nto serious contact with the enemy, greatly
distinguished themselves. This regiment never fired a shot till it
got within the works of the enemy. The onset of her Majesty's 53d
foot was as gallant and effective. The 43d and 59th N.I., brigaded
with them, emulated both in cool determination.

"At the moment of this first success, I directed Brigadier the Hon.
T. Ashburnham's brigade to move on in support, and Major-General
Gilbert's and Sir Harry Smith's divisions to throw out their light
troops to threaten their works, aided by artillery. As these
attacks of the centre and right commenced, the fire of our heavy
guns had first to be directed to the right, and then gradually to
cease, but at one time the thunder of full 120 pieces of ordnance
reverberated in this mighty combat through the valley of the
Sutlej; and as it was soon seen that the weight of the whole force
within the Sikh camp was likely to be thrown upon the two brigades
that had passed its trenches, it became necessary to convert into
close and serious attacks the demonstrations with skirmishers and
artillery of the centre and right; and the battle raged with
inconceivable fury from right to left. The Sikhs, even when at
particular points their intrenchments were mastered with the
bayonet, strove to regain them by the fiercest conflict, sword in
hand. Nor was it until the cavalry of the left, under Major-General
Sir Joseph Thackwell, had moved forward, and ridden through the
openings of the intrenchments made by our sappers, in single file,
and re-formed as they passed them, and the 3d dragoons, whom no
obstacle usually held formidable by horse appears to check, had on
this day, as at Ferozeshah, galloped over and cut down the
obstinate defenders of batteries and fieldworks, and until the full
weight of three divisions of infantry, with every field artillery
gun which could be sent to their aid, had been cast into the scale,
that victory finally declared for the British. The fire of the
Sikhs first slackened and then nearly ceased; and the victors then
pressing them on every side, precipitated them in masses over the
bridge, and into the Sutlej, which a sudden rise of seven inches
had rendered hardly fordable. In their efforts to reach the right
bank, through the deepened water, they suf