der Major
Generals Sir Harry Smith, Gilbert, and Sir John M'Caskill, attacked
in echelon of lines the enemy's infantry, almost invisible amongst
wood and the approaching darkness of night. The opposition of the
enemy was such as might have been expected from troops who had
every thing at stake, and who had long vaunted of being
irresistible. Their ample and extended line, from their great
superiority of numbers, far outflanked ours; but this was
counteracted by the flank movements of our cavalry. The attack of
the infantry now commenced; and the roll of fire from this powerful
arm soon convinced the Sikh army that they had met with a foe they
little expected; and their whole force was driven from position
after position with great slaughter, and the loss of seventeen
pieces of artillery, some of them of heavy calibre; our infantry
using that never-failing weapon the bayonet, whenever the enemy
stood. Night only saved them from worse disaster; for this stout
conflict was maintained during an hour and a half of dim starlight,
amidst a cloud of dust from the sandy plain, which yet more
obscured every object."

The more awful combats of Ferozeshah and Sobraon must not eclipse the
brightness of Moodkee, which revealed so vividly, even under that "dim
starlight," the elastic vigour of the British spirit.

Hunger, and thirst, and weariness vanished at once, as, with the
alacrity and precision of a peaceful parade, our enthusiastic regiments
moved into their positions, and impetuously advanced to encounter an
enemy who mustered his host in myriads. On they swept like a hurricane.
"The only fault found," are the words of an officer present in the
engagement, "was, that the men were too fresh, and could not be kept
from running at the enemy." Outflanking us by masses of infantry and
swarms of cavalry--tearing us to tatters by the swift destruction from
their immense and beautiful artillery--it fared with the Sikhs, before
the stemless tide of British ardour, as with the Philistines before
Samson--

"When unsupportably his foot advanced,"
--"In scorn of their proud arms and warlike tools,"
"Spurn'd them to death by troops."--

The moral effect upon our soldiers of this battle, we may believe to
have been decisive of the campaign. The prodigious preponderance of the
Sikhs in numerical strength; the weight, and celerity, and accuracy