The THIRTY-FIRST regiment had Lieut. Dalway M‘Ilveen killed, and seven rank and file wounded; several men of the regiment died suddenly from apoplexy, caused by the heat of the sun and want of water. Thus ended the action of Mazeena, in which the behaviour of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment elicited the highest commendation from Brigadier Monteath, who stated, in his despatch of the 27th of July, that
“at one time the interiors of five-and-thirty forts were in a blaze along the valley, the enemy contemplating the scene from the heights in the vicinity of Secunder Khan’s fort, where they had taken up positions, and from whence they were driven in gallant style by the advance, consisting of the light and two battalion companies of Her Majesty’s THIRTY-FIRST regiment, the light companies of the thirty-third and fifty-third regiments of Native Infantry, and the corps of Jezailchees under Major Skinner, of Her Majesty’s THIRTY-FIRST regiment.
“It gives me great pleasure to record the zealous conduct of the troops generally, and the cheerful and praiseworthy manner in which the soldiers of Her Majesty’s THIRTY-FIRST regiment laboured to drag the guns up such places as the horses, notwithstanding their unequalled qualities, were incapable of doing.
“My thanks are very justly due to Lieut.-Colonel Bolton, of Her Majesty’s THIRTY-FIRST regiment, for the able manner in which he conducted the duties of covering the retirement of the force; and particularly so to Major Skinner for the zealous and gallant manner in which he led the advance against the enemy.”
The Brigadier also acknowledged the services of other officers belonging to the force under his command, in which number was included Lieutenant and Adjutant Lugard, of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, who acted as Major of Brigade.
The brigade of Brigadier-General Monteath, having thus performed most successfully the service for which it had been detached, now marched to join the main army at Jellalabad, and arriving there took up its old ground. On the 22nd of August the army marched in two divisions, and proceeded without opposition, but suffering intense fatigue from the labour of dragging the artillery and stores over the almost inaccessible paths, until it arrived at Soorkhab, distant four marches from Jellalabad.
On the British leaving Soorkhab, the Affghans showed themselves in force, and the rear-guard, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bolton, was so hard-pressed by thousands of the irregular troops of the enemy, that Brigadier Monteath thought it necessary to halt the brigade at the entrance of the Jugdulluck pass, to enable it to form a junction with the main column, which it did after suffering considerable loss. The Ghilzees hotly contested the passage of the pass, but after a sharp engagement they were driven off with much slaughter.
In this action Lieut.-Colonel Bolton had his horse shot under him in two places, and Lieutenant Shaw, of the regiment, was wounded.