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not aid us, but will feel compelled to act offensively, to save themselves from the vengeance of the Cabul authorities whenever we may withdraw from the country. The chief of Ghoosta has written a letter, a translation of which I inclose; he has hitherto been friendly, and will no doubt continue so while we are in force. The late Lalpoora chief is still here, and feels fully confident of being able to regain his authority whenever we advance in sufficient numbers. In the event of Sir R. Sale requiring aid before any re

inforcement joins me, I should not hesitate to make every exertion to join him; but as we are in communication, I do not expect any sudden or unexpected call from him: he is, by the last accounts, well supplied for a month. Ali Musjid is still in possesslon of the enemy. I have made particular inquiry about it, and as I find it is commanded by two hills, I anticipate no difficulty in retaking it, which I propose doing whenever I advance.

I have, &c.,
G. POLLOCK.

MAJOR-GENERAL POLLOCK TO MR. MADDOCK.

Sulla Chunee near Ali Musjid,

April 16, 1842.

Sir, It is with feelings of much gratification I have the honor to report, for the information of the Right Honorable the GovernorGeneral in Council, the following detail of operations undertaken and carried into effect against the Afreedees.

2. Yesterday morning, at halfpast three, the troops were under arms, the camp struck, and, according to arrangements previously made, the treasure, ammunition and baggage placed on the road leading from Jumrood towards the entrance of the Khyber Pass. The enemy had for some days appeared in great numbers at the mouth of the Pass, which they had fortified with a strong breastwork of stones and bushes. The hills on the right and left were rocky and precipitous, presenting great natural obstacles to the ascent of troops. To gain the summit of these heights, defended as they were by a numerous body of the enemy, was an

undertaking of considerable difficulty.

3. The columns destined to accomplish this most important object, moved off simultaneously with the main column intended to assault the entrance, but were compelled to make a considerable detour to the right and left, to enable them to commence the ascent.

4. The right column consisted of the troops detailed in the margin,* under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, Her Majesty's 9th Foot, and Major Anderson, 64th regiment Native Infantry.

5. The left column,t under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel

• Four companies of Her Majesty's 9th Foot; four companies of Her Ma

jesty's 26th Native Infantry; four companies of Her Majesty's 64th Native Infantry.

+ Four companies of Her Majesty's 9th foot; four companies of Her Ma jesty's 26th Native Infantry; four companies of Her Majesty's 64th Native Infantry; 400 Jezailchees.

Moseley and Major Huish, commenced the ascent, led by Captain Ferris' regiment of Jezailchees. Both columns, after considerable opposition, which they overcame in a most gallant style, succeeded in routing the enemy, and gaining possession of the crest of the hills on either side. While the flanking columns were in progress on the heights, I ordered Captain Alexander, in command of the artillery, to place the guns in position, and to throw shrapnell among the enemy when opportunity offered, which assisted much in their discomfiture. As Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, from the opposition he had met with, and the extremely difficult nature of the ground, was some time in reaching the summit of the hill on the right, I detached a party under the command of Brigadier Wild, to assault it in front; it was however so extremely steep near the top, that notwithstanding the undaunted gallantry of the officers and men, they were unable to gain a footing on the summit, and I regret to say, the enemy were enabled to throw stones with fatal effect upon some of the leading Grenadiers of the 9th Foot. Finding the heights in our possession, I now advanced the main column to the mouth of the Pass, and commenced destroying the barrier which the enemy had evacuated on perceiving their position was turned; a portion of the right and left columns being left to keep the heights, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Moseley, and Major Anderson, respectively. Major Huish and Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor continued their advance to crown the hills in front

Gr. Her Majesty' 9th Foot; six companies of the 53rd Native Infantry.

and on each side, which were covered with the enemy, who appeared determined to contest every inch of ground, but nothing could. resist the gallantry of our troops, who carried everything before them. A position of considerable strength above the bridge now remained to be carried, and again the Jezailchees were conspicuous in forcing the enemy to relinquish their strongholds. Crowning parties having taken possession of their heights, all opposition on the part of the enemy may be said to have ceased, as no large body of them has since come in sight. The nature of the arrangements made for the protection of the baggage, will be best understood when I state that not a single baggage animal has fallen into the hands of the enemy.

