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

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue II, 2 September 1843, Page 312

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

[Concluded from page 308.] three places, not for from Khoord Gabool, and fortunately fell in with Mahomed Ukhbar Khan, who supplied him with a horse, bound up his wounds himself, and conducted him to the fort of Gool Mahomed Khan at Tezeen, where he remained till the arrival of the above party. A large party of cavalry (Affghan and Anderson's Horse, who deserted as before mentioned) accompanied Sultan Jan. Every attention which circumstances admitted of had been paid to the ladies and gentlemen : nor had they met with the slightest annoyance on the road. Major Pottinger, and Captains Lawrence and M'Kenzie, made over as hostages at Boodkhak, have also arrived. January 14. — Started at about nine a.m. The Sirdar, with whom were the General, Brigadier Shelfcon, and self, bringing up the rear, proceeded up the Udruk Budruk Pass, leading through the mountains to Lughman. Halted* at four p.m. on the banks of the Punjshuhur river, at the foot of the for* of — , having come- about twentytwo miles over the roughest road I ever saw. Some of the ascents and descents were fearful to look at, and seemed almost impracticable. The whole road was one continuation of rocks and stones, over which the camels with the greatest difficulty seramhled. At the commencement of the defile, and for some considerable distance, passed two or three hundred of our poor miserable Hindostanees, who had escaped up this unfrequented road from the massacre of the 12th. They had not a rag to cover themselves, and all more or less frost-bitten, wounded, or starving (15). The poor wretches had huddled together in thirties and forties so as to impart to each other a little animal heat, as other warmth was denied them by the barren inhospitable wilderness around them. The wind was blowing bitterly cold at our bivouac. No shelter of any kind for the ladies of our party during the whole night. Happiness is comparative — and truly fortunate did General Elphinstone, Brigadier Shelton, and myself, consider ourselves when one of our Affghan attendants told us to accompany him inside of a wretched cow-shed, Which, on our first entrance, was so blackened with a dense smoke from a good blazing fire in the centre of the hut, that we could see none of the objects around us, until we had stretched ourselves at length on the floor, and consequently out of the influence of the smoke, when we perceived our companions to be three or four half starved Hindostances who had accompanied our party. Our attendant wished to eject them, but we too truly sympathised with their sufferings to permit, such an act of tyranny. Wevshortly afterwards got an invitation from Mahomed Ukhbar to join him and his party to dinner inside the fort. The room of our reception was not muck better than that we left. We had, however, a Capital dinner, some cups of good tea, and then a luxurious rest for the night, the room having been well heated by a blazing fire, and lots of smoke, with no outlet except the door and a small hole in the roof. January 15. — This morning a bitterly cold wind was blowing. We started at about seven a.m., crossed the Punshee river, which is exceeding rapid — so much so, that had it not been for the exertions of Mahomed Ukhbar and his chiefs, some cattle would have been swept away by the stream. Both he and his chiefs were most attentive in escorting in safety the ladies and their children, and wounded Europeans. At about three p.m. arrived at Tigree, a fortified town in the rich valley of Lughman, having come about twenty miles through a most barren inhospitable country, without a blade of grass or a drop of water to be seen until arrival in the valley close to Tigree. Our route lay along a tract of country very considerably highe/ than Lughman, With scarcely a foot path visible the whole way. Road very good for any kind of carriage., About two miles from Tigree is a celebrated place of pilgrimage, called' " Jubr-i-Lamek." The Sirdar desired General Elphinstone, Brigadier Shelton, and self, to take up our quarters with him, while the ladies and other gentlemen were located in a separate house. A great number of Hindoo bunniahs are living here. January 16. — Halted at Tigree. January 17. — Early in the morning we were, to our surprise, told to prepare; for a start higher up the valley, and further removal frpm Jellalabad, from which place Tigree is distant about 30 miles. All the hopes which we had hitherto entertained of being escorted to Jellalabad are now blighted) and we now see plainly that we are nothing more or less than prisoners, until such time as General Sale shall evacuate Jellalabad, or Dost Mahomed Khan be permitted by our Government to return to this country. Started at nine, and arrived at Buddeabsd (16), almost at- the top of the valley; and dose to the first range of hills towards Bafirwtan(?). Our abode consists of five rooms, on two sides of a small- square, about — feet by — . Thia.space>is to. accommodate 9 ladies, 20- gentlemen, and' l4 children; and in.the Jub Khannaare 17 European soldiers and 3 European women, also prisoners. Mahomed Ukhbar, to our horror, informed, us ; thot only one man of the Cabooi force had" reached; Jellalabad (17).

the night following the* evening on which the General, Brigadier Shelton, and selfj left the troops, for the purpose of proceeding to the Sirdar's bivouac, was passed in comparative quiet. Our men were so, worn out with fatigue and thirst, that itfw&s'scarcely possible for. them to take, their tour of sentry— the only secMent ° that brekie the stillness cf tae night wt»nn occasional shot or cry of the sentry that *he enemy^rere walking off with the hones that strayed from theirt pickets. No sooner wo* it, howeser, dawn, on the 12tbj than the bivotwe wa».eg*iri surrounded by Qhilzeea, who increaw^, at the day advanced. Tie- hill* were, , again covesed with them, and they, with theirjezails kept np an incessant fire on our- men, kiting

