Lehal Library

200 Punjab Monarchy and Imperialism seeing the new foot-soldier in action, the Sikhs overcame their prejudice and began to enlist in the infantry. The Maharajah also realized the importance of artillery in modem warfare. His batteries were manned by Muslim gunners, of whom Ghaus Mohammed Khan (Mian Ghausa) and later Shaikh Elahi Baksh rose to the highest ranks in this branch of the service. The Sikhs had no inhibitions about joining the artillery and soon learned to cast guns and cannon ball, and to mix gunpowder; they became the most proficient gunners in India. The Maharajah took keen personal interest in his new recruits and made it a point to spend the better part of the day supervising their drill and gunnery practice. At the end of nine months· rigorous training the new army of the state was ready for action. Its units took part in the Dussehra celebrations of 1803. After Dussehra the campaigning season began. Emissaries were first sent to the independent principalities in the province to ask them to declare their allegiance to the Durbar. Among those who contemptuously turned down the invitation was Ahmed Khan Sial of]hang who was also the Punjab's best breeder of horses. The newly trained troops had little difficulty in taking Jhang. Ah.med Khan was reinstated at ]hang as a vassal of Lahore. The zamindars of Ucch near ]hang followed the Sials in declaring their a11egiance to the Lahore Durbar. The experience of the campaign in the north-west was reviewed at Amritsar. At a Durbar in Gobindgarh fort the Maharajah announced his decision on the reorganization of the army. It was divided into three parts. The first, consisting of thirteen thousand men, was placed directly under the Maharajah's command and was always to be ready for action. It had cavalry, infantry, and artillery divisions. The cavalry was almost entirely Sikh and had in it the pick of his generals, such as Hari Singh Nalwa, Hukma Singh Chimoi, and Desa Singh Majithia. The infantry was a mi.>-'ture of Muslims and Hindus with a sprinkling of Sikhs. The heavy anillery, which was still largely Muslim, was put under the command of Mian Ghausa. The second part, consisting of ten thousand men, was made up of the forces of