With the Cavalry to Afghanistan

Up the Indus to Ghuznee and Kabul

William Taylor, the author of this book, was a trooper in H.M 4th Light Dragoons in India as the campaign began to place Shah Shuja on the throne of Afghanistan. The Afghan people rejected the choice of the Imperial interlopers and preferred their own choice, Dost Mohammed. So the stage was set for the First Afghan War and one of Britain's most catastrophic military disasters. Taylor takes on the campaign of the Indus from the horse soldiers perspective. It was a hot, dusty affair of battle, sniping from hidden tribesmen, the storming of citadels and the knife in the dark within a harsh and uncompromising land. A must for all those interested in warfare in Afghanistan and the British Army on campaign during the Victorian era.

Leaving Quetta, we again entered a barren and mountainous district which presented few traces of cultivation, and which afforded little or no pasturage for our cattle. In order to embarrass us the more the Belochees lay on the watch for the parties who were sent out to cut grass, and maimed and mutilated them in the most shocking manner. One poor fellow had his ears slit, and another received injuries which rendered the amputation of an arm necessary. The thefts of cattle, however, became less numerous, the cutting off the supplies of forage being deemed a less hazardous and equally effectual mode of impeding our progress.<br>
So serious became this change in the tactics of the enemy that it was resolved to increase the number of men sent out on the foraging expeditions. This did not, however, deter the Belochees from repeating their attacks, and on one occasion they drove in a party consisting of a considerable number of native soldiers, and succeeded in making three or four of the grass-cutters prisoners. A squadron of Her Majesty’s 4th Light Dragoons was immediately ordered out in pursuit under the command of Major Daly. We proceeded towards the hills at full gallop, and at length came in sight of the enemy who were in a close body of from three to four hundred. They suddenly disappeared from view, although the country was still a perfect level, and presented no apparent means of concealment.<br>
On reaching the spot we found they had ensconced themselves in a large stone pit or quarry, into which it was impossible for cavalry to penetrate, and a sharp and well directed fire from all the salient points of the rocks affording the least shelter, indicated to us their different lurking places. Patiently watching our opportunities we sent a volley into every recess or cavity where a rag; was to be seen fluttering, and Major Daly observing a party of about ten or twelve clustered in some bushes which lay almost within a bound of his horse gallantly dashed the animal down the descent, followed by Lieutenant Janvrin, the quarter-master of the regiment, and with a couple of hog spears, which they happened to have with them they dispatched several of the party. The others made their escape by plunging deeper into the recesses of the quarry.<br>
The night now setting in, the Belochees took advantage of the obscurity to steal out of their lair and creep through our lines one by one. They did not get off, however, without further loss. Hearing a rustling noise within a few feet of me, whilst on the watch, I listened attentively and felt convinced that some of them were endeavouring to effect their escape by crawling along the ground on their hands and knees. I plunged my spurs in my horse and clearing the distance at a bound, just as I observed two men rising from the ground, I cut them both down, notwithstanding a most determined resistance, in the course of which they fired twice at me. Several others were disposed of in like manner, but no prisoners were made. We returned to camp about nine o’clock, well satisfied with the issue of our adventure.<br>
The grass cutters who had been made prisoners, and who were abandoned when it was found that our pursuit was likely to prove successful, had received no other injury at the hands of the enemy, than a severe thrashing with a bamboo. The poor fellows were terribly frightened, and felt most grateful for their deliverance.<br>
Major Daly and two privates were severely wounded in this affair. Beside a thrust of a sabre in the chest the major received a musket ball in the left foot, which disabled him for some time from active service. We also found that several of the horses had been injured, it being a favourite trick of the enemy to hamstring them, or rip their bellies open, whenever they could get within reach of the animals.<br>
A treacherous trick played us by one of the neighbouring chiefs, the Khan of Khelat, added in no small degree to the difficulties we had to encounter. The khan had promised allegiance to Shah Soojah, and undertook to facilitate the progress of the British troops through his territories. Instead of fulfilling the friendly professions he had made towards us, he interdicted the villagers from bringing supplies to the camp, and cut off almost all the mountain streams. Several of the camp followers who ventured out in search of water, were either carried off or murdered, and our situation became distressing in the extreme. In one day’s march of fifteen miles, we left upon our track the bodies of nearly one hundred men, who died from sheer physical exhaustion.<br>
Continuing our progress towards the Khojuck heights, where we expected to meet with determined opposition, we lost a number of men on the route from their own imprudence in venturing at a distance from the camp after dusk. One of them, a Portuguese cook, belonging to my own regiment, lost his way in proceeding to the bazaar for necessaries, and fell into the hands of the Belochees, who were always hanging on our rear. His cries being heard by some soldiers returning from the bazaar, they ran towards the spot from whence the noise proceeded, and were received with a volley of bullets. They did not of course venture farther, being ignorant of the number of the enemy, but on procuring assistance from the camp, they discovered the cook with his throat cut, the head being nearly severed from the shoulders.