for your personal safely, involving so deeply in itself the interests and happiness of British India. I must acknowledge my obligation to you for having, whilst I was busied with another portion of our operations, superintended all the arrangements that related to laying our bridge across the Sutlej, near Ferozepore. Our prompt appearance on this side of the river, after victory, and advance to this place, which has enabled us to surprise its fort, and encamp without opposition in one of the strongest positions in the country, is the result of this invaluable assistance.

The Major-Generals of divisions engaged deserve far more commendation than I am able, within the limits of a despatch, to bestow. Major-General Sir Robert Dick, as I have already related, has fallen on a field of renown worthy of his military career and services, and the affectionate regret of his country will follow him to a soldier's grave.

In his attack on the enemy's left, Major-General Sir Harry Smith displayed the same valour and judgment which gave him the victory of Aliwal. A more arduous task has seldom, if ever, been assigned to a division. Never has an attempt been more gloriously carried through

I want words to express my gratitude to Major-General Gilbert. Not only have I to record that in this great fight all was achieved by him which, as Commander-in-Chief, I could desire to have executed; not only on this day was his division enabled, by his skill and courageous example, to triumph over obstacles from which a less ardent spirit would have recoiled as insurmountable; but, since the hour in which our leading columns moved out of Umballa, I have found in the Major-General an officer who has not merely carried out all my orders to the letter, but whose zeal and tact have enabled him in a hundred instances to perform valuable services in exact anticipation of my wishes. I beg explicitly to recommend him to your Excellency's especial notice as a divisional commander of the highest merit.

Major-General Sir Joseph Thackwell has established a claim on this day to the rare commendation of having achieved much

with a cavalry force, where the duty to be done consisted of an attack on field-works, usually supposed to be the particular province of infantry and artillery. His vigilance and activity throughout our operations, and the superior manner in which our outpost duties have been carried on under his superintendence, demand my warmest acknowledgments.

Brigadier Stacy, C. B., I must commend to your special protection and favour. On him devolved the arduous duty of leading the first column to the attack, turning the enemy's right, encountering his fire, before his numbers had been thinned, or his spirit broken, and, to use a phrase which a soldier like your Excellency will comprehend, taking off the rough edge of the Sikhs in the fight. How ably, how gallantly, how successfully this was done, I have before endeavoured to relate. I feel certain that Brigadier Stacy and his noble troops will hold their due place in your Excellency's estimation, and that his merits will meet with fit reward.

Brigadier Orchard, C.B., in consequence of the only regiment under his command that was engaged in the action, being with Brigadier Stacy's brigade, attached himself to it, and shared all its dangers, glories, and success.

I beg as warmly and sincerely to praise the manner in which Brigadier Wilkinson supported Brigadier Stacy, and followed his lead into the enemy's works.

Brigadier the Hon. T. Ashburnham manœuvred with great coolness and success as a reserve to the two last-mentioned brigades.

Brigadier Taylor, of Her Majesty's 29th, fell already been told, in the discharge of his duty.

nobly, as has

He is himself

beyond the reach of earthly praise; but it is my earnest desire that his memory may be honoured in his fall, and that his regiment, the army with which he served, and his country, may know that no officer held a higher place in my poor estimation, for gallantry or skill, than Brigadier C. C. Taylor.

Brigadier MacLaren, C.B., in whom I have ever confided, as one of the ablest of the senior officers of this force, sustained on this day, as I have before intimated, his already enviable reputation I trust he may not long be kept by his wound out of the sphere of active exertion, which is his natural element.

Brigadiers Penny and Hicks commanded the two brigades of Major-General Sir Harry Smith's division, and overcame at their head the most formidable opposition. I beg to bring both, in the most earnest manner, to your notice, trusting that Brigadier Penny's active services will soon become once more available.

The manœuvres of Brigadier Cureton's cavalry, in attracting and fixing the attention of Rajah Lal Singh Misr's horse, fulfilled every expectation which I had formed, and were worthy of the skill of the officer employed, whose prominent exploits at the battle of Aliwal I have recently had the honour to bring to your notice.

Brigadier Scott, C.B., in command of the 1st brigade of cavalry, had the rare fortune of meeting and overcoming a powerful body of infantry in the rear of a line of formidable field-works. I have to congratulate him on the success of the noble troops under him, and to thank him for his own meritorious exertions. quite certain that your Excellency will bear them in mind.

