to carry those who might be unable to walk. When near Moodkee, and almost overcome by fatigue and the terrible desert thirst, water was distributed to them, which had been brought out on elephants from head-quarters. Being thus refreshed, the men marched vigorously into Moodkee, where the Governor-General's band welcomed them with a joyous burst of music. This reinforcement did not reach camp till nine or ten o'clock at night; and it was determined, in order to give them rest, that the army should halt on the 20th. During this halt of two days, the wounded and sick were attended to, and secured in the mud fort at Moodkee. It was now that Sir Henry Hardinge magnanimously offered his services to Sir Hugh Gough. He was appointed second in command of the army, and all officers were directed to obey any orders emanating from him as such, which they were not bound to do so long as he (though the head of the Government) exercised only a civil authority.
Expresses were sent to Sir John Littler at Ferozepoor, apprising him of the victory at Moodkee, and directing him to march on the 21st with as large a force as he could, and effect a junction with the army under the Commander-in-Chief. Arrangements were also made for leaving the wounded and the baggage at Moodkee when the army marched, a regiment and a half being told off to protect them against any of the enemy's cavalry and loose plunderers who might penetrate to the rear of our army. Early on the morning of the 21st, Sir John Littler, leaving a party to hold his position and watch Tej Singh, moved off by his right, with 5,500 men and twenty-one guns, to join the Commander-in-Chief.
At three o'clock on the same morning the force from Moodkee marched in two open columns of companies, left in front; the army had therefore only to wheel into line to be in position. The march for the head-quarter column was a distressing one, on account of the heat and dust, and the scarcity of water; but it was not more than twelve miles, the columns arriving opposite the
