Hitherto we have had the gratifying task of recounting the exploits of a victorious army; a darker page must now follow; but though success no longer brightens the narrative, we have still the consolation of knowing that those parts of the regiment employed, heroically performed their duty in scenes of no common trial, and that their exertions, in a cause which from the first was evidently hopeless, only ceased when the cold hand of death laid them low in the dark defiles of the Koord Kabool and Jugdulluck.

In October, the Eastern Ghilzies occupied the passes between Bhootkhak and Jellalabad. Brigadier Sale, with a brigade, was sent to clear them; No. 6 battery and the mountain-train accompanied. Lieutenant Dawes with the two 9–pounders was with the advance-guard, on whom, in forcing the Kabool pass, the chief brunt fell. In the Tezeen valley, all the guns were brought into action, in a succession of skirmishes which lasted till dusk, with much effect. The march was now a daily struggle; two guns, sometimes commanded by Lieutenant Dawes, sometimes by Captain Backhouse (part of whose train, under Lieutenant Green, had returned with the 37th regiment of native infantry to Cabul), on the rear-guard, were engaged daily; at Jugdulluck a severe struggle ensued, and its favourable conclusion was insured by the guns seizing an unoccupied position, which took the enemy’s line in reverse; the rear-guard was, however, suddenly attacked and the baggage seized; “soon, however, by the praiseworthy exertions, and cool and soldier-like orders and example of Captain Backhouse, * * * confidence was restored and the rear-guard extricated from the defile.”

“I have been much pleased,” continues the report, “with the address and able arrangements of Captain Abbott, who has twice commanded the advance-guard.”

The insurrection burst out on all sides; myriads of Ghilzies, &c., re-occupied the passes in the rear, and cut off all communication with Cabul, forcing Sir Robert Sale to seek the safety of his brigade by occupying Jellalabad. The Kohistanees rose in Charekar, and murdered Lieutenant Maule, of the artillery. Candahar was surrounded. Ghuznee fell. The Khyberees sealed the mouth of their pass. Colonel Wild’s^[91] attempt to force it failed, and the last act of the tragedy was completed in the annihilation of the Cabul garrison on its fatal and ill-judged retreat. The details of these sad events have been so graphically described, that we need here do no more than record the losses of the regiment, and extract from the accounts of eye-witnesses their testimony to the admirable conduct of that noble troop, the 1st troop 1st brigade horse-artillery, both during the siege and the retreat.

After detailing the disastrous action of the 23rd November, Captain Melville says, “Here, amidst so much that was condemnable, let me again bear just and heartfelt testimony to the behaviour of that brave, though small, body of men, whose conduct on this, and every other occasion during the war, was that of a band of heroes, and who, preferring death to dishonour, met their fate, nobly fighting to the last for the gun they had so ably served. I allude to the horse-artillery; when Sergeant Mulhall and six gunners, whose names I feel deep sorrow I cannot here record, sword in hand awaited the advance of the foe, and it was not until they saw themselves alone in the midst of thousands of the enemy, that they dashed at full gallop, cutting their way through them, down the hill; and though surrounded by cavalry and infantry, yet they managed to bring their gun safely to the plain, where, however, only three of them being alive, and they desperately wounded, they were obliged to leave it, and contrived to reach cantonments.” Again, during the retreat, he says, “On reaching the extremity of the (Khoord Cabool) pass, the horse-artillery, that noble branch of the service, whose courage, even in extremity, never failed, and who supported all their misfortunes cheerfully, halted, and, turning a gun on the pass, awaited the debouchment of our troops and the arrival of the enemy’s. This soon happened, and we received them with some well-directed rounds of grape.” * * * After their guns and horses were lost, “the artillerymen, those few that remained, formed in the ranks of the 44th, and gallantly supported on foot that deathless reputation they had gained when urging their steeds into the heart of the battle.”

