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FFGHANISTAN.- In our last volume we gave an account of the gallant exploit of Brigadier Dennie, at Bamean, in which, with a mere handful of native troops, he completely routed the army of Dost Mahomed, who after the action fled across the Hindoo Koosh, into the Khoolum territory. In the mean time, Sir Robert Sale, with the force which had been despatched into the Kohistan, (a district at the base of the mountains, and stretching East and West within thirty miles of Cabul,) was employed in reducing the strong-holds of the partizans of the ex-King in that country, and ex perienced considerable difficulty, owing to the determined manner in which the forts were defended. Though abandoned by the Wali of Khoolum, who, after the affair of Bamean, came to terms with Dr. Lord, (our political agent in Affghanistan,) stipulating that he would neither assist nor harbour Dost Mahomed, the latter summoned his son, Afzul Khan, to join him, and moved from Nijrow towards the Ghorebund Pass, leading into the Kohistan valley, to effect the junction. Sir Robert Sale, hearing of this movement, resolved to frustrate its object, and breaking up his camp at Balan proceeded towards Purwan. The following is a short account of the localities of the ground:-The Ghorebund river enters the valley at its North-west angle; about six miles from thence, to the Eastward, the smaller river Purwan, issues from the mountains, and, after a course of six or seven miles, falls into the Ghorebund, as does the Punjshere river, near Beghram, after a course of sixteen or seventeen miles. These three streams form the passes called respectively,

the Ghorebund, the Purwan, and the Punjshere Pass. We give the despatch of Sir R. Sale, written after the action which terminated in the complete and final overthrow of Dost Mahomed.

To Major-General Sir Willoughby Cotton, G.C.B. and K.C.H, &c. &c. &c. Cabul. "Sir,-Having received intelligence that Dost Mahomed Khan, with a number of armed followers, had taken possession of some forts in this direction, from which he proposed moving to-day towards the Ghorebund Pass, with the view of effecting a junction with his son Mahomed Afzul Khan, I determined on endeavouring to frustrate the attempt. Accordingly at 6 A. M. I broke up my camp at Balan, the Fort of Meer Musjeedee, and moved on this position. An advanced column, consisting of four companies of H. M.'s 13th Light Infantry, the two Flank Companies of the 37th N. I., one company of the 27th N. I., the two six-pounders of the Shah's, two squadrons of the 2nd Light Cavalry, and 200 of Anderson's Horse, the whole under the command of Lieut-Col. Salter, preceded the main body, which was commanded by myself.

"On approaching Purwan, the forts and villages were rapidly evacuated by the enemy, who were seen flying to the hills in great numbers; I cannot compute them at fewer than 500 horse, and 3,500 foot; the native reports received swell their numbers to a much higher amount. Dr. Lord, who accompanied Col. Salter to procure information, sent word that he believed if the cavalry proceeded in advance, they would be able to cut off some of the fugitives; and

in compliance with his request, the 2nd cavalry were ordered to skirt the hill to the right, while the Shah's horse, under Captain Anderson, took post on the left of the Pass, to prevent any of the enemy attempting to escape in the direction of Ghorebund. The infantry followed, but their movements were greatly retarded by the guns, the progress of which was much impeded by the numerous water-courses that intersected the road.

"The 2nd cavalry had preceded the column about a mile, when a body of the enemy's horse, about 200 in number, supposed to be headed by Dost Mahomed in person, came down the hill to attack them. The cavalry was formed into line, and led on to the charge by Captains Fraser and Ponsonby, commanding the two squadrons. It is my painful duty to record, that the gallant bearing of these officers was but ill seconded by their men; they both found themselves in the midst of the enemy unsupported by their troopers, and, after being most severely wounded, extricated themselves with difficulty, and found their men flying before the enemy. I deeply regret to state that Lieutenant Crispin, the adjutant of the regiment, was cut down and killed, leading his men into action; Dr. Lord was also most unfortunately killed in this affair, and Lieutenant Broadfoot, of the engineers, who was also in advance, is missing. Of the gallantry of Captain Fraser, and the other officers of the 2nd cavalry, who led the squadrons of the regiment on this occasion, I cannot speak too highly, and I regret that their noble example, and the opportunity offered to the 2nd cavalry of adding to its VOL. LXXXIII.

laurels, have been thus neglected by them.