6. It now remains for me to perform the pleasing duty of stating how much I feel indebted to the officers and men comprising the force under my command, for their zeal, devotion, and unflinching valour, in performance of the very arduous duty which they have so nobly executed.

7. From Major-General Mc Caskill, K.H., commanding the infantry division, and who was on this occasion commanding the rearguard, I have received every assistance; as likewise from Brigadier Wild-to Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, K.H., my warmest acknowledgments are due for the spirit, coolness and judgment with which he discharged the duties entrusted to him. Where officers and men, European and Native, have all so gallantly performed their duty, it is difficult to select the names of particular individuals, but I cannot omit the names of those who so admirably led the troops to

quired to be crowned. Both these officers came on to the ground which I now occupy. Captain Lawrence returned to Peshawur yesterday, and Captain Mackeson proceeds with the force. Captain Sir Richmond Shakespear volunteered his services to accompany Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, as his aide-de-camp, and took command of the men lately composing the garrison of Ali Musjid; his exertions throughout the day were most conspicuous and unceasing.

storm the heights, viz.: Lieutenant-Colonel Moseley, 64th Native Infantry, Major Huish, 26th Native Infantry, Major Anderson, 64th Native Infantry, and Captain Ferris, commanding the Jezailchees, whose conduct excited the delight and admiration of all who beheld them; indeed I consider much of the success of the day to be attributed to their gallantry, skill and perseverance in this most difficult description of warfare. I have also to express my satisfaction with the manner in which the artillery was served, by Captain Alexander commanding; the precision with which shrapnell was thrown, caused considerable loss to the enemy. To Captain Ponsonby, my Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain Codrington, Assistant Quarter-Master-General, Captain Macadam, Deputy-Judge-Advo- 10. There were some of the cate-General, and to Lieutenant enemy's horse in the vicinity of Pollock, A.D.C., I am much in- Ali Musjid, but I regret they did debted for communicating my or- not wait for Brigadier White, and ders at different times during the his brigade, to make an example dav.

8. I cannot conclude this dispatch without requesting that you will bring to the particular notice of the Governor-General in Council, the very great assistance I have received from Captains Mackeson and Lawrence; Captain Mackeson's knowledge of the localities was invaluable to me by enabling him to point out those heights which re

9. I must here observe that, from the character of the operations, and the very great numbers of the enemy, estimated at about 10,000, I found the force under my command numerically deficient, and in consequence the troops suffered severely from excessive fatigue.

of them.

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MAJOR-GENERAL POLLOCK TO MAJOR-GENeral Lumley.

Camp, Bootkhak, Sept. 14, 1842. Sir, I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency the Commander-inChief, that 1 marched from Seh Baba on the 11th instant, and ar

rived at Tezeen the same day, where I was joined by MajorGeneral McCaskill, with the 2nd division. On the 12th I halted, in consequence of the cattle of the second division having suf

fered from the effects of fatigue caused by their forced march: this halt the enemy imagined to be the result of hesitation, and, in the afternoon, attacked the picquets on the left flank, and became so daring, that I considered it necessary to send Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, with 240 men of Her Majesty's 9th Foot, to drive them back; some sharp fighting took place, and the enemy was driven up the neighbouring hills, from the crests of which they kept up a heavy fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor, however, with a small party, crept up one end of a hill unperceived by the enemy, who were hotly engaged in their front, and lay concealed until joined by a few more of his men, when, rushing on the flank of the astounded Affghans, he inflicted a severe lesson, pour ing in a destructive fire upon them, as they fled down the hill. A chieftain was found among the slain, who, it is supposed, was the brother of Khodabux Khan. The enemy remained inoffensive on our left flank, in consequence of this very well planned and gallant affair of Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor's, and withdrew to the right, where they commenced a furious attack upon a picquet, consisting of eighty men of the 60th Regiment Native Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Montgomery, who sustained the assault with great resolution until reinforcements reached him, when the enemy were beaten off: in this attack the picquet had four killed; Lieutenant Montgomery and seventeen men were wounded. The enemy came so close that frequent recourse was had to the bayonet. Their attempts on the picquets continued through the night, but were invariably unsuccessful.