Lieutenant Eyre, speaking of the siege, says, “The gunners, from first to last, never once partook of a full meal or obtained their natural rest; of the hardships and privations undergone, it would be difficult to convey an adequate idea.” * * * “On the retreat from Cabul, owing to the starved condition of the horses, which disabled them from pulling the guns through the deep snow and rugged mountain-passes, the guns were, one by one, spiked and abandoned. In the Khoord Cabool pass, a whole gun’s crew perished rather than desert their charge; on nearing Jugdulluck, some horse-artillerymen, headed by Captain Nicholl, acting as dragoons, charged and routed a party of the enemy’s cavalry.”

“Throughout the last struggle, up to Gundamuck, all eye-witnesses concur in testifying to their stubborn valour.”

Of his troop, Captain Nicholl, Lieutenant Green (who joined it on the loss of the mountain-train early in the retreat), and Lieutenant Stewart, were killed; Lieutenants Eyre and Waller, both of whom were wounded during the siege, were given over, with their families, by the orders of Major-General Elphinstone, to Akbar Khan; 8 non-commissioned officers and gunners were killed in Cabul, 30 in the Khoord Cabool pass, 26 between that and Jugdulluck, 32 in reaching Gundamuck, 3 were taken prisoners at the close, 3 left wounded at Cabul, and 3 doing duty with No. 6 battery and the mountain-train at Jellalabad. Sergeant Mulhall was killed at Gundamuck on the 13th January, 1842.

The regiment raised a monumental column to the memory of this gallant troop, on the base of which, on one marble slab, the circumstances under which they fell are narrated, and on another, the names of every non-commissioned officer and gunner are inscribed.

Previous to the insurrection breaking out, the 3rd company^[92] 2nd battalion moved from Ferozepore to relieve the 4th company at Candahar; it dropped down the Indus to Sukkur, and marched to Quettah, where it arrived on the 27th November, 1841, and remained, on account of the communications with Candahar being closed. Here it was employed in throwing up defences and field-works, for the protection of the cantonment, whenever the frost and snow intermitted. The only building available for their barracks becoming unsafe, during the winter they were forced to occupy their tents, and the severity of the weather in which they were exposed to this insufficient shelter, may be judged of by the fact of 180 camels of the company having perished from it. In the second advance of Major-General England, and the successful attack on the heights of Hykulzye, this company shared; a party under Lieutenant Cornish assisting in working the guns of Captain Leslie’s troop of Bombay Horse Artillery, and with that force it joined the head-quarters of the Candahar army on 10th May.

Before this junction occurred, the Candahar force had been on more than one occasion moved out to clear the neighbourhood of the insurgents. In January, they came up with them on the Urghandab, and after driving them from their position, the horse-artillery and cavalry pursued them some distance. In the report of this action, Captain W. Anderson’s name was brought to the favourable notice of Government.

In March, the army again took the field, and on the 9th the horse-artillery under Captain Anderson got within range, and opened on the enemy with good effect; they broke and fled too rapidly for the infantry to come up with them. While the main body was absent, an attack was made on the city, but without success: part of the 4th company 2nd battalion was present with the garrison.

On the 25th March, the insurgents were attacked near Baba Wala by Colonel Wymer. The well-directed fire of two guns under Lieutenant Turner soon drove in on the pass a large body of the enemy, and they were finally put to flight by the arrival of the main body under Major-General Nott. In his report, Colonel Wymer writes, “I trust that I may be permitted to bring to the Major-General’s notice the admirable practice of the artillery under Lieutenant Turner’s guidance, every shot from which told with beautiful effect on the dense masses of the enemy.”

