Page:The Sikhs (Gordon).djvu/186

historian has it, "wild and long was the shout as, amidst showers of grape and musketry, they dashed forward towards the ramparts of clay and wood, upwards of ten feet high, where nothing appeared to view but the muzzles of the guns, behind which the Sikh infantry, four deep, were lining the intrenchments." Though driven back by superior numbers to take shelter in the ravines and folds of the ground, they leapt forward again and again at the call of their regimental leaders, till they gained a footing by shouldering one another up to the embrasures, capturing and spiking the guns in their front. The Sikhs fought stubbornly and desperately hand to hand, till at last the assailants, swarming through the breaches, mounted the ramparts with cheers of victory and took the whole line of intrenchments; but not till the weight of all the three divisions, all the cavalry, and the fire of every gun was felt did the Sikhs give way. They slowly retired in good order under cover of interior works, harassed by in-