Richard Cannon

“ It must therefore be admitted, that the distinguishing feature of the British soldier is Intrepidity. This quality was evinced by the inhabitants of England when their country was invaded by Julius Cæsar with a Roman army, on which occasion the undaunted Britons rushed into the sea to attack the Roman soldiers as they descended from their ships; and, although their discipline and arms were inferior to those of their adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing intimidated the flower of the Roman troops, including Cæsar’s favourite tenth legion. ”

“ The Sikh army remained in its intrenched position; and though, on the first intelligence of the victory of Aliwal, and at the sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the neighbourhood of that battle-field to the bridge of boats at Sobraon, the Sikhs seemed much shaken and disheartened,—yet after a few days, the Sikh troops seemed to be as confident as ever of being able to defy us in their intrenched position, and to prevent our passage of the river. ”

“ The field after the retreat of the enemy was literally covered with dead,—they had abandoned large stores of grain, military stores, camp-equipage, and ammunition. The loss of the British army was very heavy; being opposed to a highly disciplined and organized army more than treble their number, with a field of artillery of battering calibre, admirably served, which kept up an incessant and destructive fire on the British troops: justifying the remark of an officer, who had been in all Napoleon’s great battles, that he never saw such devastation committed by artillery at any battle in Europe. ”

“ All the Sikh chiefs were in attendance on their Sovereign, and the train passed through a street to the Governor-General’s camp, formed by the sixteenth Lancers and the THIRTY-FIRST regiment. This is not the place in which to dwell on the splendour or chivalrous appearance of the scene, on the glitter of the polished armour of some, and the gaiety of the yellow silk in which all were dressed. The British troops were infinitely greater objects of interest and curiosity to the Sikhs, than even the variety of the arms, and the figures of the men of the latter, were to the former. ”

“ In the field, when the spirits of men are excited by the animating circumstances of the contest, where honor is sure and death uncertain, valour and good order may be expected; but in the midst of dangers against which it appeared hopeless to struggle,—at a time when no aid appeared, and passively to die was all that remained,—the manly resignation, the ready obedience, and the unfailing discipline—characteristics of a good soldier—evinced by the THIRTY-FIRST, entitle the regiment to dwell at some length, in its Record, upon the events that called forth those admirable qualities. ”

“ The Sikhs fought with the fury of desperate men. Nothing could resist the dauntless courage of our troops, and fearful was the storm of musketry poured forth by them as they rushed. The bayonet,—the never-failing resource of British soldiers,—completed the confusion and havoc the musketry had begun. Every position was forced; the enemy driven from the ground they had so well selected, and for a time so obstinately maintained; and night found eighteen pieces of artillery in our possession. Darkness only saved them from extreme disaster ”

“ These achievements, with others of recent dates in the distant climes of India, prove that the same valour and constancy which glowed in the breasts of the heroes of Crecy, Poictiers, Agincourt, Blenheim, and Ramilies, continue to animate the Britons of the nineteenth century.
The British Soldier is distinguished for a robust and muscular frame,—intrepidity which no danger can appal,—unconquerable spirit and resolution,—patience in fatigue and privation, and cheerful obedience to his superiors. ”

“ There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served, or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps—an attachment to everything belonging to their Regiment; to such persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions of the great, the valiant, the loyal, have always been of paramount interest with a brave and civilized people. ”

“ The greatest sensation pervaded all ranks of society: no military event, with the exception of the Battle of Waterloo, excited such [167] wonder and surprise, mingled with joy, that the cloud, which had hung over the fate of the British Empire in India, was completely dissipated by this last splendid and decisive victory, which effected the final overthrow of the power of the Sikhs, the destruction of their army, and the capture of their artillery, on the sanguinary field of Sobraon. ”

“ It was a battle fought and won by the corps of Sir Rowland Hill alone and unaided. At the instant of victory Lord Wellington came up, and in the ecstasy of the moment of triumph, caught him by the hand, and said, ‘Hill, the day is your own.’”
The THIRTY-FIRST had seven rank and file killed, and three serjeants, two drummers, and twenty-seven rank and file wounded. ”

“ A single defeat was not, however, to daunt the fierce and numerous foes with whom you had to contend; and hardly had you recovered from the fatigues of your long march and first victory, when you were called upon to storm an entrenched camp, defended by vastly superior numbers, and by a train of heavy and well-served artillery such as the East had never beheld. To assail works, under such circumstances, is one of the most trying and difficult operations of war ”

“ Great Britain has produced a race of lion-like champions who have dared to confront a host of foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any arms. At Crecy, King Edward III., at the head of about 30,000 men, defeated, on the 26th of August, 1346, Philip King of France, whose army is said to have amounted to 100,000 men; here British valour encountered veterans of renown:—the King of Bohemia, the King of Majorca, and many princes and nobles were slain, and the French army was routed and cut to pieces. ”

“ After halting some days at Kussoor, which is one march from the Sutlej, the army moved towards Lahore, marching at daylight every morning in order of battle, and every regiment in [158] brigade keeping its own place through fields and jungles, forcing a way through every obstacle, and ready to form line at any moment. It was indeed a grand sight to see this splendid army on the morning of the 20th of February approaching the city of Lahore, over a boundless and perfectly open plain, on which it encamped about two miles from the city. ”

“ The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endurance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying difficulties; and their character has been established in Continental warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have maintained their advantages against superior numbers. ”

