Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎60r] (123/312)

TflE SEQUEL OF THE CABUL
j MASSACEE. '
If the history of the evacuation of Oabul by
General Elphinstone and the destruction of the |
British army in the Koord Cabal Pass present
but few features which an English reader can
regard with satisfaction, if is far otherwise with
the story of General Sale's gallant and successful
defence of Jellalabad, midway between the fatal
defiles now choked with the bodies of men, women,
and children, so long in apparent security in their
cantonments around the Afghan capital and the
more famous Khyber into which his crafty enemy
hoped to drive him, in order to complete the work !
of annihilation. Sale, throughout that terrible
winter, bated no jot of heart or hope, and his exam
ple is the more remarkable since it establishes the
truth that the calamity which had befallen our
soldiers might have been avoided if wiser counsels
and a more resolute policy had been adopted.
During our two years' occupation of Afghanistan
nothing had been more clearly proved than the
fact that the native races were unable to with
stand a resolute attack either from British troops
or Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. led by British officers. Treachery and
ambush, intrigue and assassination, were still their
chosen modes of offence; and, though they had
hovered about our famished and enfeebled soldiers
and camp followers, and assailed them cautiously
in moments of difficulty and embarrassment with
only too much effect, the very last remnant of our
forces had again and again put their assailants to
flight. In the face of these circumstances it is im
possible not to concur in Sir John Kaye's opinion
that the true policy of General Elphinstone
was not to capitulate and retreat, but to strengthen
his positions in Cabul, and endeavour to obtain
supplies by bold sorties and incursions into the
surrounding country. Such, in fact, were the
tactics of General Sale, by which, even after re
ceipt of intelligence of the disasters of the Koord
Cabul, he was enabled, as we shall see, to maintain
himself and protect his army against all the efforts
of Akbar Khan to obtain possession of the
fortress.
The more incautious commander might easily
have been betrayed into a step which would have
been no less fatal than the evacuation of Cabul.
Only a few days before that event, and while as
yet there was no token of the calamity that en
sued, a band of strange horsemen had suddenly
presented themselves at the gates of the town. They
carried a flag of truce, and described themselves
as the bearers of a letter from Cabul. Conducted
into the presence of General Sale, the strangers
presented their missive, which proved to be a
despatch written in English and signed by General
Elphinstone himself. Its contents were startling
and extraordinary; but of the genuineness of the
document there could be no question. It con
veyed the intelligence of the convention that had
been entered into with Akbar, and directed
General Sale forthwith to march with arms,
stores, and ammunition for Peshawur. In brief,
General Sale's superior ordered an immediate
retreat in the depth of winter by the ominous
Khyber Pass, accompanying his instructions with
the assurance that " our troops would not be
molested on the way." It is needless to say that
the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. had no sufficient grounds for such an
assurance. The evacuation of Jellalabad had
. simply been wrung from him as one
of the conditions of tne protection which
was promised, but was never intended to be
accorded; and, though General Elphinstone
proved his faith in the word of his foe, and
suffered the penalty of his confidence, the order
was not the less remarkable for the weakness and
infatuation that it displayed. Peremptory as the
directions were, and serious as was the responsi
bility of neglecting to obey. Sale nevertheless
wisely took the latter course. A council of war
was held, at which it was formally resolved that
"it would not be prudent to act upon such a
document, and that the garrison would therefore
remain where it was until further orders." This
timely act of disobedience unquestionably saved
the army under Sale from certain destruction. At
the very moment when the council was deliberat
ing the deep snows of the Koord Cabul were
crimson with the blood of the struggling mass
who were vainly chdeavouring to make their way
through, to rejoin their more fortunate comrades
i atjless than a hundred miles distance. There can
be no question that the despatch that had been
extorted from the sick and feeble commander-in-
chief formed part of a cunning scheme, the aim of
which was to give to the destruction of the
Feringhees a degree of completeness and an air
of sudden and overwhelming retribution which
could not but affect powerfully the imagination
of any future expedition to be despatched for the
invasion of the Afghan territory. Instead of
capitulating. Sale set to work to dig trenches round
the bastions of the town, and to drill
every camp follower capable of bearing arms.
Only three days after this bold and energetic
determination was taken, a sentry upon the walls
on the side towards Gundamack called aloud that
he saw " amounted man in the distance." Glasses
were out in a moment; and there was clearly to
I be seen, sitting upon a half-starved pony, a rider
who appeared to be a European, and was mani
festly faint or wounded. Long before the stranger
reached the walls a foreboding of his melancholy
story was in the hearts of the defenders. It was
Dr. Brydon—not the only survivor of the final
horrors of the Jagdulluh { but certainly the only
one who had escaped to convey the news. He
was bleeding, faint, and covered wi?h wounds,
but still grasping in his right hand his only weapon
of defence—a small fragment of a sword.
Nothing could now seem more forlorn than the
position of the defenders of Jellalabad, surrounded
by the triumphant Afghans and entirely cut off
from communication with Peshawur. That their
late comrades were destroyed they well knew.
On the first news of their fate Sale ordered the
cavalry to mount forthwith, and to patrol along
the Cabul road to the farthest reach which might
seem to be compatible with their own safety. Many
officers accompaaied them. In the striking words of
Mr. Gleig "They had not ridden above four miles
from the town ere they came upon the mutilated
, regains of the three out of Dr. Brydon's four ill-
fatea companions, of whom he could give no
account. Not a straggler, however—not a living
soul, man, woman, or child—appeared either
there, or asf far as the eye could reach beyond.
Wherefore the patrol, after lingering about till the |
shadows began to deepen, turned tjieir horses'
heads with sorrow homewards, and rejoined their
comrades. That night lanterns were suspended
from poles at different points about the ramparts;
while from time to time the bugles sounded the
advance, in the hope that one or other of these
beacons might guide some wanderer to a place of
rest. But none came ; and though on the morrow,
and for several days and nights subsequently, a like
[ course waspursued, not oneman,Europeanornative*
seemed to be alive—certainly none profited by it.''
On the side of Peshawur no adequate preparations
had been made in view of troubles so unexpected; i
nor did any succour come. The first thought was I
to increase the stock of provisions. While the I
noifc -combataiJ^s trained to handle pikes manufac
tured out of old hooks and any other available
bits of .iron that could be found, were assigned to
duty on the ramparts, foraging parties were sent
forth, who six two days brought back with them
i 170 head-of cattle and between 600 and 700 sheep, I
^The cattle -were slaughtered immediately, and
salted down as .fodder was wanting; the sheep
were sent out evC?y morning to graze in the
marshes between the :tiver and the town walls,
attended by shepherds .^d an armed covering
party. Every tree and bu.^ "which could afford
cover for marksmen was cut dqwn, and all the
doors and timber-work from the ho^ ses outside the
walls were carried off and laid u^ as winter
fuel. About the end of the month numerous
A bodies of the enemy were observed marching in
pvarious directions, and on the morning of the "loth,
i iaustead of the welcome sight of the atjvaatfwd
gnard of General Pollock's army of relief they'
jpehed-d thei white tents Akbar Khau od.th^v