1 40 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 Sirdar Tej Singh, the nephew of the late Jemadar
3 Pej ane Khooshyal Singh, and who had lately returned
4 from the Government of Peshawur, was among the
5 number of those who were averse to a war. He
6 was a man of great military talent, and expressed
7 his dissent in no measured terms; but this was of no
8 avail, and he was forced to comply with the popular
9 wish and put himself at the head of his troops.
10 Sirdar Lall Singh who had been raised by Heera
11 Singh from a comparatively low condition to a
12 Sirdarship, had been taken into the confidence of
13 the Ranee on the death of her brother. Her wish
14 The Ranee was, that he should succeed Juwaheer Singh as
15 wishes to raise sag Sih
16 Lall Singh to prime minister, but there was a strong opposition
17 the Wuzeer-
18 ship. on the part of the army to such an arrangement,
19 and it was well known, that, to the personal favour
20 of his mistress and to no talent of his own, he was -
21 indebted for the interest she took in his advance-
22 ment to the wuzeership. Though thwarted in her
23 attempts for the promotion of her favorite, it will
24 be seen that she resolved to gain her object.
25 ee i The Sirdar was called upon to joi the troops,
26 the Army. and after various pretexts and excuses, he was
27 obliged to leave the society of the Ranee and
28 participate in the coming struggle. Unlike Tej
29 Singh, he had no pretension to military talent or
30 experience ; and, though, agreeable to the Ranee’s
31 wishes, he was nominally Commander-in-chief of
32 the Khulsa troops, the latter looked upon Tej
33 Singh as the man dn whom alone they could place
34 reliance as a leader.