1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. 343
2 branch had not an opportunity of playing on the
3 Sikh's entrenchment, until such breaches had been
4 made as would have admitted the infantry divisions
5 at several points, and so spared the second division
6 the galling and destructive fire from the centre of
7 the entrenchment.
8 Had the second or centre division been placed The second
9 in support of the third, the dreadful loss sustained Mea oil
10 by the former might have been avoided ; but it
11 was not intended that this division should be en-
12 gaged at all; and when it moved forward against
13 the centre of the entrenchment, the strength of the
14 posifion might not have been anticipated. The
15 idea that Gilbert’s division was brought up to cause
16 a diversion from the right of the Sikh entrench-
17 ment, and against a position which infantry could
18 not carry, and to be consequently exposed to a
19 murderous fire which could not be returned, is
20 absurd. The check, if any did occur, was on the
21 left of the British line; and on that point, the
22 second division might naturally have been directed :
23 an easy matter had it originally been placed in sup-
24 port of the attacking division. ‘Time and many
25 lives were lost by the straight-forward advance of
26 this division to the centre of the entrenchment.
27 It is, however, an easy matter to find out errors
28 after events have occurred. All things considered,
29 the plan of attack on Sobraon was, no doubt,
30 skilfully arranged in the main, and ably executed.
31 It is pleasing to observe the well-merited ho- Tpsenal
32 nours bestowed on the army of the Sutlej, and army of the
33 & Sutlej.