16th Lancers.
East Surrey.
West Kent.
Shropshire Light Infantry.
Gov.-General's Bodyguard.
3rd Skinner's Horse.
7th Rajputs.
13th Shekhawati Regiment.
1st Gurkhas.
2nd Gurkhas.
Sir Harry Smith, the hero of Aliwal, was an officer who had seen considerable service in the Rifle Brigade, having been present at practically every engagement during the Peninsular War, either as Adjutant of the Rifle Brigade or on the staff of the Light Division. He at this time wore only the Waterloo medal, for a grateful country had not as yet recognized the services of the Peninsular veterans. His division constituted a very efficient fighting force. There were four batteries of horse and one of field artillery. His cavalry was in two brigades—
First Cavalry Brigade—Brigadier MacDowell: 16th Lancers, 3rd Light Cavalry, and 4th Irregulars.
Second Cavalry Brigade—Brigadier Stedman: Governor-General's Bodyguard, 1st and 5th Light Cavalry.
—the two brigades being under a distinguished officer, Brigadier-General Cureton, who was to fall two years later at the head of the cavalry brigade at Ramnuggur.
First Infantry Brigade—Brigadier Hicks: 31st (East Surrey), 24th and 36th Bengal Infantry.
Second Infantry Brigade—Brigadier Wheler: 50th (West Kent), 48th Bengal Infantry, and the 2nd Gurkhas.
Third Infantry Brigade—Brigadier Wilson: 53rd (Shropshire Light Infantry), 30th Bengal Infantry, and the Shekhawati Battalion (now the 13th Bengal Infantry).
Fourth Infantry Brigade—Brigadier Godby: 47th Bengal Infantry and the 1st Gurkhas.
The total strength was 3,000 cavalry and 7,100 infantry, with twenty-eight field-guns and two 8-inch howitzers. Covering his front with his cavalry and horse artillery, Sir Harry Smith, who was a consummate drill, advanced in true light division order against the Sikhs, who held a position with their rear resting on the River Sutlej, close by the village of Aliwal. On the extreme right was Stedman's cavalry brigade, then in succession Godby's and Hick's infantry, with three batteries and the howitzers in the centre; then came Wheler's and Wilson's brigades, with two batteries between them, and on the left the 16th Lancers, with the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry.