Page:The Sikhs (Gordon).djvu/176

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THE SIKHS.

fire, without a halt, from one end of the Sikh camp to the other, capturing more guns as they went along, which were served obstinately to the last, and dislodging the enemy from the whole position. The line then halted "as if on a day of manœuvre," receiving their leaders as they rode down its front with a hearty cheer, and displaying the captured standards of the Khalsa army, which was now in full retreat to the Sutlej, having lost 73 guns and several thousands of their numbers, and abandoned all their camp equipage and stores. The great object of checking the advance of the Sikhs had been accomplished by invincible energy and unbending determination.

The British casualties in these two actions of the 18th and 21st December amounted to about one-fifth of their number, the English troops suffering most in proportion, as the enemy specially directed their fire on them. Generally they lost about one-third of their strength, exceeding that