sitions with scientific exactness. The
sirdar's batteries were chiefly masked by jungle. The scene was striking
in its aspect, from the magnitude of the events associated with it, and
the excitement it stirred up within the hearts of the brave. Alas, how
many noble hearts were necessarily to bleed before victory crowned the
arms of England, and that fine Khalsa army succumbed to the destiny of
England's Asiatic foes!

Lord Gough found that he could not turn the flanks of the sirdar's
army, they were so protected by jungle, unless he detached a portion of
his army to a considerable distance, which he deemed unsafe. The day
was too far advanced to begin any operations. The engineer officers were
ordered to examine the country in front, and the quartermaster-general
was about to take up ground for the encampment, when the enemy advanced
some horse artillery, and opened a fire upon the skirmishers in front
of Bussool. Lord Gough ordered his heavy guns to open upon the enemy's
artillery, and for this purpose they were advanced to an open space
in front of the village. Shere Singh did not act with his usual good
strategy, in exposing the positions of so many of his cannon, which
the jungle had concealed, and which might have remained hidden until
an attack upon his line would have afforded him opportunity to use them
with sudden and terrible advantage, as he afterwards was enabled to use
those on his right. As it was, he replied to the British cannonade with
such a powerful field-artillery as constrained Lord Gough to draw up
in order of battle, lest in the night the sirdar's guns should be moved
still more forward, and open on his camp. His lordship, keeping the
heavy guns on his centre, placed Sir Walter Gilbert's division on his
right, flanked by Brigadier Pope's brigade of cavalry, strengthened by
her majesty's 14th Light Dragoons, and three troops of horse artillery,
under Colonel Grant. This arrangement was necessitated by the large
force of cavalry observed upon the enemy's left. On the left of the
British line, Brigadier-general Campbell's division was formed, flanked
by Brigadier White's cavalry, and three troops of horse artillery under
Colonel Brind.

The demonstrations of the enemy were such that, late as was the hour,
and weary as the troops were with marching, Lord Gough determined to
attack at once. His lordship's critics, influenced by the events
which followed, have severely censured him for attacking under