t. The cavalry of Whish were pushed on to the
Chenab, preventing the passage of the ford of Wuzeerabad. The sirdar
swept the whole district of supplies, and sent messengers to Chuttur
Singh informing him of his dangers, and intimating that he would take
post at Goojerat. Chuttur Singh hastened to the support of Shere, and
their united forces constituted a splendid army of eighty thousand men,
with fifty-nine pieces of cannon, most of them of large calibre, and
worked by a choice body of artillerymen. While Whish guarded the fords
of the Chenab, Wheeler hastened to join Lord Gough, having cleared the
Baree Doab of Ram Singh and his adherents. On the 16th his lordship left
Saporee, and arrived at Sundalpoor, a village only a few miles from the
Chenab, which separated his army from that of the victor of Mooltan.
The latter skilfully fabricated a bridge of boats at Hurreke Puttum, and
joined the commander-in-chief. While this was being accomplished, a body
of Affghans from Dost Mohammed Khan, who professed to be neutral,
joined the enemy. The entire number of Lord Gough's army, after every
accession, scarcely exceeded twenty-five thousand men. The enemy, when
joined by the Affghans, nearly quadrupled the forces of the British
general. Lord Gough, however, determined to attack him, and on the 20th
reconnoitred his position with that object. Shere Singh made the village
of Goojerat his head-quarters: this place lay between the Jhelum and the
Chenab, nearer to the former; a small river ran nearly around it, but
was at that juncture very low, so that its bed was in some places nearly
dry. Between this river and the city, the enemy had taken his position.

Lord Gough resolved upon his plan of attack, and early on the 21st put
it into execution.

_Battle of Goojekat_.--Lord Gough's artillery was in excellent order,
and an overmatch for that of the enemy. He determined upon using this
arm of offence to the uttermost, and opened along his line a murderous
cannonade. His chief danger lay in the difficulty of passing his troops
over the "nullah" (or dry bed of the river) under the enemy's fire; for
it was impossible for his infantry to enter the bed of the stream in any
direction without being exposed to their musketry; his guns kept those
of the enenry hotly engaged. The numerous cavalry of the foe threatened
his flanks, and exposed him, inferior as he was numerically in this arm
of the service, to another peril. Both these risks he