Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎225v] (140/174)

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YACOOB BESIEGES HEBAT.
[
1S71-
664. On the 14th news twelve days old came from Herat that Crhonan
had fallen; that Yacoob, advancing from thence to Herat had met and routed the
troops sent thence as a reinforcement, and had then been joined by the men,
the officers escaping to Herat. Feramoz on hearing the news o ie sui prise o e
Ghorian garrison by Yacoob, wrote to Futteh Mahomed complaining of his
want of vigilance. He replied as follows:
tWee tie doubled bwt by li Choi, llo.o.M ront, ,, Ghon.n.hnl had lOMhod that p^c,
hv the time mv spy o-ot hack to Herat to inform me of the move. Aloo Khan had two com
nances ofTnfentry and 400 horse in Ghorian; but, on Yacoob Khan appearing they went over
panies ^ d over the fortress to him. 1 then despatched three regiments,
^wo guns and all my cavalry to oppose his advance. When they were confronted with his force
Jhe regents of Mehdee Khan and Ata Mahomed Khan went over to him, and the regiment
of Saidoo Khan followed their example after firing two rounds on the enemy. I had paid
the troops eleven months’ wages before this, and at the time of starting them on the march
^ave them one month’s pay of this new year, so that I am not to blame m any way, and,
su long as I live, no one shall take the fortress from me.”—[Enclosure m a letter (rom 10
British Agent, dated 30th May 1871.]
Feramoz on bearing the news of the fall of Ghorian at once marched off
from Candahar territory to relieve Herat. Afzul was told to proceed to I urra ,
and Uslum to follow Feramoz with all possible expedition.
665 Hslum’s short stay in Cabul was not unproductive of results. He got
the Ameer to take from Shere AU, Candaharee, and commit to him and Feramoz,
the management («) of the customs revenue of the Oandahar and Zemmdawur
territories, in order that the receipts might be sent quickly for the expenses of t a
troops He also got the Ameer to credit the landowners of Candahar with the
two lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees collected from them by Yacoob, and received permission to reject finally
or re-entertain the Candahar and Khelat soldiers who had joined Yacoob, but had
quitted him in his flight. He told the Ameer that some 17 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of revenue had
been lost to the State owing to the unfitness of the officials ; and was told, m reply,
that the Ameer did not doubt that money was due from the Candahar authorities,
but would defer orders on the matter till the State was again quiet.
666. The further measures taken by the Ameer to meet the pressing danger
were to send off Ibrahim with what force could be spared from the capital, and to
write to Ameen-ood-dowlah Khan Agha, Jumsheedee, to urge him by promises oi
reward to take his horsemen to Herat and relieve it.
667. By the 23rd April it was known that Yacoob had been joined by 6,000
horse and foot, and was expecting to be joined by more; by the 28th, that he was
besieging Herat. .But the news from that place was distressingly scanty, probably,
the Ameer thought, from YacooVs perfect knowledge of the country having
enabled him to blockade all the routes. The Ameer’s officers in Subzwar and
Anardurrah had (so Abdoollah Khan, JMeer Afznl s son, wrote from Furrah) been
compelled to quit their positions and retire on Furrah. Thither by this time had
come Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed'* Alum Khan, the
Ameer s cousin, and he now sent pnf by
t Diary ending 1st May 1871. night 50 horsemen who surprised and cap
tured Mahommed Bakir Khan, the Governor of Anardurrah on Yacoob’s part.
A few days afterwards, Mahomed Maasum Khan, Yacoob’s Governor of Pishut or
v Killah-Gah, was captured, J and Abdoollah
J Diary euctag 15th M,y 1871. ^ going tQ send his brot h e ,. Abdool
Wahab, to try whether he could seize Mahomed Hussun Khan, Yacoob’s Governor
of Asferaz or Subzwar also. Moreover, on the 7th May, there came a letter from
Futteh Mahomed, reporting that his troops had made a successful sortie on the
(a) Uslum, on the 5th May, reported that the management of the Candahar customs had been given to Sultan Maho
med Khan, Sufdur Ali’s brother-in-law, and the management of the Giriskk territory committed to the son of Mahomed
Alum Khan (the Ameer’s cousin).—[Diary ending 15th May.]