THE FIRST SIKH WAR. 27 



Three clays later began at Firozsbali the long, 

 fierce, and changeful struggle on which for nearly 

 two days the fate of India may be said to have 

 hung. Around the village of Firozshah the Sikhs 

 had for some days been intrenching themselves in 

 a kind of oblong square a mile long by half a mile 

 deep. More than a hundred guns, light and heavy, 

 defended a position held by about 35,000 men, of 

 whom 10,000 were horse. Gough's army, strength- 

 ened betimes by General Littler 's contingent from 

 Ferozepore, numbered about 17,500 men supported 

 by sixty-nine light field-guns. It was against the 

 longest face of the Sikh camp that our troops were 

 led on the afternoon of December 21 over flat and 

 open ground dotted here and there by patches of 

 low jungle. 



" On the evening of the 21st, as we rushed 

 towards the guns," writes Hodson to his father, 

 "in the most dense dust and smoke, and under 

 an unprecedented fire of grape, our sepoys again 

 gave way and broke. It was a fearful crisis, but 

 the bravery of the English regiments saved us. 

 The colonel (Hamilton), the greater part of my 

 brother officers, and myself were left with the 

 colours and about thirty men immediately in front 

 of the batteries ! Our escape is most providential, 

 and is, I trust, thankfully acknowledged by us. 

 A ball — from a shell, I fancy — struck my leg 

 below the knee, but happily spared the bone, and 

 only inflicted a flesh wound. I was also knocked 

 down tivice — once by a shell bursting so close to 

 me as to kill the men behind me, and once by the 

 explosion of a magazine or mine. I am most thankful, 

 indeed, for my escape from death or maiming." 



