1 HISTORY OF TIE SIKHS, 163
2 the entrenchment could be won." It was deemed,
3 therefore, advisable to order on more troops; and
4 the accounts appear to agree in stating, that orders
5 were sent to General Gilbert by both the Governor-
6 general and Commander-in-chief, We happened
7 to be with a-portion of Gilbert’s division when the
8 order arrived from the Governor-general, and the
9 troops immediately advanced. Onward they went ; impracticable
10 but if intended to support Stacey on the right of the Eoalase which
11 enemy’s position, they missed the object, for they un- qecemte
12 fortunately came in front of the centre and strongest thetueaeees
13 portion of the encampment, unsupported by either displayed.
14 artillery or cavalry. Her Majesty's 29th and the @eroas fire,
15 Ist European light infantry, with undaunted bravery -
16 tushed forward, crossed a dry nullah, and found
17 themselves exposed to one of the hottest fires of
18 musketry that can possibly be imagined ; and what
19 rendered it still more galling was, that the Sikhs
20 were themselves concealed behind high walls, over
21 which the European soldiers could not climb. To
22 remain under such a fire without the power of re~
23 turning it with any effect would have been mad-
24 ness: the men would have been annihilated,
25 Thrice did Her Majesty’s 29th regiment charge »,, treat lobe
26 the works, and thrice were they obliged to retire, a meee
27 each time followed by the Sikhs, who spared none, "siments.
28 and cut to pieces the wounded. Similar was the
29 fate of the 1st European light infantry, who, in re-
30 tiring, had their ranks thinned by musketry, and
31 their wounded men and officers cut up by the
32 savage Sikhs. ‘T’o the latter, the nullah preconted