Although Lord Gough was certainly an able leader, he had not that coolness in action which a Clive or a Wellesley displayed under similar circumstances. On the contrary, a battle so excited him that his well-formed plans were lost, and his sole aim was to attack with his infantry, disregarding entirely the service of cavalry and artillery.
At half-past seven in the morning of that remarkable day of February 21, 1849, the British army was ready to advance to battle. The morning was bright, and the advancing columns made very little dust. The camp of the Sikhs was sharply outlined against the snow-capped ranges of the Himaláya behind Gujerat. At the call of "Forward, march!" sounding swiftly down the line, the British advanced to meet their enemy. Shortly after passing the town of Hariwald, a halt of a few moments was made to re-form the lines and close the ranks. The Sikhs, seeing the British resting, opened with their artillery, but their fire did not reach the enemy's lines, for the distance was fully two thousand yards, or something more than a mile. The heavy guns of the British were used in return, but the range was too great to be effective. It was necessary to approach more closely, and again the British advanced.
Suddenly, out rode the British cavalry dashing into the very muzzles of the Sikh guns in the face of a fierce storm of shot and shell. The horse artillery now followed them, unlimbering within short range, and discharging their volleys with great rapidity and with telling force into the Sikh lines. The effect of this artillery charge was so great that the Sikhs, unable to withstand the English fire, retired to occupy a position farther back, beyond the villages of Barra Kalrá and Chota Kalrá. General Gough ordered the storming of the villages by the infantry, and away started the two British divisions for the work, but the stubborn opposition of the Sikhs made the attempt