"The two flank companies of the 37th regiment, and one company of the 27th regiment, supported by two guns from Captain Abbott's battery, and followed by some of the Jaun-Bauzes, now ascended the hill overlooking the pass and valley of Purwan, which was crowded by the enemy's infantry, and cleared it in brilliant style, the enemy deserting their positions one after the other, and flying in the direction of the Punjshere valley, where they still cover the hill side in great numbers. The enemy, however, are at too great a distance to admit of my following up the advantage I have obtained this evening, the whole of the troops having been under arms for nine hours. have, therefore, encamped on the ground, taking every precaution to guard against a night attack.

I

"I beg to enclose the accompanying casualty return, from which you will perceive that, excepting the serious disaster sustained in the affair of the 2nd cavalry, but little loss has resulted from the day's operations. "I have, &c.

(Signed)

"R. SALE, Major-General. "6 Camp, Purwan, Nov. 2, 1840."

After this decisive battle, Dost Mahomed's soldiers refused to make any further efforts against the British forces; and that ex-chief fearing that his retreat might be cut off, or himself assassinated, resolved to throw himself upon the generosity of his foes, and passing through Major-General Sale's camp, with a single follower, he reached Cabul unobserved, and surrendered himself to Sir Wil[T]

liam M'Naghten, on the 3rd of November, the day, after the battle. He rode up to Sir William M'Naghten and put his sword into the hand of the latter as a token of submission, but this was immediately restored to him. He wrote also to his three sons, who were in different parts of the country, desiring them to follow his example, and deliver themselves

up.

Various reasons were attempted to be given for the disgraceful conduct of the 2nd cavalry: but it seemed to be a general opinion, that they did not behave thus from cowardice, but through disaffection of some kind. They were, however, dismounted and disarmed, and sent home to Bengal, where they were afterwards broken-up and disbanded with marks of igno

Dost Mahomed was, in a few days after his surrender, despatched under a strong escort to Loodianab, which was for a long period the place of retirement of Shah Soojahool-Moolk, his rival and successor on the throne of Cabul. He after wards was allowed to proceed to Calcutta, where he arrived in June, and was ultimately permitted to take up his residence in Loodianah, and a yearly pension of three lacs of rupees (30,000l.) was granted to him.

During the remainder of this year, at least, so far as we can include a narrative of its events in the present volume, Affghanistan remained tolerably tranquil, and nothing occurred of a hostile nature, with one exception, which deserves mention, more from the fatal consequences which ultimately flowed from it than from its intrinsic importance. This was the capture of a fort by Major

Lynch, and destruction of its Ghilzie garrison, under an unhappy mistake. It had been determined to make the old fort of Khelat-iGhilzie a station for Shah Soojah's troops, and two battalions were sent to occupy it. The Ghilzies in the neighbourhood, though well disposed towards the Shah, had some misgivings as to the object of this proceeding, and Major Lynch, the political agent, passing, with a party of cavalry, a small fort near the station, saw about thirty or forty men, who, on his approach, retired into the fort. The major summoned the chief to surrender the place, and received a promise that it should be given up next morning, but Major Lynch, unwilling to risk delay, sent for a reinforcement, stormed the fort, and its defenders making a desperate resistance, they were nearly all killed, the chief included, who was a stanch adherent of the Shah in that part. The whole Ghilzie tribe took up arms, to the number of 5,000, to revenge the death of their chief, surrounding the two Shah's regiments at Khelat-iGhilzie, under Captains Macan and Griffin, and the whole country was thrown into disorder.

General Nott sent from Candahar a detachment to succour these troops, under Colonel Wymer, and when it was within two or three marches of its destination, the Ghilzies hastened from Khelat-iGhilzie to the attack; a sharp conflict took place, which ended in the complete rout of the Ghilzies, who retired, leaving seventy dead upon the field. This unfortunate quarrel with the Ghilzies, however, seems to have been one of the chief causes of the tragical events which happened afterwards in Cabul, and which we shall

have to record in our next vol

ume.

SCINDE. We mentioned in our last volume that the fortress of Khelat, which had been taken by our troops on the march of the "army of the Indus" to Cabul, had again fallen into the hands of the enemy. It did not, however, remain long in their possession, for on the same day that Dost Mahomed surrendered to Sir W. M'Naghten, Major-General Nott re-occupied Khelat, which had been plundered and abandoned by the Beloochees after destroying the town. After Nasseer Khan had (as detailed in our last volume) made himself master of Khelat he led his Brahoe troops first to Moostung, then to Beehee Vanee above the Ghats, and then descended through the Bolan pass. He sacked and destroyed Gundava, and then approached Kotra and Dadur. At

