Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/608

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584
OUR ANGLO-INDIAN ARMY.

Dubba amounted to two hundred and sixty-seven killed and wounded. Among the former were two valuable officers – Captain Garrett, of the 9th Light Cavalry, and Lieut. J. C. Smith, of the Bombay Artillery. The latter officer fell while exhibiting an instance of desperate valour, in riding along the top of the nullah, in advance of his battery, with a view of ascertaining where his guns could be brought to bear with the greatest effect. Many other acts of intrepid bravery were displayed in this severe contest; the General himself being greatly exposed during the whole fight, moving with the utmost coolness where the enemy's shots were flying thickest, and his example was not lost upon his officers.

Eleven pieces of ordnance and nineteen standards were taken. Hoche Mahommed Seedee and three other chiefs fell in the battle; the Beloochee force was entirely routed and dispersed in every direction, and Meer Shere Mahommed fled into the desert, taking his family with him, and attended by only forty followers whom he could attract to his service. Immediately after the action Sir Charles Napier marched forward and took possession of Meerpoor. He was welcomed with joy by the inhabitants of the country, who had suffered so much from the fickle rule of the Ameers, that they testified the utmost anxiety to be assured that Sinde was to be annexed to the British possessions.

This was the last general action that took place in Sinde, though some affairs of minor importance and but little interest occurred from time to time, until the final submission or extermination of the partisans of the late Ameers. This fine country being thus reduced to comparative peace, and allowed to develop its resources under the equitable sway of the Company, the Governor-General had time to turn his attention to the affairs of the House of Scindia; a subject fraught with anxiety from the occurrence of events which threatened to light up again the flames of war so recently extinguished, and of which we shall now give a brief summary.