Every arm of the British force behaved with admirable gallantry and skill; the infantry carried every point under the most galling fire, preserving their formation in a manner beyond all praise; the cavalry swept the horsemen of the enemy from the field, as the tide rolls the wreck upon the shore; the artillery could not be surpassed by that of any army in Europe: towards the close of the action, the manner in which two 8-inch howitzers, ordered up by Sir Harry Smith himself, were worked, excited the admiration of the troops.
This battle, however, did not determine the war. The Sikhs occupied such strong positions on both sides of the river at Sobraon, that they were willing to believe their post impregnable, that an attempt to storm it would be fruitless, and that in fact there a barrier existed, against which the surging wave of British power would be broken. This was the only point of occupation then held by the Khalsa army on the left bank of the Sutlej. All fears for Loodiana having now subsided, the mission of Sir Harry Smith at the head of a separate corps d’armée was over, and he marched to join the grand army under the command of the intrepid veteran Sir Hugh Gough, one of the noblest soldiers that ever served in the British army. General Sir Charles Napier, in his own eccentric way, said of him that he was “as brave as ten lions, each with two tails and two sets of teeth.” Sir Charles rivalled Mr. Roebuck, the radical English commoner, in the scantiness of his commendations; his droll eulogy of Sir Hugh Gough will therefore be appreciated. On the 8th of February, Sir Harry Smith made his junction with the army of his chief, and was received in terms not more flattering than just from a general who never refused to merit its just meed.
The first duty of the English commander-in-chief was now to capture the stronghold of the enemy, which was extensively fortified, mounted more than seventy heavy pieces of cannon, and was garrisoned by 30,000 men, the select troops of the grand Khalsa army. Even with the addition of Sir Harry Smith’s division, the brave old chief was hardly strong enough for the task imposed upon him; but happily his artillery, which very much needed it, was reinforced from Delhi by several howitzers and mortars.
On the morning of the 10th, General Gough considered himself in a condition to proceed against the works of Sobraon; these had been well reconnoitred previously, and never was an army more confident in its chief, its resources, and its own will than the British army of the Sutlej. The enemy had been ceaselessly employed since the battle of Aliwal in throwing up fieldworks on the right bank of the river, so as to command the flanks of the works on the left bank. Easy communications between the two camps were preserved by an excellently constructed bridge. As this is a general History of England, and not a History of India, or of the War in India, the space allotted to our task will not allow of more minute particularisation of the defences.
Sir Hugh Gough made his dispositions of battle on the evening of the 9th, according to which, at daybreak on the 10th, the cannonade was to open. A dense mist, however, covered the sphere of intended operations, rendering it impossible to open fire until the sun had penetrated the obscure atmosphere. On the extreme right of the works, close by the river, Major-general Sir K. Dick, with two brigades of infantry, awaited the signal to begin. On this point the attack was to be led by Brigadier-general Stacey, at the head of her majesty’s 10th and 53rd foot, brigaded with two native regiments: the 10th now, for the first time, came under fire during this war. Brigadier Wilkinson, at the head of the sixth brigade, was posted within 200 yards in support of Brigadier Stacey. The reserve was commanded by Brigadier Ashburnham. The right of the attack was occupied by the division of Major-general Sir Hany Smith, its extreme right approaching the river. The centre was commanded by Major-general Gilbert, whose division was posted with its right resting on the Little Sobraon. Brigadier-general Cureton threatened the ford at Hurrakee, and remained in observation of the enemy’s horse, posted on the other side. The force under Cureton was to make a feint of attempting the ford.
The supports were commanded by Brigadier-general Campbell and Major-general Sir Joseph Thackwell; the former in support of Smith’s left and Gilbert’s right, the latter in support of Gilbert’s left and the right of General Dick.
As soon as the mists were dispersed by the morning sun, the Sikhs appeared behind well-constructed redoubts and breastworks of planks and fascines. The British field-batteries opened fire, and received a terrible response.
At nine o’clock, Brigadier Stacey advanced, supported on either flank by artillery. The movement was orderly and beautiful, the infantry preserving its line in double quick time, the artillery galloping up to take possession of every advantage of the ground, until the infantry again occupied the advanced position; thus mutually supporting, the artillery and infantry arrived within three hundred yards of the ponderous batteries of the works. Here a terrible fire opened upon the advancing force, before which many fell, and few believed, who could see what was passing, that Stacey and his brigade would ever reach the intrenchments of the enemy. The troops of Brigadier Wilkinson were well up in support, and under cover of the fire of our fieldpieces and horse-artillery. Stacey’s brigade charged’ the intrenchments, entered them, drove the enemy in at the point of the bayonet, fighting desperately as they receded. This took place within view of a large portion of the army, and the exultation and assurance of victory which was consequently excited, materially affected the fortunes of the day. The whole of this brigade, European and native, behaved with the greatest intrepidity, “the brave Irish of the 10th,” as Major Edwardes on another occasion described them, were especially distinguished. They never fired a shot until within the intrenchments; they discharged their pieces into the breasts of such of their enemies as withstood them, or in pursuing volleys upon those who retreated within the inner area of the works. The 53rd regiment also, as in the battle of Aliwal, behaved with great courage, and showed the highest discipline.
