As before mentioned, the detachment of artillery under Colonel Huthwaite on the left, commenced the action. Pushing the guns forward from one position to another, until within grape distance, he had for a time completely silenced the batteries opposed to him. Meanwhile the infantry on his left moved forward to the attack, but the movement was not successful. Subsequently, however, the 9th foot and 26th light infantry (with a portion of the 14th N.I.), under Brigadier Wallace, carried the enemy’s battery.
Meanwhile the other troops and batteries, from their different positions in line, had advanced through the jungle. The 2nd troop 1st brigade, under Captain Todd, being on the left of Brigadier Wallace, approached the artillery attached to Littler’s division. Major Brind’s troop, the 1st of the 3rd, after advancing to a great distance, was despatched to the right to join Captain Swinley’s, which had accompanied the 29th foot. Two troops under Colonel Geddes, after several positions, emerged from the jungle and came into a clear open space in front of the southern face of the enemy’s intrenchments, and within reach of their grape-shot; and now the artillery fire ceased, the infantry were moved forward and (forming line) advanced to the storm. The batteries in front were carried at the point of the bayonet, notwithstanding the most determined resistance, and the great loss sustained, just as the line reached the battery, by the explosion of a large under-ground magazine, which had all the effect of a mine.
The sun had now set, and darkness was rapidly falling on the field. The obscurity was much increased by the dust and the smoke from the batteries and the exploding magazines. From the frequency of these explosions, and the quantity of earth thrown up by them, it was at first supposed that the enemy’s position had been mined; but they were nothing more than under-ground magazines, which, some by accident, some by design, were now exploded, adding to the confusion and din of the fight.
Several regiments having penetrated the batteries, reached the Sikh tents, many of which were now on fire. Here the troops became partially broken and entangled; nothing could be distinguished clearly amidst the smoke and obscurity. It was difficult to ascertain in which direction lay friend or foe. Shots were falling thick on all sides, and even now the troops of horse-artillery, halting unemployed before the Sikh position, suffered material loss. Two waggons of Captain Mills’ troop exploded simultaneously—giving at first a momentary impression that the mines extended even so far from the enemy’s batteries. The 3rd dragoons, who had charged from the right of the line on the batteries immediately opposed to them, carrying everything before them in their course, now at length emerged from the enemy’s position in scattered parties. It was now dark. All our infantry were engaged. The reserve, under Sir Harry Smith, had been called up and had penetrated beyond the batteries, most of which had been captured; and one brigade had even reached the village of Ferozeshuhur. Yet all opposition had not ceased, and the enemy still held a great portion of their intrenchments. Amidst, however, the darkness and intricacies of the camp, it was impossible then to push our success further. It was advisable, therefore, to withdraw our shattered regiments, which within the Sikh position were exposed to hidden dangers, without any compensating advantage.
Accordingly, a bivouac was formed within two or three hundred yards of the batteries. Here were collected, under Gilbert and Wallace, the 9th, 29th, 31st, and 80th regiments of foot, and the 1st European light infantry. The 1st troop of 1st brigade, and 4th troop 3rd brigade, under Colonel Geddes, joined this division of infantry, near which the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief remained throughout the night. The 2nd troop 1st brigade, now under Lieutenant Mackinnon (Major Todd having fallen in the action), and some field-battery guns, under Captain Horsford, soon afterwards came up to the ground. The 5th troop 1st brigade, 3rd troop 3rd brigade, and 9–pounder batteries attached to the 4th company 6th battalion, and 2nd company 7th battalion, bivouacked a short distance to the left. The 3rd troop 1st brigade, 1st troop 3rd brigade, with some field-battery guns, bivouacked during the night near Misrèe-wallah, which was occupied by British troops of all arms.
The night passed wearily away in cold and watching; the enemy, occasionally firing, allowed our harassed troops little rest. One gun was particularly troublesome during the greater part of the night, until the Governor-General ordered its capture by the 80th foot and 1st Europeans. Other guns were playing during the night with little or no effect. The uproar in the Sikh position was tremendous; the shouting was incessant, and the beating of drums, the sounding of bugles, and the firing of matchlocks and musketry continued, with short intervals, until daybreak. Frequently their drums beat to arms, and it was supposed that the enemy were preparing to attack us. Accordingly, a few guns were got into position and held ready with grape; but nothing came of these indications.
About midnight the troops, having originally bivouacked as they came upon the ground, were formed up in order; the guns in front, and the infantry in two lines in their rear. At length day broke, and the Sikh position was now comparatively quiet. The uproar had gradually diminished, and it was generally supposed that the enemy had begun to abandon their intrenchments. At first a thick mist shrouded all surrounding objects; but the beams of the rising sun soon dispelled it, and the three troops of horse-artillery, under Captain Mills, Lieutenant Mackinnon, and Captain Garbett, pushed forward and again opened on the Sikh position.
