1 ‘
2 324 MISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
3 dragoons had distinguished themselves highly at
4 Moodkee and Feerozshuhur ; and though reduced, -
5 at the latter place, to a mere handful, the indomit-
6 able spirit and bravery of the men were as con-
7 spicuous as in their first encounter with the Sikhs
8 at Moodkee. There they had contributed greatly
9 to the overthrow and flight of the Sikhs ; and their
10 example was not thrown away on the Native
11 cavalry, both regular and irregular, each vying
12 with the other in charging the Sikhs, who were
13 astonished at the overpowering gallantry of the
14 European dragoons, whose prowess they had never
15 before witnessed.
16 Ardent wishof We had occasion, when speaking of Sobraon, to
17 officers to join
18 their regi: allude to the zealous wish of officers, on leave of
19 wensaye. absence in India, to join their regiments; and we
20 may now be allowed to give an instance of the
21 same feeling displayed by officers in England.
22 Sir Jonepht Major-general Sir Joseph Thackwell, who com-
23 manded the cavalry in the army of the Indus,
24 though deeming it necessary to proceed to Eng-
25 land, was so well convinced of the approaching
26 collision with the Sikhs, that on his reaching Bom-
27 bay, in February, 1845, he sent back his horses to
28 the 3rd light dragoons at Umbuallah, in order to be
29 in readiness for him. He reached England in
30 April, and after a short stay of four months, he
31 again embarked at Southampton on the 20th of
32 August; and in little more than two months, or
33 on the 30th of October, reached Cawnpore. Even
34 then, the reports of a Sikh war were considered so