The valley of Tezeen, where we were encamped, is completely encircled by lofty hills; and on the morning of the 13th, it was perceived that the Affghans had occupied in great force every height not already crowned by our troops. I commenced my march towards the mouth of the Tezeen Pass, where I left two guns, two squadrons of Her Majesty's 3rd Dragoons, a party of the 1st Light Cavalry, and 3rd Irregular Cavalry. The enemy's horse appeared in the valley, with the intention of falling upon the baggage; but it gives me very great pleasure to state, that the Dragoons and Native Cavalry (regular and irregular) made a most brilliant charge, and with such effect, that the whole body of the enemy's force was completely routed, and a number of them cut up.

The Pass of Tezeen affords great advantages to an enemy occcupy. ing the heights; and, on the present occasion Mahomed Akbar neg lected nothing to render its natural difficulties as formidable as numbers could make it. Our troops mounted the heights, and the Affghans, contrary to their general customi, advanced to meet them, and a desperate struggle ensued; indeed, their defence was so obstinate, that the British bayonet, in many instances, alone decided the contest. The light company of Her Majesty's 9th Foot, led by Captain Lushington, who, I regret to say, was wounded in the head, ascending the hills on the left of the pass under a heavy cross fire, charged and overthrew their opponents, leaving several horses and their riders, supposed to be chiefs, dead on the hill; the slaughter was considerable, and the flight continued during the

greater part of the day, the enemy appearing resolved that we should not ascend the Huft Kotul: one spirit seemed to pervade all, and a determination to conquer overcame the obstinate resistance of the enemy, who were at length forced from their numerous and strong positions, and our troops mounted the Huft Kotul, giving three cheers when they reached the summit. Here, Lieutenant Cunningham, with a party of sappers, pressed the enemy so hard, that they left in their precipitation a 24-pounder howitzer and limber, carrying off the draft bullocks. Having heard that another gun had been seen, and concluding that it could not have gone very far, I detached a squadron of dragoons under Captain Tritton, and two horse artillery guns under Major Delafosse, in pursuit: the gun (a 12-pounder howitzer) with bullocks sufficient for the two guns, was soon captured. The dragoons again got among the enemy, and succeeded in cutting up many of them. Captain Broadfoot, with the sappers, advanced, and, with the dragoons, happened to fall in with another party of the enemy, of whom upwards of twenty were killed. I have ascertained there were about 16,000 men in the field opposed to me, a considerable portion of whom was cavalry; Mahomed Akbar Khan, Mahomed Shah Khan, Ameenoollah, and many other chiefs with their followers were present, all of whom I have reason to believe have taken to flight. We have gained a complete victory, and our enemies have suffered severely, having several hundreds killed, losing their guns and three standards, one of which was taken from the enemy's horse by the 1st Light Cavalry. Al

though many attempts were made at the baggage, none were successful, chiefly owing to the judicious and admirable arrangements of Lieutenant-Colonel Richmond, commanding the rear-guard, and for which he deserves the greatest credit.

The Lahore contingent, under the able direction of Captain Lawrence, has invariably given the most cheerful assistance, dragging the guns, occupying the heights, any covering the rear-guard. While ascending the Huft Kotul and at Tezeen, their long jezails told effectively in keeping the ground.

Major Skinner, Her Majesty's 31st Foot, had been detached with a strong party on the night of the 12th, for the purpose of dislodging a body of the enemy on the heights in front of the camp: this duty was performed with great gallantry the next morning, and his operations contributed much to frustrate the attempts of the enemy on our right flank. As the Major's movements were for some time separate from those of the main column, I deem it expedient to annex his report.

The enemy being completely dispersed, we pursued our march, and encamped at Khoord Cabul without further opposition. The troops on this, as on all former occasions where they have been engaged with the enemy, showed the most determined valour, and I feel that I cannot too highly praise their conduct; each regiment seemed to vie with the others in their endeavours to dislodge the enemy, which they most effectually accomplished. I have received from Major-General McCaskill, C.B., who on this occasion commanded the main column, every assistance, and from Major-General Sir R.

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