NARRATIVE of the SUFFERINGS or the CABOOL FORCE betwixt the 6th and 13th January, 1842.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 77, 26 August 1843, Page 307

NARRATIVE of the SUFFERINGS or the CABOOL FORCE betwixt the 6th and 13th January, 1842.

[.Continued from page 304,]

I January 10. — The same scene of confusion as yesterday. No sooner was it light than our campfollowers, with whom were mixed numbers of our sepoys and European soldiers, crowded to the front in one huge mats. Hundreds of poor wretches (men and women) who had not been fortunate enough to seize any animal to carry them, or, having done so, had been dispossessed of them by others stronger than themselves, were left to die like dogs on the road, or to be butchered by the enemy : the sight was fearful. After much exertion, the advance, consisting of the remains of -the 44 th Queen's, one only remaining six-pounder, and about fifty files of the sth cavalry, managed to get ahead of the camp-followerrs. The Affghans were commencing, early as it was, to make their appearance on the hills. On our arrival (I was -with the army at Tungee-taneekee, a very narrow gorge about 10 feet broad, and two miles distant from our last ground) the height was taken possession of by the enemy, who fired down incessantly upon us. The height was quite inaccessible from the road. The snow increasing in depth as we advanced (6), our progress was necessarily slow, and many a poor fellow was knocked over. After getting through the pass (not above fifty yards in length) we continued our march to Kubber-i-Jub-bar, where we halted till we should be joined by the rear. Latterly, we had not seen an Affghan except at a distance. Being always ready to catch at the least glimmering of hope, we trusted the worst of our march was over : our horror can, therefore, scarcely be imagined when some stragglers from the rear came up, and informed us that they were the.remnant of the rear column, almost every man of which had either been killed or wounded : among the latter was Captain Hopkins (7), commanding 6th Shah's, who had had his arm broken by a musket shot. We had now not a sepoy remaining of the whole Cabool force. It appears that a desperate attack had been made by a body of Affghans, sword in hand : our men being already paralyzed with cold and hunger, made no resistance, or scarcely any, but threw away their arms and accoutrements, and fell a sacrifice to our barbarian foe. We all gave ourselves up for lost. Every particle of baggage was gone. Our small remnant consisted of about 70 file of the Queen's 44th, 50 of the sth cavalry, and one six-pounder. Observing a body of cavalry in our rear, we were still determined to make one other effort for existence. The gun was brought into position, but before firing upon them it was deemed advisable to ascertain who the chief of the party was. Being informed it was Mahomed Ukhbar, Captain Skinner (Assistant Commissary-General), by the direction of the General, went over under escort to him to remonstrate on the attack on our troops after a treaty had been entered into for our protection. His reply was, that he regretted he could not control the Ghilzees with his small body of horse— about three hundred, — but that, as now the remnant of our troops was merely a few Europeans, he would guarantee their safety, and that of all the European officers, to Jellalabad, if the General would conduct them over disarmed his motives for which, he said, were, that, should they bring their arms with them, his own followers would be afraid of treachery. To this the General would not consent. Lieutenant Mackay returned with Skinner from the Sirdar, as the road to Jellalabad was deemed unsafe for him to traverse it. We again commenced our fearful march, the remnant of the camp-followers, with several officers who had been wounded, going on ahead. After proceeding about five miles without seeing any enemy, we arrived (having come down a very steep and long descent) at the bed of the Tezeen nullah. Having no conveyance for the sick and wounded, we had been obliged to leave on the road all such as could not come on. On our arrival at* the dip into the bed of the nullah, the scene was horrible. The ground was again covered with dead and dying, among whom were several officers, who, as bsfore stated, had gone on ahead of the column, and, having been suddenly attacked, were instantly massacred. We here observed the enemy crowding on the tops of the hills, from all directions, down the bed of the nullah, through which our route lay for about three miles. We continued our progress through one continued fire from the heights on both sides, until our arrival in Tezeen valley at about half-past four p.m. Our desceut into the valley from the top of the Huft Kotul was, I should think, at least 2,000 feet, ere we had got out of the region of snow. Here I should compute our troops and camp-followers at about 4,000 individuals, having lost by one means or other, since leaving Cabool four days ago, 13,000 people.' About a quarter of an hour after our arrival, the Sirdar and his party came into the valley and proceeded to a fort higher up, belonging to Gool Mahomed Khan. A signal was made to some of his horsemen to approach us. Two came, and Captain Skinner, by the General's desire, accompanied them to Mahomed Ukhbar, to devise some means of saving our now small party from "destruction. All was intense anxiety till Skinner's return at dusk, when he brought back the same message as at Kubber-i-Jubbar regarding the disarming of the European!. Again this was not acceded to. The General then,decided, weak and famished as the troops were, and as there was no prospect of provisions being had at Tezeen (8), on again marching at seven p.m., and proceeding, if possible, through the Jugdulluck Pass by eight or nine the next morning (9). In fact, in thii consisted our only means of safety ; for, if intimation of our approach should reach Jugdulluck, the pass would be taken possession of, and the General's object defeated. As I was aware of a short cut across the mountains, I informed the General that Mahomed Ukhbar Khan and his party could, although they should leave several hours after us, be at Jugdulluck ready to oppose us. A message was sent to Mahomed Ukhbar, that we were going to

