99 



CHAPTEK VIII. 



FROM SOLDIER TO CIVILIAN. 1849-1850. 



On the morning of February 22 a strong flying 

 column of all arms, led by the dashing Sir Walter 

 Gilbert, set out from the field of Gujarat on that 

 long hot chase of the routed enemy which led to 

 the final surrender of the Sikhs at Rawal Pindi, 

 and ended a week later in the flio;ht of Dost 

 Muhammad's horsemen through the Khaibar hills, 

 only a few hours before Gilbert's cavalry reached 

 Peshawar. On March 30, 1849, the Marquis of 

 Dalhousie issued the proclamation which dethroned 

 the child-sovereign of Ranjit's kingdom, and turned 

 the Punjab into a province of British India. 



" I had anticipated and wished for this measure," 

 wrote Hodson on April 17. "I did not, however, 

 expect that it W'Ould be carried out so suddenly 

 and so sweepingly as it has been. I have been 

 annexed as well as the Punjab. My ' occupation's 

 gone. 



In other words, under the new scheme of govern- 

 ment provided by Lord Dalhousie for the Punjab, 

 Lieutenant W. Hodson was relieved for the moment 

 of his civil duties by some one whose official rank 

 entitled him to displace a mere subaltern of less 



