1843
1844
The regiment remained at Fort William, Calcutta, until the 15th November, 1844, when it marched for Meerut under the command of Major Franks.
1845
The head-quarters arrived at Meerut on the 22nd February, 1845.
Lieut.-Colonel Luard exchanged to the half-pay on the 28th March, with Colonel Sir George Couper, Bart., who retired from the service, and Lieut.-Colonel Thomas H. Franks was promoted by purchase, on the 28th March, 1845. Colonel James Considine died at Meerut on the 4th September, from an attack of cholera, and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel C. L. Strickland on the 5th September.
1846
The regiment marched from Meerut, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Franks, on the 16th December, 1845, and joined the Army of the Sutlej on the 8th January, 1846, both officers and men animated with the laudable desire to share the dangers, and to reap some of the laurels already acquired by the army in this brief but exciting campaign.
A month, however, passed without the main army being employed in any occurrence of note, the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief taking advantage of the interval to collect the munitions of war; while on the other hand, the Sikhs, having been strengthened by reinforcements, continued to hold strong positions on the banks of the Sutlej; and notwithstanding their defeat in the battles of Moodkee and Ferozeshah on the 18th, 21st, and 22nd December, 1845, they subsequently formed a strongly entrenched camp at Sobraon. Although the intelligence of the victory of Aliwal on the 28th January, 1846, and the sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the vicinity of that battle-field to the bridge of boats at Sobraon, apparently disheartened the enemy, and caused many of them to return to their homes, yet in a few days they appeared as confident as ever of being able in their entrenched position to defy the Anglo-Indian army, and to prevent the passage of the Sutlej.
The heavy ordnance having arrived on the 8th February, the day on which the forces under Major-General Sir Henry Smith, who had been detached to Loodiana, and had obtained a signal victory over the enemy at Aliwal, rejoined the main body of the army, it was determined on coming at once to a battle with the Sikhs, to storm their entrenchments, and finally to drive them out of Hindoostan. This was an undertaking of some magnitude. From observations made during the time the head-quarters of the army were stationed at the village of Nihalkee, it was ascertained that the position at Sobraon was covered with formidable entrenchments, and defended by thirty thousand of the élite of the Khalsa troops; besides being united by a good bridge to a reserve on the opposite bank of the river, on which was stationed a considerable camp, with artillery, which commanded and flanked the enemy's field-works on the British side of the Sutlej.
About daybreak on the 10th February, the mortars, battering guns, and field-artillery were disposed on the alluvial land, embracing within its fire the enemy's works. As soon as the sun's rays cleared the heavy mist which hung over the plain, the cannonade commenced, but notwithstanding the admirable manner in which the guns were served, it would have been visionary to expect that they could, within any limited time, silence the fire of seventy pieces of artillery behind well-constructed batteries, or dislodge troops so strongly entrenched. It soon became evident to the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Hugh Gough, that musketry and the bayonet must ultimately decide the contest.