(0) There ii a gradual accent all tbe way from Khoord C»000l to Kubber-i- Jubbar, a distance of fire milei. (7> TkU officer was one of the three murdered within, eight ofJellalabad. (8) Tescen from Khoord Cabool it fifteen milei, which distance, in coniequence of the deep mow, occupied oa from half-put *ix, a.m., to . (0) JuxduUuck ia about twenty-four mile* from f exeen, the put leading out from which towards Jellalabad U clow upon two miles long, rerjr narrow, and commanded on bofh (idea by Jiigh and precipitous hill*.

march to Seh Baba, seven miles from Tezeen, and sometimes called Sukeya-i-Orugur. The road from the latter to Tezeen lies down the bed of a nullah, with hills on either side. As the tamp-; followers had all along been the bane of our unfortunate force,.we were in hope's that, by moving off quickly, we might manage to leave them behind; but no sooner had we started/ than the whole of them that could move accompanied us. We left our only remaining gun behind. Dr. Cardew, who had been mortally wounded this day at the dip into the Tezeen nullah, was abandoned to his fate, and laid on the gun-carriage to await death, which was rapidly approaching. He was found dead next morning by Mahomed Ukhbar's people. The night was fine and moonlight. We reached Seh Baba at about midnight (10). At this place a few shots were fired upon us, and, our rear being attacked, the whole of the 44th Queen's, with the exception of about nine files to form our advance, were ordered there, and thus the column remained till arrival at Jugdulluck — and our progress' was again impeded consequent on that evil which always attends our Hindostanee annies — camp-fol-lowers ; who, so soon as a shot was fired in front, instantly fell back upon the rear, and vice versa. On passing Baneekah, three miles from Seh Baba, where there is a clear stream of water, and several caves cut in the rock, we observed a number of people in the caves, with whom, as they did not molest us, we did not interefere : not so, however, with the rear, which had some vollies fired upon them. At day-break the advance arrived at Kutter Sung (about seven miles from Seh Baba — at Kutter Sung itself are some streams of water — there is an encamping ground, but very confined, and commanded by high hills all round), and halted about half a mile beyond, till the rear guard should reach us. This, however, did not come up for at least two hours afterwards, having been a good deal molested on the road. On our first arrival not a man was to be seen ; but, ere long, several made their appearance on the hills around us, and continued every moment to increase. Unfortunately not a drop of water was procurable where we had halted, nor was any to be had till we should approach Jugdulluck. We had now been marching, or rather hunted like wild beasts, for twenty-four hours consecutively, and still had upwards of ten weary miles to trudge ere we could hope for the least repose. On being joined by the rear, we again continued our march, — the enemy, in small numbers, watching every opportunity to murder those who should stray from the column. On arrival at within two miles of Jugdulluck, the descent into the valley of which commences, we observed the hills on each side the road were occupied i>y the enemy, who, with their long jezails, fired upon us the whole way — and again the road Was covered with dead and dying. We were so thick a mass that every shot told on some part or other of our column. On arrival in the valley, we (the