Up to this date twenty-one British villages had been burnt by the tribesmen, who had also caused us sixty-four casualties.
Expedition of 1868
Expedition against the Black Mountain Tribes, 1868.—An expedition was now sanctioned, but in view of the generally disturbed state of this portion of the frontier, it was decided to draw the required troops from cantonments further down country, leaving the garrisons of Peshawar and of other border posts as far as possible intact. Considering that some regiments had come from as far south as Cawnpore, the concentration by the 24th September of the following force at Agror, Darband and Abbottabad, may be considered a very satisfactory piece of work:
At Agror:
D. F. Royal Horse Artillery. E. 19th Royal Artillery. 2. 24th Royal Artillery. Peshawar Mountain Battery. Hazara Mountain Battery. 1st Battalion 6th Foot. 1st Battalion 19th Foot. Guides Cavalry. 16th Bengal Cavalry.[[10]] Det. Telegraph Sappers. 1st Gurkhas. 2nd Gurkhas. 3rd Sikhs.[[11]] 2nd Punjab Infantry.[[12]] 4th Gurkhas. 20th Punjab Native Infantry.[[13]] 24th Punjab Native Infantry.[[14]] 5th Gurkhas.
At Abbottabad:
2nd and 7th Companies Sappers and Miners.
At Darband, in support of the Nawab of Amb:
38th Foot. 9th Bengal Cavalry.[[15]] 31st Punjab Native Infantry.[[16]]
Composition of Force