1 HISTORY OF THE SIKUS. 53
2 sand Sikhs required the united force of the British
3 to conquer them, and if opposed to such a small
4 force, the former lost so many men and officers,
5 how much more difficult must it be to conquer the
6 Khulsa army, and how infinitely greater must
7 necessarily be the loss.” The war, thus begun,
8 must be carried on, and the Sikh force was expected
9 to advance on the 19th December. On that day the
10 heavy guns escorted by Her Majesty’s 29th, the Ist
11 European light infantry and some Native regiments pritish force
12 reached Moodkee and the Commander-in-chief sabre
13 determined to attack the Sikhs’ intrenched camp on cember.
14 the 21st December, thus giving a day’s rest to the
15 troops which by forced marches had reached him.
16 Nothing could exceed the attention of the Go-
17 vernor-general and Commander-in-chief to the
18 European soldiers who were thus hurrying on to
19 their aid. Elephants were despatched to Churruk,
20 seven and twenty miles from Moodkee, to CATTY Kind attention
21 those who might be unable to walk, and thus enable 2" ‘© the
22 Troops on
23 them to come on." When near Moodkee, and thee matt by
24 almost overcome with marching and thirst, water general
25 was received from the head-quarters’ camp brought
26 out on elephants. _ Being thus refreshed, the men
27 marched vigorously to Moodkce, where the Gover-
28 nor general’s band was in readiness to conduct
29 them to camp.
30 On the morning of the 20th December, the Euro-
31 pean infantry consisted of the regiments already Pare
32 mentioned with the addition of Her Majesty’s ditated on the
33 Sikh intrench~
34 29th and the Ist European light infantry. The ed Camp.