advance) took up a position on the first height we came to, near some ruined walls. As scarcely any Europeans of the advance now remained, and the enemy were increasing, the General called several officers (about twenty of us) to form line and show a front. We had scarcely done so, when my friend Captain Grant, Assistant Adjutant-General (afterwards killed at Gundamuck), who was next to me, received a ball through his cheek, which broke his jaw. I lifted him off his horse and seated him on the ground. On the arrival of the rear-guard, which was followed up by the enemy, the latter took possession of two heights close to our position. For security, we went within the ruined walls, our men almost maddened* with hunger and thirst. Some snow was on the ground, which we greedily devoured, but, instead of quenching, it increased our thirst. A stream of clear pure water was running at the foot of, and within 150 paces of, our position, but no man could venture down without a certainty of being massacred. For about half an hour we had a respite from the fire of our enemy, who were watching our proceedings. I was desired by the General to see if any bullocks or camels were procurable among the followers. I luckily found three of the former, which were instantly killed, served out to the Europeans, and as instantly devoured, although raw, and still reeking with blood. A few horsemen being observed near at hand, a signal was made for one of them to approach. He did so, and was questioned as to what chief was present. He replied, " Mahomed Ukhbar Khan." A message was sent to the Sirdar by the General, as to why we were again molested. A reply was brought back, that the chief wished to converse with Skinner, who accompanied the messenger. This was at about half-past three, p.m. We now fondly hoped further- massacre would be stopped. -Scarcely, however, had Skinner taken his departure, and we, who had been marching for the last thirty hours, had laid ourselves down on the ground, completely worn- out by cold, fatigue, , hunger, and thirst, than our persevering 'foe, not yet glutted with- the blood of the thousands that had fallen, suddenly commenced firing volley after volley into the enclosure where we were resting. All was again- confusion. There was ode general rush outside the walls—men and cattle all huddled together — each urgently striving -to screen -himself from the murderous fire of -the "enemy.- At this time, about twentygallant soldiers of the 44th Queen's made one simultaneous. rush down our hill to drive the enemy off the heights occupied by them. In this they were most successful, for the latter, in the supposition that they would be followed by others, had taken flight ere our soldiers reached their position. - In about a quarter of an hour, as our small <parlfy would not admit of any division, the afore-mentioned soldiers were recalled. We again ' entered within our broken walls, and again instantly was our foe in their former position, dealing death among us. At about five o'clock, Skinner returned with a message; that the Sirdar wished to set the General, Brigadier Shelton, and myself, to a conference, and that, if we would go over, he would engage to put a stop to any further -massacre, and give food to frhe troops ;- and, on condition of Brigadier Shelton and self remaining with him as hostages for General Sale's evacuation of Jellalabad, he would escort our small remaining party in safety. The General sent for me, and desired I would accompany him. -Mahomed Shah