“ The attack of the seamen and marines is recorded in history to have been one of the boldest and most difficult ever performed. The fortress of Gibraltar was thus taken, and was besieged by the Spaniards [8] and French in October following, for seven months, during which period it was successfully defended by the navy and marines, and has since remained, as a monument of British valour, in possession of the Crown of Great Britain. ”

“ It is some alleviation to our afflictions to be enabled to state, that the origin of the fire is in no way attributable to the troops; a pleasing part of my duty to bear testimony to the cool and subordinate conduct of both officers and men under my command,—the former affording me every aid which so critical and trying an occasion demanded, and none more so than Major M‘Gregor, to whose collected counsel and manly example, throughout this agonizing scene of distress, I feel greatly indebted. ”

“ An Army, composed of the most warlike tribes of Asia, trained to arms by European officers, long accustomed to victory under the sway of an able and ambitious prince, assuming, on the death of Runjeet Singh, the power of absolute control over its feeble government, resolved to invade the British provinces; which, protected by a disciplined army, ruled by a wise and paternal government, had long prospered in peace, and acquired a degree of wealth too well calculated to tempt the rapacity of such lawless bands. ”

“ The enemy’s fire, which commenced at a distance of two or three hundred yards, grew gradually more and more heavy; and firing, as the Sikhs did, from behind lofty entrenchments at the assaulting party, who offered a fair mark as they scrambled up the ramparts, they shot down a number of the British troops, while the survivors, after in vain attempting to reach the top, the loose nature of the soil rendering the footing extremely insecure, were compelled to fall back on the advancing second brigade, who saw with indignation that the enemy were hacking the wounded. ”

“ In writing the history of the part borne by a regiment in the brilliant victories of this glorious campaign, there are many traits of individual heroism which should not pass unrecorded. The modesty of true valour prevents officers, who have had an opportunity of distinguishing themselves, from announcing their own deeds, but the historian, who impartially records the service of a corps, can have no such scruples. ”

“ Great Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of danger and terror, have stood “firm as the rocks of their native shore:” and when half the world has been arrayed against them, they have fought the battles of their Country with unshaken fortitude. ”

“ Hanover was overrun by the French, and severed for a time from the British Crown. An immense flotilla was also assembled at Boulogne for the invasion of England. The threat of invasion aroused the patriotism of the British people, and the most strenuous measures were pursued to defeat the French ruler’s designs; the “Army of Reserve Act” was passed in June, 1803, for raising men for home service by ballot; numerous volunteer and yeomanry corps were formed in every part of the kingdom; and all party differences merged into one universal effort for the preservation of Great Britain. ”

“ The right wing was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief in person; the left by the Governor-General. As our troops deployed into line, and prepared for an advance, a tremendous fire from upwards of one hundred pieces of artillery, 40 of them of battering [132] size, was opened by the enemy. The right wing, under Sir Hugh Gough, threw themselves with matchless gallantry on the guns, and wrested them from the enemy, when the storm of shot from the Sikh infantry behind became so fearful, that a portion only of the intrenchments could be carried, when darkness put an end to the conflict. ”

“ Conspicuous as the bravery of the troops had been in the expedition against Cadiz, still the failure of the attempt naturally caused painful feelings to arise among the British soldiers, who were disappointed of reaping the well-earned fame of a successful enterprise, when victory appeared almost within their grasp. The receipt of information of the arrival of a Spanish fleet from the West Indies, under a French convoy, at the harbour of Vigo, speedily dissipated these feelings, and gave renewed hopes to the troops. ”

“ The details of the campaign on the Sutlej afford abundant proofs of the skill and bravery of the troops: the highest praise is due, and has been rendered by their admiring and grateful countrymen, to the officers and soldiers by whose gallantry four battles were fought, and victories obtained, in sixty days, over an enemy who had most ample means of equipping and supplying his corps with all the matériel of war, and of choosing his own time and opportunity of commencing his perfidious attack. ”

“ Bows and arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but British archers continued formidable adversaries; and, owing to the inconvenient construction and imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced, a body of men, well trained in the use of the bow from their youth, was considered a valuable acquisition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth century.
During a great part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth each company of infantry usually consisted of men armed five different ways; in every hundred men forty were “men-at-arms,” and sixty “shot;” ”

“ The grenadiers, led by Colonel Grant, of the fifth Marines, rushed forward with astonishing bravery, and, leaping into the entrenchments, carried the works in gallant style, driving the Spaniards into the fort over a drawbridge which communicated with the lines. Colonel Grant fell mortally wounded, and the troops, after sustaining a most destructive fire for several hours with intrepidity and perseverance, were ordered to retreat, having lost many officers, and 600 men in killed and wounded. ”

“ In front of the line were four standards, captured by the regiment from the Sikhs, one of them taken at Ferozeshah, one at Aliwal, and two at Sobraon. The Colours of the Corps, torn to pieces from the grape-shot through which they were led to victory, and stained with the blood of the Ensigns who were killed carrying them to the muzzles of the Sikh guns, were objects of great interest to the numerous citizens who thronged the grounds. ”

“ Attack after attack was made upon the troops occupying the posts from which the enemy had first been driven. Reckless of life, the stern fanatics came on to be shot down from the defences which they had themselves thrown up. In a series of desultory attacks the day declined, and the British, having obtained possession of every height commanding the pass, the remains of the Affghan army made a détour among the hills, falling with great fury upon the British rear-guard, commanded by Colonel Richmond, of the thirty-third regiment of Native Infantry. ”