he 30th, the 36th, and 56th regiments behaved well, but lost so many
officers, killed and wounded, that they must be sent back, and some
other corps sent to supply their place. There were twenty-four officers
buried the day after the fight, and many more since. The chief was
strongly advised to defer the engagement until next day, but it was of
no use. Two shots fell near him, and he ordered an immediate attack,
left his position, and joined the _melee_, and was not to be found
anywhere to give directions. A more undisciplined attack, or less
tactics, was never heard of. He swears that the first officer who
presumes to give advice, he will put in close arrest! Poor Eikins was
killed in endeavouring to rally the 14th Dragoons. The artillery have
demanded a court of inquiry, but I suppose the business will be hushed
up, as it it was in the 62nd foot."

A second letter, dated Lahore, the 18th, gave the following extract of a
letter from camp Chillianwallah, 16th January:--

"On the 12th we marched to Dingee, on the 13th we marched again, and
at 11 a.m. came upon one of the enemy's outposts. The 3rd light
field-batteries and heavy guns were brought to the front to drive them
in, which they did in about five minutes. The infantry was then brought
up, and each regiment deployed into line. The commander-in-chief meant
to have encamped here, and sent for quartermasters of corps to mark the
ground. The enemy, however, about two o'clock, fired a few shots, which
came in beyond our flags, and the commander-inchief resolved to attack
them at once. The whole line then advanced, getting into thicker and
thicker jungle every minute; all this time our heavy guns, which were
in the centre, opened their fire, and were answered by every one of the
enemy's, about sixty in number. It would be impossible to describe the
action. There was no plan of attack. The three light field-batteries
were at one time close to the enemy without any support near them. These
were at last ordered to advance at a gallop to support Hoggan's brigade,
and the 46th regiment of native infantry assured the officers of these
light field-batteries that their fire alone saved them. The action
lasted until dark.

"At four o'clock in the afternoon we were completely surrounded by the
enemy, and our artillery firing at the same time to the front, to the
rear, and to the flank. Our loss has been tremendous--one thousand nine
hundred killed and wounded: we have taken twe