Khan (father-in-law of the Sirdar, and whose daughter is with the rest of Dost Mahomed Khan's family at Loodianah), one of the principal Ghilzie chiefs, } came at dusk with' an escort td receive us. We started in the confident hope that some arrangement might be effected by which to save the few remaining lives. We^proceeded to the top of the valley for about two miles, and found the Sirdar and his party bivouacking in the open air. Nothing could exceed the kind manner in which we were received by this chief, who, immediately pa hearing that we were hungry (we had tasted no food for the last forty-eight hours) and thirsty, ordered a cloth to be spread on the ground where we were sitting, and a good pillao and other dishes, as also tea, soon made their appearance, around which we formed a circle, and having washed our hands we all began to eat from the same dish. Our hunger, although great, was as nothing compared with our insatiable thirst ; which for two days afterwards was not quenched. The party consisted of the Sirdar; Mahomed Shah Khan'; Abdool Ghyus Khan, son of Jubbar Khan, the brother' of Dost Mahomed Khan ; and a young lad of the name of Abdoql Hukeem Khan, nephew of the Sirdar. For some time we were too busily engaged to say much, but the attention of our host and his party was excessive. After dinner we all sat round a blazing fire and talked on various subjects. By the General's 'desire, I begged of Mahomed Ukhbar that he would early in the morning forward provisions to thb trobps, and make arrangements for"supplyirig them with water, both of which he faithfully promised to do so'soon as it should be dawn. - The General was also most anxious he should be permitted to return in the morning to his troops, and stated he would send Brigadier' Anquetil, should he require another officer in his stead. I also, by the General's wish, pointed out to the Sirdar the stigma that among us would attach to him as commanding officer by his remaining in a place of comparative security, while such imminent danger was pending over his troops. To this the Sirdar would not consent. At about eleven p.m., promising he would early in the morning call together the chiefs of the pass to make arrangements for our safe escort, he showed us into a small tent which he had had pitched for us. Worn out and fatigued as we were, we stretched ourselves on our cloaks on the ground, and were soon fast asleep. January 12. — Arose by sunrise.' The Sirdar and his party were already up, and we met with the same civility as last night : two confidential servants of the chief were appointed to wait on*us. We were warned against leaving our tents without one or other of them accompanying us, for fear of being maltreated or insulted by the Ghilzees, who were, early as it was, already nocking in to pay their respects to Mahomed Ukhbar. At about nine a.m., the chiefs of the pass and of the country towards Soorkhab (11) arrived, when we all sat down to discuss matters. The chiefs were most bitter in their expressions of hatred towards us, and declared that nothing would satisfy them and their men but our extermination, and money they would not receive. The Sirdar, as far as words went, tried all in his power to conciliate them, and, when all other arguments failed, put them in mind of his father and the whole of his family being in the power of the British Government at Loodianah, and that vengeance would be taken by the latter in the event of mercy not being shown to us. Mahomed Shah Khan offered them Rs. 60,000, on condition of our not being molested. After some time they took their departure to consult with their followers ; and Mahomed Shah Khan mentioned to me that he feared the chiefs would not, without some great inducement, resist the temptation of plunder and murder that now offered itself; and wound up by asking if we would give them two lakhs of rupees on condition of our being- allowed a free passage. I mentioned this to General Elphinstone, obtained his consent, and made known the same to Mahomed Shah, who went away and promised to return quickly. The General again begged of the Sirdar to permit him to return to his troops, but without avail. I wrote early in the day to Skinner, by the General's desire, to peg lie would come up to us. This letter reached him just after receiving a wound. A report was brought in that Skinner was wounded, but not dangerously. He died the same day of his wound : and Government was deprived of the services of a very valuable officer, and many among us of a kind friend and intelligent companion. The Sirdar expressed much sorrow. Until twelve o'clock, crowds of Ghilzees, with their respective chiefs, continued to pour in from the surrounding country, to make their salam tp Mahomed Ukhbar — to participate in the plunder of pur unfortunate people, and to revel in the delight of massacreing the Europeans. From their expressions of hatred towards the whole race of us (while conversing pp. Persian, which they sometimes did, until from a hint of the Sirdar they began to talk' inTooshtoo, which I did not understand), they appeared to anticipate much more delight in cutting tour throats than even in the expected booty. "The' Sirc&r, to- all appearance — but possibly -merely -itaf a blind to his real feelings while sitting with- 'me— -endeavoured as much as possible to conciliate them. Their reply, in this instance, was, " When- Burnfes came into this country, was not your father. entreated by us to kill him, as he would go back to Hindostan, and at some future day bring fen army, and .take our country from, us ? He would not listen to our advice, and what is t the consequence ? Let us, now that we have the opportunity, take advantage of it and kill these infidel dogs." At about twelve the Sirdar left us, .arid went on the top of the hill in rear of our bivouac.' We imagined, Tie Would shortly return, but lie did not comb down' again till sunset. Our anxious inquiries" us' to 'when Mahomed Shah Khan would "return we¥e "always replied to — " immediately." The only consolation we had was t&e frequent assurance thatPprdvisidns and water had haca given to the troops (12).- On its .becoming dusk, the Sirdar returned, and, was followed ' shortly afterwards by Mahomed iShih Khan, bringing the pleasing intelligence of everything having been finally and .amicably arranged fortjbe safe conduct of our. men to Jellalabad. The Sirdar aaid ,he would, accompany us. early in; the morning. By ,the General's request J wrote a

