FIRST COLUMN.
4 guns, Peshawar Light Field Battery.[[32]] 2 guns, Peshawar Mountain Train Battery.[[33]] 260 bayonets, 98th Foot. 100 sabres, 7th Irregular Cavalry.[[34]] 200 sabres, Guides Cavalry. 30 sabres, Peshawar Light Horse.[[35]] 100 bayonets, Sappers and Miners. 300 bayonets, 21st Native Infantry.[[36]] 300 bayonets, Guides Infantry. 400 bayonets, 9th Punjab Infantry.[[37]] 400 bayonets, 18th Punjab Infantry.[[38]]
SECOND COLUMN.
200 bayonets, 81st Foot. 100 sabres, 18th Irregular Cavalry.[[39]] 47 bayonets, Sappers and Miners. 200 bayonets, Kelat-i-Ghilzie Regiment. 450 bayonets, 8th Punjab Infantry.[[40]]
THIRD COLUMN.
105 bayonets, 81st Foot. 10 bayonets, 98th Foot. 25 sabres, 7th Irregular Cavalry. 25 sabres, 18th Irregular Cavalry.[[39]] 60 sabres, Guides Cavalry. 254 bayonets, Kelat-i-Ghilzie Regiment. 155 bayonets, 21st Native Infantry. 76 bayonets, Guides Infantry. 54 bayonets, 8th Punjab Infantry.[[40]] 137 bayonets, 9th Punjab Infantry. 185 bayonets, 18th Punjab Infantry.
Expedition of 1858
The force assembled at the frontier village of Salim Khan, which was made the base of operations, and on the 25th April the people of Totalai, who had long been oppressed by the chief of the Khudu Khels, now, encouraged by the proximity of the troops, made a rush upon Panjtar, intending to seize the chief, Mukarrab Khan, but he escaped to Chinglai, when his village was burnt before the troops arrived upon the scene. The first object of the expedition was thus unexpectedly and easily attained.
The following arrangements were now made: the First Column, under the Major-General commanding, marching by Chinglai, was to enter Khudu Khel territory by the Darhan Pass; the Second Column was to move directly on Panjtar; while the Third remained in charge of the camp at Salim Khan. The Darhan Pass was found to be a very narrow defile, about two miles in length, the passage of which might easily have been disputed; no opposition was, however, encountered, and the troops reached Chinglai, which was destroyed under a slight and ineffectual fire from the enemy holding the heights. The column returned on the 27th to Salim Khan via Panjtar and the Jehangirra Darra. This route was found to form a very much more difficult approach to Chinglai than the Darhan Pass route, the track being chiefly through broken country, at one point passing through a rocky defile called Taralai—a very formidable obstacle if disputed. Although some of Mukarrab Khan’s men, mounted and on foot, were seen, no attack was made upon the column. The Second Column had meanwhile thoroughly destroyed Panjtar and returned to Salim Khan.
The General now determined to attack a stronghold of the Khan’s, called Mangal Thana, situated on one of the main spurs of the Mahaban Mountain. This place had also been the resort of Maulvi Inayat Ali Khan, who had so perseveringly endeavoured, at Narinji and other places, to raise Yusafzai in rebellion in 1857.