But there was no longer the determined resistance which had marked the contest of the previous day. It is true that some batteries of heavy metal replied to our fire for a time, and did some little mischief, a few of our waggons being blown up; but the enemy’s fire soon grew feeble. The infantry, who were close in rear of the guns, formed into line, and with a hearty cheer sprang forward. Soon the intrenchments, here most insignificant, were gained and passed; and the British line swept through the camp, meeting with but little opposition. The horse-artillery, after ceasing their fire, limbered up and accompanied the infantry line under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Geddes. There was no check to the progress of our troops. No steady resistance was offered by the enemy. The village of Ferozeshuhur was carried as the line advanced. There was a smart skirmishing fire in front, but it was evident that many of the Sikh battalions had already fled, and that our advance expedited the retreat of the others. The line having passed the village of Ferozeshuhur, leaving it to the left, and having reached the extremity of the enemy’s position, halted. Upwards of seventy of the Sikh guns, and the whole of their matériel and camp equipage, fell into our hands. And thus apparently the battle terminated.
But such in reality was not the case. We now come to a period of the engagement sufficiently difficult to describe. Orders had been given to allow a certain number of men to fall out for the purpose of procuring water, and arrangements were also being made for securing the captured ordnance. It was generally believed that the contest had ceased, when suddenly to the left of the British line, and extending over a considerable arc of the horizon, a dense cloud of dust was seen rising from the jungle. The sirdar, Tej Singh, who had been uselessly watching Sir John Littler’s empty camp, had now marched from his position before Ferozepore to join the main army under Lal Singh, whom he supposed to be still in possession of the intrenched position. But to his surprise he found himself in the presence of the victorious British army.
Our ammunition was getting scarce.[[100]] The horse-artillery was at this time in three separate bodies. Two troops (and a part of a field-battery, under Lieutenant Austen) were with Colonel Huthwaite on the left of the field. The troops commanded by Major Brind and Captain Swinley were, early in the morning, with Sir Harry Smith’s division; and Colonel Geddes commanded three troops with headquarters. Colonel Huthwaite moving through the jungle on the left of the village, came unexpectedly on the Sirdar Tej Singh. He immediately opened upon the Sikh force, and drew down a heavy fire. This was the commencement of the affair. Major Brind, in command of his own troop and that of Captain Swinley, soon after became engaged with the enemy on the left front of the village. His fire was answered by about thirty pieces of all kinds from the Sikh batteries. The three troops under Colonel Geddes were also directed to move forward to the attack. The artillery under Colonel Huthwaite, being entirely unsupported, and his ammunition failing, was compelled to fall back, as the enemy was within a few hundred yards, and appeared to be moving round his flanks. At the same time the two troops of horse-artillery under Major Brind, being exposed to an enfilading fire from some heavy guns of the enemy, were obliged to retire upon the village where the supports were posted. About this period, Colonel Geddes, after sustaining a very heavy fire, finding his ammunition expended and that he was entirely unsupported, was compelled to fall back upon the hollow square which, in the mean time, had been formed by the infantry on the right front of the village. The greater number of the guns were now placed on the prolongation of one of the sides of the square. Some were in the village, and three guns of the 4th troop 3rd brigade were posted in one of the angles of the square immediately fronting the direction of Tej Singh’s advance. There was now a pause—the army quietly waiting the expected attack of the Sikh sirdar. Most of our guns were now without, or nearly without, ammunition, only a few rounds of grape remaining. Near the village to the left of the large square were several Sikh ammunition-carts, and the Commander-in-Chief directed the artillery to seize as much of the enemy’s ammunition as time would admit of, to replenish the exhausted boxes. But unfortunately most of the guns, being on the right of the square, were too far removed to avail themselves of this opportunity. The three guns, however, which were in the angle, procured each some fifteen or sixteen rounds, which proved of material assistance. Meantime the Sikh line under Tej Singh continued to advance. At length, when he had arrived some six hundred yards from the British position, Major Brind’s troop in the village, and the three guns of the 4th troop 3rd brigade in the angle of the square, opened upon the enemy, and drew down a furious cannonade from some forty field-guns. Those of our guns which were on the right of the square, besides being short of ammunition as before mentioned, were placed with their left flank towards the enemy, and therefore could not, even had they ammunition, take part in the conflict. From their position they suffered much from the enfilading fire of the enemy, as did also the regiments on that side of the square. For some twenty minutes, the few guns which we had opposed to the enemy kept up this unequal contest. Whilst the Sikh artillery were playing upon our position, the sirdar appeared to be gradually crossing our front. It was about this time that the Commander-in-Chief changed the front of the line, bringing a portion of it within shelter of the village. The fire of the artillery on our side now entirely ceased. Major Brind, who had been in the village with two troops, was directed to join the entire mass of the artillery which was on the extreme right, in column with the cavalry—as did also the three guns of the 4th troop of the 3rd brigade, which had expended all their ammunition, including that which they had captured from the Sikhs. But by this time the Sikh fire was gradually lessening, and the sirdar appeared to be withdrawing from the field.