note to Brigadier Anquetil to have the troops in readiness to march at eight o'clock. I had commenced a letter to General Sale to evacuate Jellalabad (this was a part of the terms). Suddenly, and before my note tp the Brigadier had gone off,! a great deal of musket firing waslieard down the valley, and in the direction ofJhe troops, and a report was brought in that the Europeans were moving off through the pass followed by the Ghilzees. We were all in consternation. At first the Sirdar suggested, and the General fully concurred in the same, that he and I should follow them. In two or three minutes the former, however, changed his mind, and said he feared our doing so would, instead of benefiting, greatly injure the party, by bringing after them the whole horde of Ghilzees that were then assembled in the valley. He promised to send on a confidential servant to Me'er Ufzul Khan at Gundamuck, twelve miles beyond Soorkhab, to afford them protection, and agreed to start with us at midnight, as, being mounted, we should overtake them before 'the break of day. When we were about to separate for the night; the Sirdar again altered' our time of departure till day-break. Our remonstrances were of no avail, and we felt ourselves too completely in the power of our enemy to persist in what we knew we had not the means of enforcing. I must not omit to mention that Mahomed Ukhbar Khan told me in the morning after Mahomed Shah Khan had gone to consult with the chiefs of the pass, that the latter were dogs, and no faith could be placed in them, and begged I would send for three or four of my most intimate friends that their lives might be saved in the event of treachery to the troops. My reply was, that I would gladly do, so could my request be acceded to, but that the commanding officer would never consent, and that the feelings of my friends would also be opposed to such a proceeding at a time of so imminent peril to their comrades. The Sirdar also proposed that, in the event of the Ghilzees not acceding to .our terms, he would himself, with his party of horsemen, proceed at least to the foot of the hill where our troops were bivouacked ; and previous orders being given to the commanding officer that they should be held ready, he would bring away in safety every European, by desiring each of his horsemen to take up a man i^hind him; that the Ghilzees would not fire upoA.the Europeans for fear of hitting him or his men ; tiv that he could not allow a single, Hindostanee to follow, as it was impossible for him to protect 2,000 people (our computed number) (13;. I mentioned this to the General, but it was deemed impracticable, as, from past experience, we had seen how impossible it was to separate the noncombatants from the fighting men. Four or five times during the day we heard the report of musketry, which appeared in the direction of our troops ; but were always told, on making inquiry, that all fighting had ceased (14). January 13. — Up an hour before day-break. Snow had fallen during the night ; awoke the Sirdar, and, to our sorrow, learut he had again changed his mind, and that, instep . of following up our troops-, we were to move down«Jto the position lately occupied by them, to remain there during the day ; and, should the ladies and officers who remained behind at Khoord Cabool arrive by the evening, we are to start to-morrow morning over the mountains, to the valley of Lughman (north of Jellalabad). To argue this point with Mahomed Ukhbar Khan is useless, we are completely in his power, — he has his own private ends to obtain, and we must submit. At eight- a.m. we mounted our horses, and, in company with the Sirdar and his party, rode down the pass, which bore fearful evidence to the struggle of last night. We passed some 200 dead bodies, among whom were several Europeans, — the whole stripped stark naked, and covered with large gaping wounds. As the day advanced, several poor wretches of Hindostanee camp-followers, who had escaped the massacre of last night, began to make their appearance from behind rocks within caves, where they had taken shelter, 'as well from the murderous knives of the Affghans as from the inclement climate. They had all been stripped of everything they possessed, and scarcely a man could crawl even a few yards. The whole of my servants and chuprassees have been massacred, except two' khidmutgars, who crawled up to me during the day. The one has his feet and hands frost-bitten, and a fearful sword cut across his hand, and a musquet ball in his stomach ; the other has his right arm cut completely through the bone, — and both without the slightest covering, and had not tasted food for five days. This is but a sample of those who have survived. About four p.m. Sooltan Jan arrived witn the ladies and gentlemen who remained at Khoord Cabool, Accompanied by Lieutenant Melville, 54th, and Dr. Magrath, 37th, both of -whom had been wounded between Khoord Cabool and Tezeen, and' had joined this party at the latter place. The former gentleman had been severely wounded in [To be continued.']

(13) We had lost about 2JDOO from Twen to Jugdulluck. ! „(14) We subsequently learnt this was a gross falsehood, and that our troops were incessantly nredxrpon from the time we quitted diem to their departure, and that several hundreds of officers and men had been killed or wounded. There-; mainder, almost maddened with cold', thirst, and hunger — all communication between them add us having been cut off, and seeing nothing but certain death by remaining in'their present position— determined on making a desperate effort for existence,, and hence the cause of their leaving Jugdulluck at the time! alluded to. . . . ■ • „

(10) From Seh Baba the ioad lurpa-off tharp to the right, brer the mountains to Jugaulluck. At this place Dr. Dolt. who had had his hand cutoff ; with a penknife at Tezeen,, in consequence of a severe>ound received daring the day was from weakness, obliged to stay behind, and was, two day* afterwmisf *forma mtird£ted.

(Jl).Soorkhcb U about thirteen ''miles" from" JugauQuck towards Jellalabad, and is the usual Halting grtuhd. - -' . -fi*ii Sl »*«B!M»q* we" had th«; extreme .nwtincation Jto leap that not one particle of food on water flad-been tasted by thV-trebps -from their arrival at to their 'departure from Jafdiuluek, " [ . . , ' ' .-> - j '