1 The artillery
2 at Sobraon.
3 342 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
4 of disappointment in the artillery employed in the
5 late campaign ; not at any want of success with the
6 means at their disposal, but that their efforts were ~
7 not justly appreciated. Though willing to give
8 every credit to a branch which has always been
9 the dread of our enemies in India, there is no dis-
10 puting that a war may occur in so sudden a manner
11 as to preclude the possibility of this great arm
12 being brought into play. Such was the case in
13 the late campaign against the Sikhs. Totally un-
14 expected in its commencement, the magazines, in-
15 stead of being at Umballah and Feerozpore, were
16 at Delhi, Agra, and Cawnpore. Great delay was
17 necessarily incurred in bringing the heavy ordnance
18 and stores to the frontier; and when they did ar-
19 rive, the urgent necessity of employing them al-
20 most immediately, prevented their being of that
21 incalculable use which might have been expected
22 from them under more favourable circumstances.
23 The infantry was in consequence called upon to
24 perform feats which are seldom expected from it ;
25 namely, capturing guns at the point of the bayonet.
26 We have, on former occasions, discussed these
27 matters; but we are glad to have an opportunity
28 of recording the sentiments of an artillery officer,
29 which may tend to remove erroneous impressions
30 from the minds of those who expected effects which
31 could not result from the means employed.
32 His Excellency the Commander-in-chief bears
33 ample testimony to the effect of the British artillery
34 at Sobraon: and it is to be regretted that this