Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/160

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DECISIVE BATTLES SINCE WATERLOO.

of the day the defeated army suffered all the terrors of almost continuous attacks. It could not retain its cohesion under the strain, and the country for miles around was filled with scattered and fleeing Sikhs, and covered with guns, cattle, carts, tents, and standards left in the haste of a wild flight. At last night came on and the pursuit was ended twelve miles beyond Gujerat. The victory of the British was complete.

Fifty-seven guns, thirty-two standards, and the whole Sikh camp with ammunition and baggage fell into the hands of the British. The loss to the British was ninety-two killed and six hundred and eighty-two wounded; that of the Sikhs was estimated at five or ten times the British loss, in addition to the destruction and dispersal of an army of sixty thousand men.

Early next morning Lord Gough despatched a force of fifteen thousand men, consisting of horse and foot artillery, some infantry, and all the cavalry, to intercept the flight of the Sikhs through the Khoree Pass towards the Jhelum. But the Sikhs, to the number of nine thousand, with ten guns, had already got through the pass; the British followed, and when they reached the Jhelum Shere Singh made proposals for surrender. He was informed that nothing short of unconditional surrender would be accepted, and accordingly he laid down his arms and his men became prisoners of war. The surrender occurred on the 12th of March, near Horrmuck. Nearly ten thousand soldiers gave themselves up, the rest of those who survived the battle having fled to their homes. Forty-one guns were surrendered, including those taken by the Sikhs at Chillianwallah. The British authorities gave each man a rupee for his expenses to his home, and the cavalry were allowed to retain their horses, which were their own property; but all the arms, ammunition, standards, and all other materials of war were retained by the British.