1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. 103
2 mortar practice, which it was speedily seen could
3 never silence the Sikh guns, the artillery opened The gunsopen
4 their fire, to ascertain the position of the Sikh bat- cael
5 teries, and the latter responded at somewhat less
6 than a mile’s distance. The calibre of the British
7 guns rendered them useless at such a distance; the
8 artillery, therefore, advanced, protected by the British arii-
9 whole of the infantry moving by echellon of regi- i Aba
10 ments from the right at eighty paces distance, "“"""
11 When thus several hundred yards nearer, the guns
12 were wnlimbered, and several rounds of shot fired ;
13 this was repeated until they approached within 250
14 or 300 yards of the enemy’s batteries. “The Sikh The sikh suns
15 guns could not be silenced by the British, and the er an
16 infantry, therefore, advanced amidst a murderous co
17 shower of shot and grape, and captured them with “""”
18 matchless gallantry.”*
19 General Gilbert’s division was completely suc- complete suc-
20 cessful in carrying the batteries, and entered the fo ree
21 Sikh camp. But when the batteries of the Sikhs frinciment
22 were thus apparently within the grasp of the British ,, paieettis
23 infantry, a fire of musketry was set up against them Pe feehsh,
24 by the Sikhs drawn up behind their guns.”+ Al-
25 most the whole of General Gilbert's division passed
26 to the right of the village of Feerozshah, which
27 formed the centre of the enemy’s position. On
28 forcing the batteries, the infantry were exposed not
29 only to musketry, but to a terrific explosion from a
30 * The Commander-in-chief’s despatch.
31 + The Sikh infantry were lying down, and consequently fired high,
32 \illing many mounted officers.