The Afghan force, after half an hour's effort to carry the village
held by the Highlanders, moved off to their left and, working along
the hills, took post on the heights beyond Bala-Hissar. In the
meantime General Macpherson, having dispersed a strong body of the
enemy up the valley, marched back towards Cabul and, coming across
the scene of the late action, brought in the bodies of the dead
officers. The guns had already been carried off for, as the enemy
advanced, Colonel Macgregor--collecting a handful of lancers and
artillery men--worked round to their rear and--dispersing a small
body of the enemy, who had lingered at a village near the
guns--succeeded in extricating the cannon from the swamp, and
carried them off to Sherpur.
From the signal post established above Bala-Hissar, an order was
flashed to General Baker--who was many miles away--to inform him of
what had occurred, and to order him to march back, with all speed.
Late that evening he arrived, with his column; and the British
force was again united.
The next day, 560 men of Macpherson's brigade--composed of portions
of the 67th, the 72nd, the 3rd Sikhs, and 5th Ghoorkas--were sent
out to attack the enemy; who had established themselves upon a
lofty peak, south of Cabul. The Afghans occupied the crest in
strength and, hidden behind the hill, had 5000 or 6000 men lying in
wait, to attack the assailing party in the rear as they pressed
upwards.
The position was, however, too strong to be carried. After several
hours of fighting, the little British force had driven the Afghans
from the lower part of the hill; but were unable to mount towards
the crest, for ammunition was running short, and the enemy were too
strongly posted. General Roberts therefore ordered Macpherson to
hold the ground which he had gained, until next morning, when more
troops would be sent.
At eight o'clock in the morning, accordingly, General Baker moved
out from Sherpur, with a strong force, and attacked the enemy's
position in flank; while Macpherson continued his advance in front.
The Afghans fought desperately, and clung to their position until
the British were close up; when a desperate hand-to-hand struggle
took place, and the British became masters of the position.
While the fighting had been going on, great masses of the enemy had
come down from the end of the valley, and threatened the road
between Sherpur and Cabul. The 9th Lancers made a magnificent
charge among them, broke them, and drove them back. Several other
brilliant charges were made, and the plain was kept clear of the
enemy. Captain Butson, however--who commanded--was killed, and two
other officers wounded.
With each hour that passed the position grew more serious, as
immense bodies of the enemy were seen, advancing from all sides.
The city was now in open revolt, and the small garrison there with
difficulty held their own.
One more effort was made to drive the enemy off the hills. Early on
the 15th General Baker, with 1200 infantry and eight guns, left the
cantonment. After very severe fighting, the enemy were driven from
their lowest positions but, as Baker advanced, a body of from
15,000 to 20,000 of the enemy marched out across the plain, towards
the position just captured. Steadily they advanced, and the shells
which our mountain guns sent among them, and the volleys poured
down from the face of the hill, did not suffice to check them in
the slightest. Reassured by their own enormous numbers, and feeling
that success was in their grasp, they pressed forward; and
desperate fighting took place. A position held by the 5th Punjaub
Infantry was carried by their attack, and two guns were lost; but
the rest of the positions were maintained.
Seeing that it was impossible to hold the Bala-Hissar and Cabul, in
the face of the hordes opposed to him--which were estimated, by the
general himself, as numbering 80,000 men; but which the Afghans,
themselves, afterwards acknowledged were between 100,000 and
120,000--General Roberts determined to concentrate his troops at
Sherpur. Baker was ordered to maintain the position he held, at all
costs, until the troops from the Bala-Hissar were withdrawn. This
he did; and although, as he fell back, the Afghan hordes swarmed
round him, he fought his way back to Sherpur and, by nightfall, all
the British force were safely gathered in the cantonments there.
Two days previously, General Roberts had telegraphed for the
regiments most advanced in the passes, below, to come forward. They
arrived on the morning of the 16th, and the general had no longer
any anxiety as to his ability to hold the cantonments--for months,
if necessary--against the attacks of the Afghans.
Had these attacked on the morning following what was virtually a
victory--whilst still flushed with triumph and excitement--it would
have needed all the efforts of the English to hold their position,
against so formidable an attack. The Afghans, however, contented
themselves with occupying several walled villages near the
cantonment, and keeping up an incessant fire upon it. Meanwhile,
their main body indulged in wild excesses in Cabul--sacking the
Hindoo quarter, and plundering all the shops, without much
distinction of nationality.
