Battle of Aliwal

“ In this most glorious battle, the Anglo-Indian army had 151 men killed, 413 wounded, and 25 missing—a loss comparatively small.
The immediate consequences of the victory of Aliwal, was the evacuation of the left bank of the Sutlej by the enemy. The Sikhs had sustained three terrible defeats; they had lost an enormous quantity of military matériel, 150 guns, and none could presume to estimate the number of their best and bravest troops who had been placed hors de combat. In hundreds the slaughtered and drowned victims at Aliwal floated to Sobraon with the stream ”

“ Although on the first intelligence of the battle of Aliwal, and at sight of the numerous bodies which floated from the neighbourhood of that battlefield 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 entrenched position and to prevent our passage of the river. The soldiers were chiefly those who had been trained by the French and Italian officers. They had strong walls, only to be surmounted by scaling ladders, which afforded a secure protection for triple lines of musketry. ”

“ This country is famous for the celebrated French soldiers, the Zouaves, of the late wars.
ALIWAL, India.—This battle was fought, January 28th, 1846, between the British under Sir H. Smith, with 1200 men and 32 guns, and the Sikh army, under Sirdar Runjoor Singh Majeethea, 26,000 strong, supported by 68 pieces of cannon. The contest was obstinate, but ended in the defeat of the Sikhs, who lost nearly 6000 killed, or drowned, in attempting to recross the Sutlej. This battle was named after the village of Aliwal, in the Indian language, Ulleewal, near which it was fought. ”

“ They seemed confident of victory, and ready to carry war and destruction into the very heart of their enemy's country, when our unlooked-for and glorious victory at Aliwal, proved to them that they were not invincible. ”

“ The fortified village of Aliwal, which covered their left flank, and would have insured a most galling fire on our advancing line, if resolutely defended by an effective garrison, was occupied by an insufficient body of irregular troops, and defended only by two or three pieces of ordnance, which were carried with little resistance. ”

“ It greatly distinguished itself at Aliwal by routing the Sikh cavalry and breaking up a square of infantry, Smyth being severely wounded while leading it. He was mentioned in despatches, and was made brevet lieutenant-colonel and C.B. He received the medal and clasp for this campaign, having already received the medal and clasp for Bhartpur and the bronze star for Maharajpur. ”

“ Six policemen, gentlemen, and the Boers are at Pieter's farrm, and they'll be here to-night and sjambok—
Thin-faced man. Where are the troops? Where are the volunteers? Where are the—
Brown-faced, grey-haired man. There are no troops, and the better for you. The strength of Aliwal is in its weakness. ”

“ On March 10th the colonial force approached Aliwal, the frontier town, and so rapid was the advance of Major Henderson with Brabant's Horse that the bridge at Aliwal was seized before the enemy could blow it up. At the other side of the bridge there was a strong stand made by the enemy, who had several Krupp guns in position; but the light horse, in spite of a loss of some twenty-five men killed and wounded, held on to the heights which command the river. A week or ten days were spent in pacifying the large north-eastern portion of Cape Colony, to which Aliwal acts as a centre. ”

“ He therefore decided to bring the regiment back to the south side of the river, only leaving the piquets on the north bank. We therefore at once struck camp, and, crossing the river, bivouacked near the bridge. But as the report proved to be misleading, camp was re-pitched on a square in the middle of Aliwal North. The outskirts of the town were put into a state of defence, and a series of trenches covered the approaches to the bridge. Although this necessitated much labour, everybody enjoyed their stay at Aliwal. ”

“ The greatest part of the baggage belonging to the division was taken by the enemy.
On the 22nd and 23rd the troops were permitted to rest themselves after their late fatigues, and on the 24th the enemy retired to Aliwal, a village on the Sutlej. The British force moved to the ground lately occupied by them at Buddiwal, where it was reinforced by the second brigade of Sir Henry Smith’s division, consisting of Her Majesty’s fiftieth foot, [139] and forty-eighth Native infantry, from head-quarters, with some cavalry and infantry from Loodiana. ”

