Page:Ranjit Singh (Griffin).djvu/149

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THE ARMY AND ADMINISTRATION
143

creased in the same proportion as the regular army. At the commencement of the Sutlej War in 1845 its numbers were 16,292.

The roll of the army in the whole Punjab at that time was:—

Regular Infantry   53,756
Regular Cavalry    6,235
Irregular Cavalry   16,292
Artillery   10,968
Camel Swivels      584
Miscellaneous      827
  Total 88,662 men.

Guns—Field, 380; garrison, 104. Total 484. Camel swivels, 308.


The irregular levies and jagírdári contingents of horse, not included in the above, cannot be accurately determined, but they may be fairly estimated at 30,000 men. These were the picturesque element in the Mahárájá's reviews. Many of the men were well-to-do country gentlemen, the sons, relations, or clansmen of the chiefs who placed them in the field and maintained them there, and whose personal credit was concerned in their splendid appearance. There was no uniformity in their dress. Some wore a shirt of mail, with a helmet inlaid with gold and a kalgi or heron's plume; others were gay with the many coloured splendours of velvet and silk, with pink or yellow muslin turbans, and gold embroidered belts carrying their sword and powder horn. All wore,