Captain Todd, of the artillery, who had been employed in Persia, was attached to the political department.
The army commenced its march on the 10th December, and met with no difficulties until the 16th March, 1839, when they entered the Bolan pass, a pass as terrible to the Indian, as that of Avernus to the classical, imagination. Here the toils of the campaign began, and, as usual in such cases, a double share fell to the artillery. The horses, overweighted and ill-fed, with difficulty dragged the carriages through its stony lengths; the camels and bullocks, over-driven to keep pace with the column, and escape the new danger arising from the matchlocks of the Murrees and Brahoos perched on the rocks, stumbled and fell, many never to rise again: store-carts and baggage were lost by these accidents.
The difficulties of procuring provisions were increased after clearing the pass by the arrival of the Bombay column, though the country became easier until reaching the Kojuck pass; narrow, steep, and in places blocked up by large rocks, it was with the greatest difficulty, and by incredible perseverance, that the heavy and light artillery were got through this obstacle. Great loss of baggage occurred here from the deaths of camels. At this point, the camel battery, which had hitherto got on very well, showed symptoms of knocking up; the animal’s conformation, from want of power of muscular exertion, being quite unfitted for draught in situations of difficulty. All at length reached Candahar towards the end of April, but the horses of the horse artillery and cavalry so worn, that a long rest was necessary to fit them for work; the troops, too, required rest and food, and the halt continued till the end of June, though not entirely without employment, for the camel battery took part in the expedition against Girisk, and two guns of the 4th troop 3rd brigade, under Lieutenant E. Kaye, were detached with the Shah’s troops against refractory chiefs in Tezeen.
From Candahar a mission was sent to Heerat; Captain Todd was placed at the head of it, and Lieutenants J. Abbott and R. Shakespear were his assistants. Of the results of this mission, or of his assistants, to Khiva; of the difficulties and dangers endured and overcome by Abbott as the pioneer, and the success which crowned Shakespear, in following his path, nothing need be said in this place. Their own accounts have already been published.
On the army moving forward, the 2nd troop 2nd brigade, 2nd company 6th battalion, with No. 6 light field battery, alone accompanied it. The Shah’s artillery, the 4th troop 3rd brigade, the 4th company 2nd battalion, and the heavy guns, remained at Candahar. On the 21st July the fortress of Ghuznee was reached, reconnoitred the next day, and the artillery placed in position, by 3 A.M. of the 23rd, to cover the assault which was ordered at dawn. On the gate being blown in by two bags of powder, every gun opened to cover the advance of the storming party, which was perfectly successful, and, by 5 o’clock, the place was in our possession.
The exertions of the troops were rewarded by a medal from Shah Soojah, and which is remarkable for one thing—being the first given in India to all engaged. Hitherto, these decorations had been granted to the native troops alone; but on this occasion the medal was given to all, without any distinction whatever. It was suspended from a crimson and green ribbon.
The army continued its march to Cabul without opposition. Deserted by his followers, Dost Mahomed fled, leaving his guns at Maidan a spoil to the invaders; and himself narrowly escaping from a band of officers, among whom was Lieutenant Backhouse, of the artillery, who, under Major Outram, followed him closely, but were misled by the arch traitor Haji Khan Kokur.
But while the main army was thus employed, a small column, chiefly of irregulars, with Colonel Wade, escorted the Shah-Zada by the Khyber pass to his father’s capital. With this column were two howitzers, manned by a detachment of the 4th company 2nd brigade, and commanded by Lieutenant Barr: Lieutenant Maule, of the artillery, was attached to the prince’s suite. This column met with no opposition, except on first entering the Khyber pass, where they were engaged with the Afreedis at Koulsir, and again at Alee Musjid. The names of Lieutenants Barr and Maule are both mentioned in Lieutenant-Colonel Wade’s despatches on the occasion.
The main army reached Cabul on the 6th August, and Colonel Wade’s column on the 3rd September. The Bombay column returned in October, and, picking up four of the Shah’s horse artillery guns, under Lieutenant Cooper, proceeded against Khelat. Reaching it on the 13th November, the troops advanced to the assault under cover of the fire from the guns, which drove the enemy from the neighbouring heights; the guns were now directed against the gates, and, these being forced, the place was soon won. In his despatch, General Wiltshire says, “To Lieutenants Forster and Cooper I feel greatly indebted for the scientific and steady manner in which the service of dislodging the enemy from the heights and afterwards effecting an entrance into the fort was performed.”