In compliance with instructions contained in the General Order by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of yesterday's date, I have the honour to report on the operations of the Cavalry Division under my command during the Actions of the 21st and 22nd instant, as far as came under my personal observation, and have the gratification to state, for His Excellency's information, that every Individual of Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dragoons, both Officers and Men, performed their duty with the highest credit to themselves and their country. This I had an opportunity of witnessing, having charged at the head of the regiment myself through a battery of the enemy's guns which met us with a most galling fire of grape, and over their infantry entrenched in front of their camp. This charge was a most gallant and successful one, as we succeeded in completely driving the enemy from their guns, though, I regret to say, our loss on this occasion has been very severe, both in Officers and Men, as will be seen by the Casualty Return of the Corps.
I beg to bring to his Excellency's favourable notice the merits of the following Officers who gallantly led the regiment into action:—Major Balders, Commanding; Captain Tritton, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant Sullivan, Officiating Major of Brigade; Captain Havelock, and Brigade Major Wyld of the 4th Lancers; the two latter Officers were at the time acting under my orders, and charged with the regiment.
I beg to add, that Major Balders having been wounded in the charge, the command devolved on Captain Hale, who brought the regiment out of Action.
During the 22nd, the brigade immediately under my command was engaged manœuvring during the whole of the day, sometimes for the protection of our own Artillery, and at others, with a view of cutting off the enemy's retreat, and capturing their few remaining guns; in the latter we were not successful, as, with the exception of about a squadron of Her Majesty's 3rd Light Dragoons and the 4th Regiment of Lancers, the whole of the Cavalry had been withdrawn off the field. On this day our loss was comparatively small, having lost a few Non-Commissioned Officers and Men, and having two Officers' chargers killed by round shot, one of which was Lieutenant Sullivan's, my officiating Major of Brigade, being the third horse shot under him during the Actions of the 18th, 21st, and 22nd December.
I have, &c.,
M. White,
Lieut.-Col. 3rd Light Dragoons,
Brigadier Commanding Cavalry Division,
Army of the Sutlej.
Extracts from Minutes of Proceedings of the House of Lords.—2nd March, 1846.
"Order of the day read, Moved to resolve,—That the Thanks of this House be given to the Right Honourable Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General of India, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, for the energy and ability with which he directed the military means at his disposal, to the repelling of the unprovoked invasion by the Sikh Army, of the dominions of the British Government, and of the Protected States upon the left bank of the Sutlej; and also for the firmness and gallantry with which he directed the operations of that portion of the Army under his immediate command, in the afternoon and night of December 21st, 1845, and on the morning of the 22nd, upon which occasion the enemy's defences were carried by storm, the greater part of their Artillery captured, and their subsequent attempts to regain what they had lost repeatedly defeated.
"On question, Resolved in the Affirmative, Nemine dissentiente."
"Then it was moved to resolve,—That the Thanks of this House be given to General Sir Hugh Gough, Baronet, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in the East Indies, for the distinguished valour with which he directed and led the several attacks upon the enemy, and for the eminent services rendered by him in the Battles of the 18th, 21st, and 22nd of December, 1845; displaying, as he did, in conjunction with the Governor-General, a brilliant example to the Troops of perseverance and courage in critical circumstances, and of irresistible ardour in the several attacks made upon the enemy.