“ Early in January 1846, Sirdar Runjoor Singh, again advancing towards the frontier, took up a strong position on the British side of the Sutlej, threatening Gough’s line of communications with Loodiana. Major-General Sir Harry Smith attacked him at Aliwal on January 28, and, notwithstanding the great superiority in numbers of the enemy, obtained a brilliant victory over the Sikhs, capturing their camp and fifty-two guns. But more fighting had to be done before the army of the Punjab could be finally subdued. ”

“ On the 28th of January the Major-General determined to attack the Sikhs under Runjoor Singh in their strong position at Aliwal, and the result was a splendid victory. Runjoor Singh's camp, with all his baggage, ammunition, and stores, fell into the hands of the victors, and the left wing of the Sikh army was thus almost completely disorganised.
Her Majesty's FIFTY-THIRD, and the thirtieth native infantry, formed the third brigade, under Brigadier Wilson, and were opposed upon the left to the "Aieen" troops, called Avitabiles, [12] when the conflict was fiercely raging. ”

“ The march having been previously conducted in column of brigades at deploying distance, each brigade deployed on its leading company, and thus formed one long line. The troops advanced on the enemy, distant about one mile and a half, and about ten A.M. the action was commenced by a heavy cannonade from the Sikh artillery, which was principally directed on the British centre. The village of Aliwal was filled with infantry, supported by cavalry in the rear, and further defended by two guns on its left, immediately opposite that part of the line occupied by the THIRTY-FIRST regiment. ”

“ But Sirdar Runjeet Singh intercepted him, cut off and captured all his baggage; but being reinforced, he met the enemy again at a place on the Sutlej, called Aliwal. The Sikh army, which seemed in the best possible order and discipline, were drawn up in imposing array, 20,000 strong with 70 guns, while the British were 9,000 with 32. After a series of splendid charges the enemy were driven successively from every position, and fled in confusion across the river. Several of the British horsemen followed the guns into the river, and spiked them there. ”

“ Whenever a tribe delayed the payment of its tribute the mamelukes came down upon them in the dead of the night, cut down all the men and carried off the women and cattle. He was by no means satisfied with the French mode of warfare and maintained that they ought to have more cavalry, and that the infantry, for which he entertained a profound contempt, were far too slow in their movements. “The first thing in war,” said he, with a volley of Spanish oaths, “is quickness: the French always arrive too late.” ”

“ So finished the fight of Albuera; a drenching rain, similar to that which had been so deadly to Colborne’s brigade, ended the day, and made more miserable the lot of the 10,000 wounded who lay scattered over the hillsides. The British had hardly enough sound men left in half the battalions to pick up their own bleeding comrades, much less to bear off the mounds of French wounded, who lay along the slopes of the gentle dip where the battle had raged hardest. ”

“ He started at once, and arrived in camp early on the 3rd, but only to find that the assault had been postponed.
The Attack on Alipur On the afternoon of the 3rd July the enemy came out in force (5,000 or 6,000 strong with several guns) , and occupied the suburbs to our right. The troops were turned out, but instead of attacking us and returning to the city as usual when it became dark, the rebels moved off in the direction of Alipur, where we had an outpost, which was held by Younghusband's squadron of the 5th Punjab Cavalry. ”

“ At Aliwal (Jan. 28, 1846) he completely routed his enemies and drove them back over the Sutlej. This victory led Golab Sing, who was playing a very important part in Sikh affairs, and was aiming at his own aggrandisement, whether in hostility to the English power or by agreement with them, to open negotiations, which elicited from the governor-general the intimation that if the Sikh army were disbanded, he would leave the Sikh monarchy standing. The army however was its own master, and bent on continuing the war for the predominance of their faith. ”

“ Alibad is an outpost of British India, not merely of Khemistan; we are the advanced-guard of civilisation—not a European beyond until you come to the Scythian frontier. We hold one of the keys of India; any enemy attacking from this side must pass over our bodies. And how do we expect to maintain the position? Not by virtue of stone walls. When I came up here first I found a wretched garrison shut in—locked in—in this very fort, with the tribes plundering up to the gates. ”

