These services performed the Guides turned back, and hastening northwards arrived in the camp of the Grand Army in time to take part in the crowning and decisive victory of Gujrat.  The battle, according to history, was chiefly an artillery duel, the preponderance and accuracy of our fire paving the way for a practically unchecked advance of the infantry.  The Guides, therefore, did not see much fighting during the battle; but their turn came that night, when, attached to Gilbert’s cavalry division, they joined in the strenuous pursuit of the Sikhs,—­a pursuit which began on the battle-field and ended at the rocky gates of the Khyber two hundred miles away.  The first burst carried the pursuing squadrons past the battle-field of Chillianwalla, across the Jhelum river, capturing on the way all the Sikh guns that had escaped from the battle-field.  Snatching a few hours’ rest, Gilbert’s fine horsemen were again in the saddle, and with relentless fury hunted the demoralised enemy, allowing him not a moment’s respite, not an hour to steady his flight or turn to bay.  Right through the bright winter days, through a country of rocks and ravines, pressed on the avenging squadrons; till, utterly worn out, starving, with ammunition failing, a dejected and exhausted majority laid down their arms and surrendered unconditionally at Rawul Pindi.  But the Affghan Horse in the service of the Sikhs fled still further north, hoping to escape to their own country, and in hot pursuit of these went the Guides, a stern stiff ride of close on a hundred miles; and running them staunchly to the end, they drove the sorry remnants across the Affghan border.

Thus brilliantly concluded the second Sikh War, which, after many anxious moments and much hard fighting, resulted in adding to the Queen’s domains a kingdom larger than France or Germany and more populous than Italy or Spain; and herein is recorded the modest share taken by the Guides in these great events.

CHAPTER III

THE CAPTURE OF THE FORT OF GORINDGHAR

A Traveller who at this day passes Amritsar by train will, if he looks to the south, see hard by the formidable fortress of Gorindghar.  Over its battlements now floats the Union Jack, and on its drawbridge may be seen the familiar red coat of the British sentry.  Should he ever pass that fort again, he may perhaps regard it with greater interest after reading the stirring tale of how it was captured from the Sikhs by a handful of resolute men of the Guides.  To tell this story we must be forgiven for forsaking strict chronology; for the incident here narrated took place while part of the corps was still engaged at the siege of Mooltan.