A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej.

CHAP. IX WAR WITH THE ENGLISH

305

During the night of the 22nd January, Ranjor Singh 1845-6.
marched from Badowal to a place on the Sutlej about fifteen The battle
miles below Ludhiana, where he immediately collected a of Alwal,
number of boats as if to secure the passage of the river. 28th Jan.
The object of this movement is not known; but it may have846
been caused by a want of confidence on the part of the Sikhs
themselves, as there were few regular regiments among them,
until joined by a brigade of four battalions and some guns
from the main army, which gave them a force of not less
than fifteen thousand combatants. Sir Harry Smith immediately occupied the deserted position of the enemy, and he
was himself reinforced simultaneously with the Sikhs by
a brigade from the main army of the English. On the 28th
January the General marched with his eleven thousand men,
to give the enemy battle, or to reconnoitre his position and
assail it in some degree of form, should circumstances render
such a course the most prudent. The Sikhs were nearly ten
miles distant, and midway it was learnt that they were
about to move with the avowed object of proceeding with
a part or the whole of their force to relieve the fort of
Gungrana or to occupy the neighbouring town of Jugraon,
both of which posts were close to the line of the British
communications with the Jumna. On reaching the edge of
the table-land, bounding the sunken belt of many miles in
breadth within which the narrower channel of the Sutlej
proper winds irregularly, a portion of the Sikhs were observed
to be in motion in a direction which would take them clear
of the left of the British approach; but as soon as they saw
that they were liable to be attacked in flank, they faced
towards their enemy, and occupied with their right the
village of Buindri, and with their left the little hamlet of
Aliwal, while with that activity necessary to their system,
and characteristic of the spirit of the common soldiers,
they immediately began to throw up banks of earth before
their guns, where not otherwise protected, such as would
afford some cover to themselves and offer some impediment
to their assailants. An immediate collision was inevitable,
and the British commander promptly gave the order for
battle. The regiments of cavalry which headed the advance
opened their glittering ranks to the right and left, and made
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