(18) We subsequently heard that scarcely one of these poor wittfebM escaped from the dffife in whjoh *&«nr bid taken tbnbhaa 1 for m Is* short hoars sustained llfe^yfeediDK on ,(10) Bsipsja to Mah«aa*d Sh«b,Kfcap-Haea4r Mir, vnfh • dry <Ufcn«nTrbssebi*re all round. TlT ™ 1 r ' (17) Dr. Brydon, slthe- Bhafc's force. Be we* wounded in that he wottWanmhflaite -the whole ermr, excepvdfteFman wnosfrpulctteacb JelWubad to teU U» tata.

and wounding hundreds. At about nine a.m., as almost all the officers of H, M.'v44th had been either wounded or killed, Captain Bygrave (Paymaster to the army of the Indus) gallantly volunteered his services, with a small patty of that regiment, to charge and drive off the enemy. They succeeded to admiration ; but, being obliged to return to their former position, the heights were again taken possession of. It was about this time that Major Thane and Captain Skinner observed two men coming in the direction of the bivouac, j They went out to meet them, the latter thinking they might have been sent by the Sirdar to himself. The men approached close to the officers — took no notice of Major Thane : but one of them took a deliberate aim at Skinner with a pistol, and broke his jaw. He died in three or four hours afterwards. At one p.m., Major Thane and Lieutenant Wade of the 44th Queen's, headed another party of that corps to again charge the enemy, who had now- increased to some thousands. A second time were the latter compelled to run ; but, in this affair, Major Thane was wounded in the face, and Lieutenant Wade killed. The day at length passed away.. Our troops had now been without food for three days, and without water for forty hours. None of the former had been sent to them - as prqmised; to me by the Sirdar; nor, although, so near to, .them, could a man approach the stream to drink. Numbers of our men had fallen since sunrise. With the exception of on&note from myself, no information of the General or Brigadier had j been received. By remaining longer in their present position, death was inevitable. Brigadier Anquetil commanding, towards the evening determined therefore upon continuing the retreat. As it became dusk, the Europeans were silently warned to be ready. At about seven p.m., they descended the hill, the camp-followers again being on the akrt to follow them. They had not proceeded many yards, when, with savage yells, the Ghilzees were in the midst of them. The night being dark, it was impossible to distinguish friends from foes. Almost all the camp-followers were cut up without resistance. To proceed onward, regardless of the fate of those who fell, whether dead or dying, was the only chance of escape left to the survivors. Some officers who hod been wounded, and unable to come on, had been left at the lost ground (before morning they were all dead), others had lost their horses and were obliged to walk. Our troops at length got to the top of the pass, where a barrier of trees and bushes had been formed across the road. The Ghilzees were lying in wait for the result among the hills. This was soon apparent. The greatest confusion ensued*— again were the horrible yells of the enemy heard, and again were more victims added to those that had already fallen. Onward was still the wordabout a mile further a second barrier was encountered, and the results similar to those of the former, — the enemy still pursuing, in increased numbers, close upon the rear. When near Soorkhab, some officers, seeing all chance of escape was over, pushed on by themselves for Jellalabad, every one of whom, with the exception of Dr. Brydon, were killed. These (among whom was' Captain Hopkins of the 6th Shah's) had reached within sight of Jellalabad, when attacked and massacred. The remnant of the soldiers and officers decreased as they advanced. At about day-break they arrived at Gundamuck, the computed number being about, twenty officers, and forty-five European soldiers, and no Hindostanees. Here was a fresh body of the enemy to be encountered. Every hut in the country had poured forth its inhabitants to murder and plunder. Our men had not above two rounds of ammunition left. They still, though so small a band, were determined never to surrender to their enemies while a spark of life remained. Their numbers were as one to a hundred : most of them were already wounded. A messenger from the chief of the district arrived and inquired for the senior officer. This was Majbr Griffiths of the 37th N. 1., who accompanied the messenger in the hope of persuading him to exert his influence to save the lives of the small but gallant band of Europeans that still remained. Ere, however, the major had reached the chief, the enemy had called upon the Europeans to surrender and give up their arms. They refused to do so. An. attempt was then made by a few to take the latter by force. This was resisted : blows were exchanged. A contest between the two parties was thus brought on. A* rush was mode by the infuriated and savage mob. Further resistance was of no avail ; and, in the space of five minutes, «very man, with the exception of Captain Souter of the 44th Queen's, who had wrapped round him his regimental colours, and five soldiers, taken prisoners, was massacred. Thus perished, after unheard of sufferings, the remnant of an army that had left Cabooi seven days previously composed of 3,500 fighting men, and 14,000 camp-followers; (Signed) H. Johnson.

Lavghtsjeu-— Man is the only animal with the powers of laughing, a privilege which was not bestowed upon him for. nothing. Let us then laugh while we may, no matter how broad the laugh may be, short of a lock-jaw; and despite of what the poet says about " the loud laugh that speaks the vacant mind." The mind should occasionally be vacant as the land should sometimes lie fallow ; and for precisely the same reason. — Th* Melange.