ps could
do nothing against Mooltan until strongly reinforced. On the 21st
of December, a strong division of the Bombay army arrived at General
Whish's camp, and thus strengthened, the general resolved upon active
operations. His army now numbered about seventeen thousand Sikhs,
Beloochees, Affghans, and other contingents, about fifteen thousand
more Queen's and Company's troops, and one hundred and fifty pieces
of cannon. On the 27th General Whish resolved upon a grand attack, and
moved his army forward in four columns. The enemy falling back from
their outposts, the British took a position in the suburbs within
five hundred yards of the walls. That day and night batteries were
constructed on all appropriate points, and early on the 28th a terrible
bombardment began. By the 29th, the works were carried forward to within
eighty yards of the place, breaches began to be effected, the granary
was fired, and the batteries and buildings of the enemy suffered much
under the heavy cannonade of the besiegers. On the 30th a shell blew up
the principal magazine of the city. The shock was felt for two miles,
and the camp of the besiegers literally rocked above the convulsive
throes of the earth. The magazine contained sixteen thousand pounds
of powder. The explosion was instant; with one fierce crash and a
long-continued roar, the smoke and flame gushed upwards--one of the most
grandly terrible sights upon which human eye could look. Eight hundred
men perished, their charred limbs and whole carcasses were cast far
beyond. The houses of the chief persons, the public buildings and
temples, were shaken down by the vibrations; yet the walls of the fort
endured, and the bulk of the city was intact. A fire was communicated,
which raged through several streets, but was extinguished. It was
supposed that this event would lead to the surrender of the place, but
next day Moolraj sent word to General Whish that he had still powder
enough for a twelvemonth's siege, and that he would hold out while one
stone remained upon another. This was supposed to be mere bravado, and a
summon was sent to surrender. Moolraj, with perfect _sang froid_, rammed
the letter down one of the longest guns, and fired it at the British.
During the following night a distinct breach was effected in the Delhi
gate of the city, and the next day another at the Bohan gate. The fire
of the besiegers was plied hotly for the two following days and nights,
the city blazing lik