A small garrison, with which was one-half the 3rd company 2nd battalion artillery, under Lieutenant Walker, had been left in Khelat-i-Ghilzie in November, 1841; the insurrection isolated them from the Candahar force, and for several months they underwent very great hardships; an insufficient supply of firewood exposed them to cold, barracks without doors, and piercing cold winds, bread and water for rations for days together, and an enemy at the gates; under these privations the artillerymen never grumbled nor lost their good temper, but continued to work as if they had been highly fed. The enemy gradually closed in round the fort, and on the night of the 21st May commenced a simultaneous attack on two points; at one point, there were two 6–pounders, under Lieutenant Walker, at the other only one. The enemy came on in a determined manner, crossing the ditch by means of scaling-ladders, and some even reached the parapets; so closely were the artillery assailed, that at one time they were forced to turn to their small-arms to assist in driving them off; towards morning the attack ceased, and the little garrison was left in quiet possession of their fort, and in the course of a few days Colonel Wymer arrived from Candahar with a force to relieve them.

This service was rewarded by a medal to all engaged, the handsomest of any by which the campaigns in Afghanistan are marked.

Brigadier Sale’s force, on reaching Jellalabad, immediately occupied themselves in rendering its defences tenable, collecting provisions, preparing ammunition, and mounting their guns on the most advantageous positions. In availing himself of the resources of the country, and keeping up our communications, Captain MacGregor’s services were most conspicuous and successful, and perhaps to his exertions it may mainly be attributed that the “illustrious garrison” were enabled to hold out, and earn for themselves the undying honour they have gained. The exertions also of Captain Abbott, Captain Backhouse, and Lieutenant Dawes, are honourably recorded in the records of that siege, records which have been so fully published that little is left to us beyond extracting a few passages; and we shall first refer to the report of the construction of the works. “With the exception of a few of the larger bastions, all the batteries were prepared by the artillerymen themselves, both Captain Abbott’s company and Captain Backhouse’s mountain-train, under the superintendence of their own officers; besides this, a party of Captain Abbott’s artillerymen was always ready to assist in the works generally, and they were most ably superintended by Lieutenant Dawes, to whom I am indebted for aid as constant as it was valuable, and willingly given. Captain Backhouse, with his own men and detachment of the 6th infantry Shah Soojah’s force, not only prepared the parapets and embrasures for his own guns, and repaired the damages done to them by the earthquake, but he undertook and completed several of the most useful and laborious operations executed.” * * *

“Captain MacGregor, political agent, gave me,” writes Brigadier Sale, “the aid of his local experience, and through his influence and measures our dâk communication with India was restored, and a great quantity of grain collected. * * * Captain Abbott made the artillery dispositions in the ablest manner, and used every exertion to add to and economize our resources, in the way of gun and musket ammunition.”

“The artillery practice of No. 6 light field battery has ever been excellent, and has been equalled by that of the mountain-train. Captains Abbott and Backhouse and Lieutenant Dawes have proved themselves excellent ordnance officers.”

The siege, or rather blockade, continued from November to April. The greatest want at times prevailed of everything but grain; but the men preserved their cheerfulness under all privations, the native artillerymen of the 2nd company 6th battalion vying with the Europeans of H. M.’s light infantry in setting an example of good discipline and patient and cheerful endurance of hardship and danger. In April, Akbar Khan collected a large body of troops in the neighbourhood, both to overwhelm the garrison and meet the army advancing to its succour through the Khyber. This body the garrison attacked on the morning of the 6th April, and completely overthrew, capturing standards and baggage, and four of the guns lost by the Cabul force. In the action, No. 6 battery, with which, in addition to Captain Abbott and Lieutenant Dawes, were Captains Backhouse and MacGregor, as volunteers, was most effective; moving rapidly to the front, it covered the advance of the infantry, and held in check a large body of cavalry which threatened the flank. This success was most complete, and the garrison achieved its safety by its own prowess. Its gallantry was rewarded by a medal to all engaged; the corps were permitted to wear a “mural crown,” with the word “Jellalabad” on their appointments, and a donation of six months’ batta was granted as a compensation for the various losses suffered, and at the close of the campaign the rank of major, with the companionship of the Bath, was bestowed on Captains Abbott, Backhouse, and MacGregor.

