1 160 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 want of ammunition presented an insurmountable -
3 . obstacle : the elephants could not be made to bring
4 up afresh supply. Though the Sikh batteries con-
5 tinued to play, yet the firing on their part became
6 "The cannon- fainter and fainter ; and, instead of their guns being
7 Sie dnectea directed to the quarters in which the British artillery
8 ona: was placed, the cannon-shot appeared to be distri-
9 columns. buted amongst the infantry columns, which the
10 Sikhs could easily distinguish in their front.
11 Brigadier “ At nineo’clock, Brigadier Stacey’s brigade, sup+
12 Stacey moves Horted on either flank by Captains Horsford’s and
13 his brigade to
14 the attack, ’ eee : ? .
15 angiotad by Fordyce’s batteries, and Lieutenant-colonel Lane’s
16 ee ak troop of horse artillery, moved to the attack in
17 batteries. © admirable order. The infantry and guns aided
18 each other correlatively. The former marched
19 steadily on in line, which they halted. only to cor-
20 rect when necessary; the latter took up successive
21 positions at the gallop, until, at length, they were
22 within 300 yards of the heavy batteries of the
23 Success of the Sikhs. But notwithstanding the regularity and
24 attack for, coolness, and scientific character of this assault,
25 doubtful. which Brigadier Wilkinson well supported, so hot
26 was the fire.of cannon, musketry, and zambooruks,*
27 kept up by the Khalsa troops, that it seemed for
28 some moments impossible that the entrenchment
29 could be won under it.”+
30 Acheck'sup- The temporary hesitation springing from this
31 posed byeom? apparent impossibility, was, it is said, construed
32 curred: into a check; at least, by the Governor-general,
33 * Guns mounted on camels and carrying a pound shot.
34 + The Commander-in-chiel’s despatch,