To Herat and Cabul: A Story of the First Afghan War

by G. A. Henty

Throughout the next week Angus was continually employed in riding among the towns in the khanate, interviewing headmen, and expediting the despatch of convoys. He was always accompanied by a troop of cavalry, for plundering parties of Beloochees were making their way on all sides towards the line followed by the army, where they murdered stragglers, captured lagging camels, and were so bold that they ventured close to the outskirts of the villages occupied by the British camps, robbed the natives of the moneys paid them for forage or grain, and rendered it necessary that every convoy should be protected by a considerable escort. After a week of this work, Angus received orders to join the force that was gathering at Dadur. During the last two days' march the difficulties with regard to water had disappeared. The villages had all been situated on the Bolan river, and little irrigation canals enabled the cultivation of a considerable tract of country to be carried on, which supplied forage in sufficient quantity for the first division of the army which came along.

Dadur, a town of some four thousand inhabitants, stands on the eastern branch of the Bolan river, whose banks were fringed with high reeds and groves of dwarf trees. The country round was well cultivated, and the fields were covered with young crops of wheat and barley. Close to the town were gardens, and the whole presented an agreeable appearance to the troops, who had for nearly three weeks been painfully making their way across country which, even at its best points, was little more than a sandy desert. Here Angus again met Sir Alexander Burnes, who had been making the greatest efforts to accumulate supplies at the town. His success, however, had been very small, nor had Major Leech, who was also at Dadur, been more fortunate. It had been reckoned that twenty days' supplies for the whole army would have been accumulated there, but not more than sufficient for two or three days had been gathered, and General Cotton, on arriving there with the Bengal army, decided that it was necessary for at least a portion of the army to advance without delay.

Sir Alexander Burnes started at once with Major Cureton of the 16th Lancers, with a troop of that regiment, three companies of the Native Infantry, and a strong party of sappers and miners, to survey the pass up to Quettah. Major Leech was sent to Khelat to maintain a strong pressure upon the Khan, and it was still hoped that stores might be collected by the time the Bombay army came along. The report sent down was satisfactory inasmuch as the physical difficulties of the journey were concerned. In spite of the fact that heavy rains had fallen, the river had not risen sufficiently to interfere seriously with the passage of troops and animals, and on the 16th of March the Horse Artillery, 2nd Light Cavalry, the 13th Regiment of the line, and the 48th Native Infantry, started early in the morning, forded by torchlight the Bolan river, and at eight o'clock pitched their camp in the valley, where they were to rest for the day.

The road had so far offered no difficulties, except that the river had to be forded no fewer than eight times. The baggage animals which started at midnight had already arrived, but the tents were pitched with some difficulty owing to the rocky nature of the ground, which necessitated the use of iron tent-pegs instead of the wooden ones previously used. Fortunately, owing to the pause that had been made by the advance parties at Dadur, and the abundance of succulent food they had obtained there, the animals had recovered to a large extent from their previous fatigues and hardships, and the journey through the pass was accomplished with less loss and suffering than had occurred during the march from Sukkar. Vast numbers of animals, however, died, and the troops, who had started full of life and strength, were sadly changed, many of them being utterly worn out and a mere shadow of their former selves. The rumour that had precipitated the march by three weeks, upset all the transport arrangements, and caused so vast an amount of suffering, proved to be false—no forward movement had been made by the Candahar princes, and except for some little trouble with the marauding villagers, the march was entirely unopposed.

Once in the Shawl valley the fatigues of the army were over for the time, but in spite of the efforts of Sir A. Burnes and his assistants, only a very small amount of food and forage had been collected in readiness for them. So small indeed was the supply that it was necessary to place both the troops and native followers on reduced rations of flour, rice, and ghee. Meat, however, was plentiful. The proceedings of the Khan of Khelat were not of a character to inspire confidence in him. While protesting strongly his friendship for us, he told our officers frankly that he was certain Shah Soojah would not retain his position for a day after the British troops marched away; that the whole feeling of the country was against him, and that although, had he advanced with only a native army raised by himself, he might have been accepted, the people would never submit to a sovereign thrust upon them by British bayonets.

Opinions differed much as to his sincerity. Those who doubted it pointed to the fact, that although he was said to have large stores of provisions at Khelat, he had scarcely sold any to our troops, and had failed in all his promises in that direction. On the other hand, Sir A. Burnes maintained that the stores of provisions spoken of did not exist; and that in any case, having no belief in the possibility of Shah Soojah maintaining himself, it was but natural that he should hang back until he saw how matters went, for if he were to give any active aid to the British he would be considered a traitor by his countrymen, and would imperil his khanate and his life when our protection was withdrawn from him. The question was never satisfactorily cleared up. Some of those who took part in the proceedings and wrote on the subject regarded him as a very ill-used man, while others considered the measures afterwards taken against him as being fully justified by his conduct.

As it was absolutely necessary that food should be obtained, parties were sent into the villages and a rigorous search instituted, and in this way a considerable quantity of hidden grain was discovered. This was taken and paid for at the market price. In Quettah itself one very large store was found and taken up for the use of the army.

The climate was pleasant, and in spite of reduced rations the men benefited by the halt, which was not without its excitement, for large bands of plunderers hovered round, attacks were frequently made upon parties going out with camels to graze, and expeditions to punish the villages to which the marauders belonged were undertaken. At length General Sir John Keane, who was in command of the whole expedition, arrived at Quettah, to the satisfaction of the army, for it was thought that some decision must now be arrived at. It was evident to all that, unless something were done, famine would ere long stare them in the face. The European troops could indeed exist upon meat, but the native troops and camp followers, the greater portion of whom were not meat-eaters, were already in sore distress, the supply of grain and rice barely sufficing to keep life together. The hope was justified. As soon as the general arrived the heads of the departments were assembled and arrangements were made for an advance. The greater portion of the Bombay army arrived soon after their commander, and although the men were still weakened by privation the army was in most respects perfectly capable of carrying out the work successfully. There was, however, one serious drawback which threatened to destroy their efficiency: the horses of the cavalry and artillery and the animals of the transport were so weakened by want of grain and hay that they were altogether unfit for hard work.

It was upon the 7th of April that the army moved forward, seven weeks having elapsed since they started from Shikarpore. The march to Candahar was long and painful, several passes had to be traversed, food became more and more scarce, and hundreds of animals died daily. Beloochee plunderers during the first portion of the journey, and Afghan raiders during the second, hung along the line of march, murdering all who straggled, capturing camels, at times even threatening an attack in force. They were able to do this, as our cavalry horses were so broken down that they could scarcely proceed beyond a walk. The Candahar princes with a large following came out to give battle; but Hajee Khan Kakur, one of the leading chiefs, had been bribed by our political officers, and deserting, came into our camp with a large body of followers, and this so disheartened the princes, and excited so much fear among them of further treachery, that they withdrew at once to Candahar, and a few hours after their arrival there took the northern road. After immense suffering from want of water and food, the army entered the city on the 26th of April, Shah Soojah having gone on with Hajee Kakur and made a formal entry into the town two days previously.