the latter place Captain Watkins was in command, and Major Boscawen set off to support him with a detachment of troops, consisting of a wing of her Majesty's 41st., the 38th Bengal, N. I., and some irregular horse. After accomplishing his march with much difficulty owing to the inundated state of the country he found that the post and town of Dadur had been repeatedly assaulted by the Brahoes under Nasseer Khan. Major Boscawen immediately resolved to attack the enemy, who were about five thousand in number, and ordered his party to advance on the Brahoes, who, after suffering severely, retreated, and were pursued to their camp, from which they were speedily driven. This happened on the same 3rd of November, 1840, on which Dost Mahomed surrendered and Khelat

was retaken. reached the Brahoe camp a sad spectacle met their eyes. This was the murdered body of Lieut. Loveday still warm, which was found chained to a kujawah (a sort of camel-chair) with the head almost severed from the trunk and half naked. His servant was weeping over it. It appears that this unfortunate young officer, who was as we have before mentioned our political agent at Khelat, at the time when that fortress was attacked and taken by Nasseer Khan, was taken prisoner and confined for a fortnight in a house in Khelat. When the Brahoes left Khelat to march against Moostung they took Lieut. Loveday with them, and afterwards made him accompany them to Dadur. On leaving Moostung they loaded him. with irons and chained him to a camel-chair during the night. When the British attacked the Brahoes at Dadur he was killed by a blow from one of the latter to prevent him, as is supposed, from being rescued.

When our troops

The Brahoe forces under Nasseer Khan after being driven from Dadur were reinforced by the garrison which had evacuated Khelat, and were able to muster in such numbers as once more to face the British in the field. On the 2nd of December they were brought to action and utterly routed by Lieut.-Colonel Marshall at Peer Chutta, near Kotra, at the head of 900 infantry and 60 irregular horse. The Brahoes made a long and desperate resistance— and four chiefs and 500 men were left dead on the field. Nasseer Khan himself escaped, leaving his kettle-drums and baggage behind, but not long afterwards this chieftain surrendered himself to Lieut.

Wallace, and thus our operations in Scinde were at the close of the year 1840 completely successful. Nothing occurred in this part of India during the present year which deserves notice.

PUNJAB. On the 5th of November, 1840, Maharajah Kurruck Sing, the son and successor of the celebrated Runjeet Sing, died at Lahore, not without suspicion of having been poisoned. One of his wives immolated herself upon his decease, according to the Hindoo custom. His son, Nou-Nehal-Sing, who succeeded as his heir to the throne and whose hostile feeling towards the British was notorious, was returning from the funeral of his father when as he was passing under a gateway a huge beam fell upon the elephant on which he was riding, and so severely injured Nou-Nehal, who was not more than 22 years of age, that he survived only a few hours. Upon this event Shere-Sing, an illegitimate son of old Runjeet Sing, was raised to the throne; but he after a variety of those intrigues and conspiracies which are so common on the decease of every Asiatic ruler, abdicated, and the widow of Kurruck Sing, in conjunction with Dhian Sing, the chief minister in the time of Runjeet Sing, assumed the reins of Government.

This state of things, however, did not last long, for it seems that Shere-Sing had retired merely for the purpose of consolidating his strength, and that Dhian Sing, the powerful minister, was in reality on his side. Accordingly early in the present year Shere Sing supported by nearly all the principal Sirdars of the kingdom, suddenly made his appearance before Lahore and gained possession of that city,

for

The Queen with a few troops held out in the citadel for several days, during which some severe fighting took place; but at last she desisted from the struggle, and Shere Sing who had been openly joined by the Vizier Dhian Sing, re-ascended the throne which he had a short time previously abdicated. These occurrences prove how unstable was the tenure of dominion bequeathed by Runjeet Sing to his successors, there being five successive changes in the sovereigns of the Punjab during a period of eighteen months. Our chief interest lay in securing a free and unmolested passage our troops from British India to Affghanistan, and we did not interfere in the internal dissensions which shook the throne so long and ably occupied by our steadfast ally Runjeet Sing. The country, however, was in a state of fearful dis organization, and the army was described to be uncontrolled by discipline, while marauding parties traversed the kingdom, and many murders were committed. We had a considerable force assembled on the frontier ready to cross the Sutlej in case our interference was rendered necessary. The following is the account given of the state of the Punjab at this juncture in one of the Indian journals. "The disorganization of the Sikh army is now complete; the country is covered with gangs of marauders; and the mouldering ruins of villages and hamlets attest the calamities inflicted by a pillaging and massacring soldiery, and threaten a sus pension of agriculture."

CHINA. We continue our narrative of the operations of our land and naval forces on the coast of China, which we brought down to the capture of the island of Chusan and its principal town Ting-hae.

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