“ Fight at Aligarh At Somna, where we halted for the night, we heard that the Mahomedan insurgents, the prisoners released from gaol, and the rebel Rajputs of the neighbourhood, were prepared to resist our advance on Aligarh, and that they expected to be aided by a large number of mutineers from Delhi. We came in sight of Aligarh shortly before daybreak on the 5th October. Our advance was stopped by a motley crowd drawn up before the walls, shouting, blowing horns, beating drums, and abusing the Feringhis in the choicest Hindustani; but, so far as we could see, there were no sepoys amongst them. ”

“ Aliwal North was next occupied, but the occupation was attended with severe fighting across the river. But the British took up tenable positions, while the Boers, after a wholesome experience of British fire, removed their laager from the hills. The inhabitants of the town, despite the fact that our entry was accompanied by shells, were full of enthusiasm. Colonel Page Henderson and his advance party seized the heights beyond Lundean’s Nek. The enemy shelled the bridge with Krupp guns with great vigour, and twenty men were wounded. ”

“ In spite of positive commands to the contrary, the soldiers proceeded to cut down the orange and almond trees for fuel, although there were plenty of large olive trees in the neighbourhood; but destruction is the proper element of the soldier.
Our bivouac usually forms a perfect square, modified of course by the ground; the infantry, who are outside, lie in double file behind their piled arms. Each battalion sends out one company as an advanced post, and another company remains within the lines as a picket. The baggage, artillery, and cavalry, are placed in the middle. ”

“ The Amir was undoubtedly aiming at provoking hostilities, and war might begin at any moment. To Major Keeling it was a most comforting thought that the European ladies could so easily be placed in safety without alarming them, for the south-western district was protected against any attack from Nalapur by a natural bulwark, the hills in which Sheikhgarh was situated; and the obvious course for an invading army was to pour across the frontier by way of the plains, with the undefended Alibad as its first objective. ”

“ Notwithstanding the signal defeat in the battles of Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and Aliwal, and the loss of 143 pieces of artillery captured by the British in these actions, the enemy determined to persevere in his rash project of invading the British dominions. For this purpose he made extraordinary efforts; he had collected all his available troops, and assembled a large army on the left bank of the Sutlej, near the village of Sobraon. Here the Sikhs formed an intrenched camp, defended by 30,000 men with 70 pieces of artillery ”

“ The combined forces marched from Alipur on 8 June, and Tombs, with his troop, was detached to the right with a force under Brigadier-general (afterwards Sir) Hope Grant to cross the Jamna canal, and so get in rear of the enemy at Badli-ke-Serai. The rebels fought with desperation, but the British bayonet carried the day, and the cavalry and horse artillery converted the enemy's retreat into a rout. Tombs had two horses shot under him (ib. 3 Oct. 1857) . ”

“ The 3rd Sikhs and the 5th Ghoorkas joined the fighting line and, step by step, the ground was won; until the base of the hill was turned, and the attacking force saw, in front of them, the great camp of Ayoub's troops. Up to this point, the enemy had fought with the greatest bravery; but a sudden panic seized them, now they saw that their line of retreat was threatened by our cavalry--for an Afghan always loses heart, under such circumstances. As if by magic, the defense ceased; and the enemy, horse and foot--abandoning their guns, and throwing away their arms--fled up the Argandab valley. ”

“ Ali had commanded his men never to begin the battle first, but stay till the enemy gave the onset, nor to kill any man that should turn his back, nor to take any of their plunder, or ill use the women. ”

“ The last onslaught delivered a couple of hours after noonday resulted in the crumbling together of three of the widest breaches already existing, making one huge yawning cavity, which has to be strongly and persistently defended--a defence which exacts an enormous toll of wounded and dead every time the Orangist artillery and musketry return to the attack.
"We cannot hold out till nightfall!" Captain de Avila cries despairingly. "We have lost two hundred men in less than two hundred minutes. If we get no help we are undone!" ”