As soon as General Gough perceived the success of Stacey, supported by Wilkinson, he directed brigadier the Hon. T. Ashburnham to follow the supports, and Generals Gilbert and Smith’s divisions to throw out their light troops against the enemy’s centre and left, and to open a heavy fire of artillery. The cannonade against the enemy’s centre, and more especially against his left, was delivered with amazing rapidity, at a close range, and with deadly aim. The Sikhs, at the same time, worked their very heavy pieces with skill, so that while a fierce bayonet encounter went on within the trenches on the enemy’s extreme right, one hundred and twenty pieces of cannon sent their messengers of death across the opposing lines, and rolled their thunders over the valley and the waters of the Sutlej. The Sikhs began to expect that the British centre and right would confine the attack to an artillery battle, and therefore detached their infantry in masses from those points against Stacey’s brigade, which had then fought their way well within the works. General Gough, thereupon, ordered the centre and left trenches to be attacked, so that the whole semi-circle of the works was stormed. At the first onset the Sikhs gave way on every point, but they returned with desperation to the conflict, especially where there was a chance of precipitating themselves upon the native regiments. Three British divisions of infantry fought hand to hand with the enemy; but the battle seemed doubtful, from the numbers and desperation of the enemy. A manoeuvre was now executed which was generally regarded as novel, but which, on a small scale, British cavalry accomplished also in America. The sappers and miners of the left attack broke passages through the intrenchments, through which the cavalry of Sir Joseph Thackwell rode, in single file, forming as they passed through, and then charging within the area of the defences, cut down the Sikh gunners and infantry mercilessly. The 3rd Dragoons, with less assistance from the sappers, and making many “break-neck leaps,” sprang within, the defences, and used their swords with the skill for which that gallant corp had obtained so high and so well-deserved a reputation. The conduct of that intrepid regiment surpassed, if that were possible, its own glory at Moodkee and Ferozashooshah. Light field-pieces were brought in through every opening, and were worked in murderous proximity to the enemy. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery were now within the works, which were no longer tenable, and the Khalsa soldiery fled precipitately to the bridge, pursued with a carnage similar to that at Aliwal. Here, however, the bridge befriended the fugitives, but an artillery and musketry fire was directed upon it, making havoc in the confused and dense masses—men whose hurried flight impeded their progress, and increased the slaughter. As they gained the bridge their pursuers were at hand, precipitating them over it into the Sutlej. Another column of fugitives attempted to ford the river, but the waters were high, and swept them from their feet. The horse artillery galloped into the river, and discharged showers of grape upon the unresisting masses who struggled through its dark waters. Little quarter was given, for, true to Eastern usage, those who now were fugitives and cried for mercy, murdered the prisoners whom in the early part of the action they had captured. Their conduct resembled that of another Asiatic nation which calls itself European, years afterwards, on the slopes of Alma, and on the plateau of Sebastopol. To the circumstance of the Khalsa soldiery refusing to give quarter the unsparing vengeance of our troops was to be attributed; and it must also be admitted that when the Sepoy soldiery are thoroughly excited, they display a ferocity which none who are only acquainted with their ordinary conduct and character would ever suppose possible. The battle was over by eleven o’clock. History furnishes few instances of such a signal victory so soon won. On no occasion, not even excepting Aliwal, did the Company’s troops fight better: the testimony of Sir Hugh Gough was very much to their honour in this respect. He especially selected for encomium the Ghoorkhas, as bravest where all were brave. “I must,” wrote the general in his despatch, “pause in this narrative to notice the determined hardihood and bravery with which our two battalions of Ghoorkhas met the Sikhs wherever they were opposed to them. Soldiers of small stature, but indomitable spirit, they vied in ardent courage in the charge with the grenadiers of our own nation, and, armed with the short weapon of their mountains, were a terror to the Sikhs throughout this great combat.”
The battle of Sobraon destroyed the Khalsa army, and humbled the military power of the nation. The spoils of war were sixty-seven pieces of cannon, more than two hundred camel swivels, numerous standards, ammunition, small-arms, side-arms, accoutrements, tools, and every appendage of a fortified place. The loss of the British army was very serious in effecting such important achievements.