence the fire of seventy pieces behind well-constructed batteries of earth, plank, and fascines, or dislodge troops, covered either by redoubts or epaulments, or within a treble line of trenches. The effect of the cannonade was, as has been since proved by an inspection of the camp, most severely felt by the enemy; but it soon became evident that the issue of this struggle must be brought to the arbitrement of musketry and the bayonet.

At nine o'clock, Brigadier Stacy's Brigade, supported on either flank by Captains Horsford's and Fordyce's batteries, and Lieutenant-Colonel Lane's troop of horse artillery, moved to the attack in admirable order. The infantry and guns aided each other correlatively. The former marched steadily on in line, which they halted only to correct when necessary. The latter took up successive positions at the gallop, until at length they were within three hundred yards of the heavy batteries of the Sikhs; but, notwithstanding the regularity and coolness, and scientific character of this assault, which Brigadier Wilkinson well supported, so hot was the fire of cannon, musketry, and zumboorucks, kept up by the Khalsa troops, that it seemed for some moments impossible that the entrenchments could be won under it; but soon, persevering gallantry triumphed, and the whole army had the satisfaction to see the gallant Brigadier Stacy's soldiers driving the Sikhs in confusion before them within the area of their encampment. The 10th foot, under Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, now for the first time brought into serious contact with the enemy, greatly distinguished themselves. This regiment never fired a shot until it had got within the works of the enemy. The onset of Her Majesty's 53rd foot was as gallant and effective. The 43rd and 59th native infantry, brigaded with them, emulated both in cool determination.

At the moment of this first success, I directed Brigadier the

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