s and
9691 native troops, among which were the 10th, 29th, 53rd, and 88th
Regiments of the line, and the 3rd Dragoons. The ford of Hurrekee on
the left was watched by the 16th, and the division formed in three
lines, with a brigade in each, and marched against the works at 3 a.m.
on the 10th February, opening fire with a powerful force of artillery
as soon as the morning mists rose. When the fire told, the assault
was delivered, and with complete success. The European regiments had
advanced without firing a shot until they had penetrated the works, “a
forbearance much to be commended and most worthy of constant imitation,
to which may be attributed the success of their first effort and the
small loss they sustained,” and after two hours’ fighting the _tête
du pont_ was won, and the Sikhs, in recrossing the bridge of boats,
suffered terrible loss from the fire of our Horse Artillery. But the
victory had cost us dear. The 29th had lost 13 officers and 135 men;
the 31st, 7 officers and 147 men; the 50th, 12 officers and 227 men;
and the 10th, 3 officers and 130 men: while Sir Robert Dick, General
Cyril Taylor, and General M’Laren among the leaders were also among the
slain. On the other hand, the Sikhs had lost 14,000 men.

Sobraon was “the Waterloo of the Sikhs.” Their aims on our Indian
possessions were completely frustrated. But the field army was too weak
to do more than it had done, and though some of the enemy’s territory
was “occupied,” the reins of government were still permitted to remain
nominally in the youthful hands of Dhuleep Singh, until the time came
for the annexation of the whole district of the Punjaub.

The final opportunity came three years later, in 1849, when the Marquis
of Dalhousie was Governor-General.

Intestine troubles, in due course and as usual, arose in Mooltan. There
was the customary doubt as to the loyalty of some of the Sirdars of
Mooltan. The European assistant resident and some others were murdered
at Lahore; a sufficient cause for further war. Some insignific