1 ANNEXATION OF THE PANJAB. 571
2 and ammunition to the victors. They were relentlessly pursued by the
3 British cavalry and artillery, and a most fearful vengeance was exacted.
4 The Afghans, deserting the fallen fortunes of their Khélsé allies, retreated
5 to the Khaibar, having lost more than half their number on the field of
6 action or in the course of their flight. The loss on the side of the victorious
7 British was small, being five officers killed and twenty-four wounded, with
8 ninety-two privates killed and 682 wounded. The British captured 53 of
9 the enemy’s guns, with many standards. The loss of the Sikhs amounted
10 to several thousands; and their great army was dispersed. Major Lawrence,
11 with his wife and children, who were prisoners in the hands of the Sikhs,
12 were sent back to the British camp, where they were welcomed with enthusi-
13 astic shouts. Raj&é Shér Singh, with the wreck of his army, some 16,000
14 men, and all his guns, repaired to the British camp, at the great Buddhist
15 monument of Manakyala, and surrendered unconditionally, on the 12th of
16 March, to General Gilbert. The spectacle on that memorable day was
17 grand, awful and touching. The British lion had effectually humbled the
18 power of the Khdlsé and the last deadly blow had been inflicted on the
19 empire of Ranjit Singh. All the aspirations, misguided though they were,
20 of the valiant Sikh race were humbled to the dust, the remnant of the military
21 power of the great Khdlsé being broken, never again to unite. Foremost
22 among the assembled chiefs was R4j& Shér Singh, who set the example of
23 delivering up his sword to the British General. Then followed the other
24 chiefs, who, one by one, laid down their swords at the feet of the General.
25 Then came the Sikh soldiers, those brave warriors who had so long measured
26 their arms with the victorious British. In gloomy silence did they advance,
27 one after another, casting their arms on the heaps that received them.
28 Some delivered up their arms with tears in their eyes, others with sighs and
29 downcast looks. The soldiers, in performing this ceremony, had to pass
30 through the lines of two native infantry regiments that had been appointed
31 for the duty. The vanquished soldiers were graciously permitted to retain
32 their horses, and received a rupee each to enable them to return to their
33 homes. Fifty-one more guns were delivered up; the submission of the
34 Sikhs to the British power was complete. In the emphatic words of Lord
35 Dalhousie, “the victory gained was memorable, alike from the greatness of
36 the occasion and from the brilliant and decisive issue of the encounter,”
37 The completeness of the victory “equalled the highest hopes entertained.”
38 ye
39 CHAPTER V. 5
40 ANNEXATION OF THE PANJAB.
41 Ha fate of the Panjdb could not long remain in suspense after the crown-
42 ing victory at Gujrdt. The British Government of India had throngh-
43 out acted with the utmost forbearance and moderation in their relations
44 with the Sikh Darbar, and the policy of the Governor-General had,
45 from the outset, been wholly unaggressive, and entirely free from any
46 taint of greed or ambition. He sincerely desired to see a strong govern-
47 ment established in the Panjdb, able to control its army and protect its sub-
48 jects, and willing to maintain friendly relations with the paramount Power
49 in India. But the sinking fortunes of the Sikhs prevented that noble
50 policy from being appreciated, and every endeavour made to give it effect
51 The Afghans retreat
52 to the Khaibar,
53 Major Lawrence is
54 set at liberty,
55 Sher Singh snrren-
56 ders, 12th March, 1819,
57 The Sikh chiefs and
58 solthers lay down their
59 arms,
60 Generous treatment
61 of the vanquished
62 soldiers by the victors,
63 The policy of the
64 Government of India,
65 wholly unaggressive,
66 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com