Chapter 133: The Hills of Resistance
October 1838 – Jammu Region
The Sikh army advanced into the rugged Jammu hills with disciplined caution. The terrain was unforgiving — steep slopes, narrow passes, dense forests, and rocky ridges that made large-scale cavalry maneuvers nearly impossible. Nau Nihal Singh had anticipated this. He kept the bulk of his four thousand cavalry in reserve for flanking opportunities and supply line raids where the ground allowed, while the twelve thousand infantry formed the core of the advance.
Nau Nihal rode with the forward elements, studying the map constantly with his commanders.
"The Dogras know this land," he said during a council at the evening camp. "They will try to bleed us in these passes. We will not play their game. Infantry will hold the main approaches and clear the heights. Artillery will be positioned to dominate the valleys. Small, mobile infantry units supported by Raaz intelligence will strike at their supply lines and isolated positions."
Jawahar Singh, commanding the forward forces, nodded. "The revolver cavalry and lancers are ready for when we force them into more open ground, but in these hills, our infantry and artillery will do the real work."
The campaign unfolded through a series of hard-fought engagements in the mountains.
The Dogras had fortified several key passes and hill forts, using the terrain to their advantage. Raja Dhian Singh Dogra and his brothers rallied local hill tribes and mercenaries, bolstered by covert British support — smuggled weapons, intelligence, and encouragement to resist central control.
Nau Nihal's forces moved methodically. Infantry columns, supported by mobile field artillery, advanced to seize dominant heights. In one critical battle at a narrow pass, Sikh infantry held a defensive line under heavy attack, using their European-style formations and improved muskets to deliver devastating volleys. Artillery positioned on overlooking ridges pounded Dogra positions, forcing them to retreat from a key stronghold.
Raaz agents proved invaluable, identifying hidden trails and weak points. Small, lightly equipped infantry units conducted night raids on Dogra supply camps, disrupting their logistics and sowing fear among the defenders.
Despite these successes, progress was slower than in open country. The hills favored the defender, and the Dogras fought with the desperation of cornered men. Several bloody clashes occurred as Sikh forces cleared one ridge after another.
One evening, after securing a vital pass, Nau Nihal stood with Jawahar on a rocky outcrop overlooking the next valley.
"The terrain limits our cavalry," Nau Nihal said. "But it also limits theirs. We have the numbers, better discipline, and superior artillery. We grind them down pass by pass. Loyalist chiefs in the region are already sending messages of support — many are disgusted by the Dogra betrayal."
Jawahar wiped dust from his face. "The men are steady. They remember what the Dogras tried to do to the Maharaja and your father. We will take Jammu, even if we have to fight for every hill."
As October progressed, the Sikh army continued its steady advance. The moral justification of the campaign — avenging the assassination attempt and Prince Kharak Singh's death — kept morale high. Many local Sikh and Punjabi communities in Jammu welcomed the forces, providing intelligence and supplies.
British diplomatic messages arrived urging "restraint" and offering to "mediate," but Nau Nihal ignored them. Raaz reports confirmed covert British assistance to the Dogras, though nothing overt enough for open war.
Nau Nihal looked toward the distant peaks where the main Dogra strongholds still held out.
"This will not be quick," he said quietly. "But it will be done. Jammu will come under direct Khalsa control. The traitors will answer for their crimes."
The Shadow Blade had entered the hills with patience and overwhelming determination. The campaign for Jammu had begun in earnest.