o
their destruction, for during the night the British were reinforced by a
column of fresh troops from Bombay and the action opened with twofold
vigor, and so the mighty tide of battle rolled on. Towards evening the
decisive blow was struck; the Seiks were beaten at all points and fled
in wild confusion and dismay, leaving their unconquerable antagonists
masters of the field.

"Colonel," said an aide-de-camp, dashing up at full gallop, "your
regiment will move one hundred and fifty paces to the right," and then,
touching his horse with his spur, darted off in another direction.
"Threes right forward," and the Dragoons moved to the position assigned
them. A brigade of guns that had been brought up under cover of the
cavalry now opened upon the advancing Seik horse with terrible effect,
throwing them into such confusion as to prevent them from rapidly
reforming. At this moment the order was received for the Dragoons to
wheel into line and charge, and ere the Seiks had recovered, were among
them, and the flower of the enemy's cavalry had to give way before the
impetuous charge of our light Dragoons. There were more hand to hand
encounters in this affair than has been recorded in any other engagement
of the campaign. During the melee, one of the commanding General's
A.D.C.'s had a narrow escape. A powerful looking Seik rode at him, but
on coming within arm's length the staff officer's horse stumbled over
some dead or wounded men; the sword of the dusky warrior was raised to
give the blow, which must have proved fatal, and in another moment there
would have been a vacancy on the General's staff, but Arthur, who had
been hewing with might and main within a few yards of the spot, seeing
the imminent peril of his countryman, dashed up, shortening his sabre as
he did so, and, with a powerful thrust, sent it clean through the body
of the Seik; the blow intended for the head fell harmless on the plated
scales of the epaulet of the aide as he recovered himself in the saddle.

"Thanks, Carlton, my dear fellow, for this good service; I will not
forget it, should it ever come to my turn to assist you in any way," was
all that could be said in the hurry and excitement of the conflict, for
the tide of battle still rolled on. A two gun sheet battery which had
been committing great havoc on a column of infantry, was still throwing
grape and canister with murderous effect. These discharges had again and
again swept through the little part