Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/626

602 tion, grain, and nearly everything brought into the field, remained as the spoils of the conquerors.

As Sir Hugh Gough had to wait for his artillery and reinforcements before he proceeded with his ulterior measures, there was now for a short time a perfect lull in the campaign, during which the Sikhs at Sobraon were industriously employed in building their defences, under the direction, it is said, of a Spanish engineer, and adding to their guns on their tête-du-pont. On the 8th of February Sir Harry Smith rejoined head-quarters from Aliwal; on the 9th the heavy guns from Delhi reached the camp of the Commander-in-Chief, and his Excellency fixed on the following day for storming the position at Sobraon, and driving the Sikhs beyond the river.

The enemy's works were very strong; and though on the first intelligence of the battle of Aliwal, and at sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the neighbourhood of that battle-field down to the bridge of boats at Sobraon, the Sikhs seemed much shaken and disheartened, they now appeared to be as confident as ever of being able to defy us in their intrenched position, and to prevent our passage of the river. Their soldiers were chiefly those who had been trained by the French and Italian officers; and they had strong walls only to be surmounted by scaling-ladders, which afforded a secure protection for triple lines of musketry. In all they were 34,000 men, with 70 pieces of artillery; and their position was united by a good bridge to a reserve of 20,000 men on the opposite bank, on which was a considerable camp and some artillery, commanding and flanking the field-works on the side of the British. To meet this great disparity of numbers, and storm a position which the Sikhs were assured by their French friends was impregnable, Sir Hugh Gough had only 16,224 rank and file, of whom 6,533 were Europeans, and 99 guns of different calibre.

The force was ordered to march at half-past three o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 10th of February, when