On the news of the insurrection reaching India, steps were taken for despatching a force to aid the troops in Affghanistan. Major-General Pollock, C.B., of the artillery, was selected for its command, and joined it at Peshawur in February. The artillery with it was very insufficient. A troop of horse-artillery and half a light field battery, a second troop (Captain Delafosse’s), and the remainder of the field battery, did not join until after the entrance to the Khyber was won.

Captain Lane, commissary of ordnance, Lieutenant Pollock, aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Sir R. Shakespear, military secretary, Captain H. M. Lawrence, political agent.

On the 5th April, the attack was made on the Pass; the guns were directed on the barriers raised to defend the entrance; two columns attacked the heights on either side, and the main body carried the Pass when the way had been opened by the fire of the guns. The arrangements of General Pollock were admirable. The attack was completely successful; and the enemy evacuated Ali-Musjid at our approach. Captains Alexander and Lawrence, Lieutenants Shakespear and Pollock, are mentioned in the despatches.

Jellalabad was reached, but the enemy had disappeared, and here the force halted, pending the receipt of orders for an advance on Cabul, and till arrangements for carriage could be made to enable them to carry out the order. This halt was not altogether inactive; in July, No. 6 battery, with Captains Abbott and Dawes, was engaged with Brigadier Monteith’s force in the Shinwaree valley with much credit. Captain MacGregor accompanied the brigade, and “when opportunity offered itself, served with the guns.”

While the force remained halted, a supply of rockets reached the artillery, which had been forwarded by dâk banghy from Allahabad, under the impression that the weapon was particularly calculated to be serviceable in the passes at points where artillery could not be used at all, or without the greatest difficulty. The expectation was not realized,—the rockets being too delicate to bear the shaking they underwent; this, together with the expansion of the iron case and the contraction of the composition from the heat to which they were exposed, rendered them nearly useless on reaching their destination.

Towards the end of August the arrangements were completed, and the force moved on; the artillery strengthened by No. 6 battery and the mountain-train, which had formed part of the “illustrious garrison.” On the 24th, the enemy were driven by General Pollock from Mammoo Khel, in which action the services of Captains Abbott and MacGregor, and Lieutenant Pollock are mentioned. On the 8th September, some fighting occurred near Jugdulluck, and on the 10th, the enemy assaulted the rear-guard on all sides, but “were checked by the very effective fire of the guns, ably directed by Captain Lawrence (political agent), who volunteered his services, and by Lieutenant Abercrombie.” The brigades were collected in the Tezeen valley, for which purpose Major-General Pollock halted on the 12th, and on the 13th were attacked by the whole of Akbar Khan’s troops, who were defeated with much loss. Two of the guns, a 24 and 12–pounder howitzer, lost on the retreat, were here recaptured. The rear-guard was hard pressed in defending the entrance to the pass as the troops moved on, and the effective services of Captains Alexander and Lawrence, and Lieutenant Douglas, in the use of the guns at this period, are acknowledged. In the despatches of Major-General Pollock, the names of Major Delafosse, Captains Abbott, Backhouse, Alexander, MacGregor, Lieutenants Fitzgerald, Shakespear, and Pollock, are mentioned with applause.

On the 15th, the force reached Cabul, and on the 16th possession was taken of the Bala Hissar, under a salute from Major Delafosse’s troop.

Major-General Nott, after being joined by Major-General England’s force, as related in a previous page, continued to hold Candahar, pending final instructions. Towards the end of May the enemy, collecting in numbers, endeavoured to carry the town, when Major-General Nott moved out against them. Both Captain Anderson’s troops were engaged in this affair with credit. Early in August, Candahar was evacuated: one column with the baggage retired by the Kojuck pass; with this was Lieutenant Cooper’s troop of horse-artillery and the 3rd company 2nd battalion artillery under Lieutenant Walker. In its route to Sukkur this force met with little or no opposition.

The main force marched on the 8th August. The artillery consisted of Major Sotheby, commandant; Lieutenant Brougham, adjutant, S. S. Horse Artillery, Captain W. Anderson, Lieutenants Turner and Hawkins; 3rd company, 2nd battalion, Lieutenant Cornish, four 18–pounder guns attached.

