1 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 63
2 To roe ApsyuTantT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY.
3 « Sir,— My despatch to his Excellency the
4 Commander-in-Chief, of the 23rd instant, will
5 have put his Excellency in possession of the
6 position of the force under my command, after
7 having formed a junction with the troops at
8 Loodianah, hemmed in by a formidable body of
9 the Sikh army under Runjoor Singh and the
10 Rajah of Ladwa. The enemy strongly entrenched
11 himself around the little fort of Buddawul by
12 breastworks and ‘ abattis, which he precipitately
13 abandoned on the night of the 22nd instant
14 (retiring as it were upon the ford of Tulwun),
15 having ordered all the boats which were oppo-
16 site Philour to that Ghat. This movement he
17 effected during the night, and, by making a
18 considerable detour, placed himself at a distance
19 of ten miles, and consequently out of my reach.
20 I could therefore only push forward my cavalry
21 so soon as [ had ascertained he had marched
22 during the night, and I occupied immediately
23 his vacated position. It appeared subsequently
24 he had no intention of re-crossing the Sutlege,
25 but moved down to the Ghat of Tulwun (being
26 cut off from that of Philour by the position
27 my force occupied after its relief of Loodianah)
28 for the purpose of protecting the passage of a