I am

Brigadier Campbell's brigade was less actively employed; but all that was required of it was most creditably performed. The demonstration on the enemy's left by the 9th Lancers towards the conclusion of the battle, was made in the best order under a sharp cannonade.

Brigadier Gowan, C.B., deserves my best thanks for his able arrangements, the value of which was so fully evinced in the first hour and a half of this conflict, when it was almost exclusively an artillery fight. Brigadiers Biddulph, Brooke, and Dennis, supported him in the ablest way throughout the day, and have given me the most effectual assistance under every circumstance of the campaign.

The effective practice of our rockets, under Brigadier Brooke, elicited my particular admiration.

Brigadier Smith, C.B., had made all the dispositions in the engineer department, which were in the highest degree judicious, and in every respect excellent. On the evening of the 9th instant Brigadier Irvine, whose name is associated with one of the most brilliant events in our military history, the capture of Bhurtpore, arrived in camp. The command would, of course, have devolved on him, but, with that generosity of spirit which ever accompanies true valour and ability, he declined to assume it, in order that all the credit of that work which he had begun might attach to Brigadier Smith. For himself, Brigadier Irvine sought only the opportunity of sharing our perils in the field, and he personally accompanied me throughout the day. Brigadier Smith has

earned a title to the highest praise I can bestow.

To the General Staff I am in every way indebted. Nothing could surpass the activity and intelligence of Lieutenant-Colonel Garden and Major Grant, who are the heads of it, in the discharge of the duties of their departments, ever very laborious, and during this campaign almost overwhelming. Both yet suffer under the effects of wounds previously received. Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, C.B., Deputy Quarter-Master-General, and Lieutenant Arthur Becher, Deputy-Assistant Quarter-Master-General, ably supported the former; and the exertions of Captains Anson and Tucker, Assistant Adjutants-General, have been most satisfactory to the latter and to myself.

Lieut.-Colonel Parsons, Deputy Commissary-General, has evinced the most successful perseverance in his important endeavours to supply the army. He has been ably aided at head quarters by Major W. J. Thompson, C.B., and Major Curtis, Sub-Assistant Commissary-General; all three of these officers were most active in conveying my orders in the battle of Sobraon in the face of every danger. I have, in the most explicit way, to record the same intelligence and ability, and the same activity and bravery, in the case of Lieutenant-Colonel Birch, Judge Advocate

General, both as respects departmental duties and active attendance on me in the field. I have already spoken of the loss which I have sustained by Lieutenant-Colonels Gough and Barr being wounded. The exertions of both in animating our troops in moments of emergency were laudable beyond my power to praise. Lieutenant Sandys, 55th Regiment Native Infantry, Postmaster of the force, assisted in conveying my orders.

Superintending Surgeon B. Macleod, M.D., has been indefatigable in the fulfilment of every requirement of his important and responsible situation. I am entirely satisfied with his exertions and their results. I must bring to notice also the merits of Field-Surgeon J. Steel, M.D., and Surgeon Graham, M.D., in charge of the depôt of sick.

I was accompanied during the action by the following officers of my personal staff:-Captain the Hon. C. R. Sackville West, Her Majesty's 21st Foot, Officiating Military Secretary (Captain Haines, for whom he acts, still being disabled by his severe wound); Lieutenant-Colonel H. Havelock, C.B., Her Majesty's 39th Foot, Persian Interpreter; Lieutenant Bagot, 15th Native Infantry; Lieutenant Edwards, 1st European Light Infantry; and Cornet Lord James Browne, 9th Lancers, my Aides-deCamp; and Assistant-Surgeon J. E. Stephens, M.D., my medical officer, assisted in conveying my orders to various points, in the thickest of the fight and the hottest of the fire, and to all of them I feel greatly indebted.

I have to acknowledge the services in the command of regiments, troops, and batteries, or on select and particular duties in the engineer department, of the following officers, and to recommend them to your Excellency's special favour, viz.:-Major F. Abbott, who laid the bridge by which the army crossed into the Punjaub, and who was present at Sobraon, and did excellent service; Captain Baker and Lieutenant John Becher, Engineers, who conducted Brigadier Stacy's column (the last of these was wounded); Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, Artillery, commanding the mortar battery; Major Lawrenson, commanding the eighteen