On the 31st August, within forty miles of Ghuznee, the governor, with about 12,000 men, moved out to meet the British, but he was defeated with the loss of guns, tents, &c. Major Sotheby was mentioned in the despatch, which concluded by saying, “I cannot close this despatch without expressing my admiration of the dashing and gallant conduct, rapid movements, and correct practice, of Captain Anderson’s troop of horse-artillery; nothing could exceed it, and I beg to bring this officer and Lieutenant Turner, attached to the same troop, to the particular notice of his Lordship, as officers who have on many occasions rendered me most essential service.”

Ghuznee yielded without opposition; its walls and bastions were destroyed—the gates of Somnath and the Zubber Jung rewarded the conquerors and graced their triumphant march to Cabul, which they reached on the 17th, after defeating the enemy at Beni Badam and Mydam on the 14th and 15th, in which actions “the artillery” are reported as having “distinguished themselves,” and the names of Captain Anderson and Lieutenant Turner are particularly mentioned.

A body of Kuzzilbash horse, despatched under Sir R. Shakespear towards Bamean, to aid the prisoners, met them on their return, they having effected their escape; of the artillery, Lieutenants Eyre, Waller, and Warburton; Sergeants MacNee and Cleland; gunners A’Hearne, Kean, and Walton, were the sole survivors.

A force was sent against Istaliff on the 30th September, in which the mountain-train under Captain Backhouse, and two 18–pounders under Lieutenant Cornish, were employed. Lieutenants Richardson and Pollock accompanied the force, and the former was slightly wounded.

The combined armies now turned homewards, meeting with many difficulties from the exhausted state of the cattle and the obstacles in the passes; so much so, that the four 18–pounders which had originally marched with the Army of the Indus were burst in the passes and their carriages burnt. Daily skirmishes took place, and in passing a ravine near Alee Musjid just at dusk, a rush was made by the Afredis on a small detachment of artillery with a gun of the mountain-train under Lieutenant A. Christie. He was killed, and the gun carried off, but afterwards recovered.

Of the trophies, the Zubber Jung was burst at Cabul; the Kazee travelled with difficulty as far as Lundi-khana, in the Khyber, where, upsetting into a ravine, it was burst and abandoned; the Somnath gates alone reached Hindustan, travelling on a spare 18–pounder carriage; but they were fated, even after 800 years of absence, not to pass their kindred threshold; they got no further than Agra in the attempt, and were there deposited in the armoury of the magazine.

The troops were received on their return by the Army of Reserve at Ferozepore, assembled in case its aid should have been wanted, and medals bestowed for the different services, bearing the inscriptions of Candahar—Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul, 1842—Ghuznee, Cabul, 1842—and Cabul, 1842; the obverse of all was similar, and this, and all the medals since that for Ghuznee, were worn on a particoloured ribbon of light tints, called “the ribbon of India,” ill fitted for a military decoration.

For these distinguished services General Pollock was rewarded with the first class of the order of the Bath, and received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. He was subsequently appointed a member of the Supreme Council of India, and on being compelled to quit the country on account of ill-health in 1846–7, a pension of £1,000 per annum was bestowed upon him by the East-India Company, with the unanimous approbation of the Court of Proprietors. The freedom of the city was also voted him by the corporation of London.

Of the artillery officers who served under Generals Pollock and Nott, the following received honorary distinctions:—Captains Anderson, Alexander, Lane, and Lawrence, were gazetted brevet-majors; and Majors Delafosse, Sotheby, and Anderson, companions of the Bath.

Before closing this account of the war in Afghanistan, it should be mentioned, that in the political department several artillery officers were greatly distinguished. The names of Captains Todd and MacGregor are associated with important historical events at Herat and Jellalabad; whilst Captain Abbott and Lieutenant Richmond Shakespear (who was subsequently knighted for these services) will be remembered for their enterprising and perilous journeys to Khiva and the Caspian for the purpose of liberating the Russian slaves confined in the former place.