Thus, three days elapsed; the British making the most of the time
afforded them, by strengthening the weak points of their defenses
Lines of wagons were placed in the gap between the unfinished wall
and the foot of the hill. Wires were stretched in all directions,
and chevaux-de-frise erected beyond.
On the 18th the enemy came down in force and, for some hours, a
tremendous musketry fire was kept up at the position; but the fire
of the musketry and guns, from the walls, was so hot that they did
not venture upon an attack.
The following day General Baker sallied out and attacked a
fortified post, a few hundred yards from the wall. From this place
the enemy had greatly annoyed the garrison. After some severe
fighting the Afghans were driven out, and the place blown up.
On the evening of the 22nd the general received news that the
Afghans, having prepared a great number of ladders for the assault,
intended to attack that night. There had been several similar
warnings but, this time, the news proved correct. A signal fire was
lit upon one of the heights at four in the morning and, at five
o'clock, the plain was covered with the enemy. Quietly they crept
up in the darkness, towards the walls; and at six o'clock a
prodigious shouting was heard, and from the villages, orchards, and
enclosed ground upon all sides, the enemy dashed forward to the
assault.
As they approached, they opened fire on all sides; pressing chiefly
towards the weak point, near the foot of the hills. But, tremendous
as was the roar of the Afghan fire, it was drowned by the roll of
musketry which broke from the whole circuit of the walls; where the
British troops, rifle in hand, had been lying for three hours,
waiting the attack. So terrible was the storm of lead that swept
the plain that the Afghans paused, in their advance. For two hours
they remained around the walls--yelling, shouting, and firing
heavily--but all the efforts of their leaders could not induce them
to rise from the ground, and hazard a charge. Many dropped within
eighty or ninety yards of the wall but, beyond that, the bravest
dared not advance.
When morning broke, the welcome news was brought down--from the
outlook on the top of the hill--that far across the plain could be
seen the tents of the force of General Gough; who was coming up
through the passes, to the relief of the garrison. The news had
reached the assailants, also. Considerable bodies of the enemy were
observed moving out from Cabul, as if with the intention of
attacking the relieving force.
The assailants of the British position--finding their inability to
produce the smallest impression--were now beginning to waver; and
General Gough ordered the cavalry and horse artillery to go out, by
the road which led through a gorge in a hill behind, and to sweep
round and take them in the rear.
This they did, with immense success. At the moment that they fell
upon the enemy, the British infantry sallied out from the
cantonment and attacked them in front. A panic seized the Afghans.
In a few minutes the whole plain was covered with flying fugitives;
among whom our cavalry swept backward and forward, cutting them up
in all directions; while the fire of our infantry, and of the guns
on the walls, searched them through and through, whenever they
attempted to gather in a knot, and make a stand.
By nightfall, the whole of the Afghans had either fled to the
hills, or were driven into Cabul. Upon the following day General
Gough's force marched in but, before their arrival, it was found
that the enemy had again evacuated the city; and the British were,
as before, masters of the position. After the decisive defeat which
had been inflicted upon them, and the dispersion of the great force
which had gathered, confident of victory, there was little fear of
any further attempt on the part of the enemy. They had brought
their whole force into the field and, as this was defeated and
dispersed, before the arrival of General Gough with his
reinforcements, it was evident that success could not be hoped for
against the united strength of the English.
The time passed quietly, now. The Bala-Hissar and Cabul were
reoccupied and, as the natives were cowed by the crushing defeat
they had experienced, there was no longer any repetition of the
insolent and defiant manner which they had, before, manifested.
On the 3rd of January a message was brought to the orderly room
that the general wished to see Sergeant Gale. Upon his presenting
himself at the general's quarters, Sir Frederick Roberts--to his
surprise--at once advanced, and shook him warmly by the hand.
"Mr. Gale," he said, "I am very happy to inform you that the Horse
Guards have acted upon my recommendation, seconded by that which
was sent in by your colonel--who wrote at once, upon receiving a
notification from me of the step I had taken, saying that you had
distinguished yourself very highly, in the attack upon the
Peiwar-Khotal, and that he was convinced that you would make, in
all respects, an excellent officer. With my despatches that have
just come in, I have received a notification that my request has
been attended to; together with a copy of the Gazette, in which you
are appointed to the 66th Regiment.
"I have to congratulate you, sir. You are now an officer; and will,
I am quite sure, do every credit to my recommendation."
The young soldier was, for a moment, too moved at the tidings to
speak coherently; but he murmured his thanks to the general for his
kindness.
"Do not say anything about that," the general said, heartily. "It
is a pleasure, to me, to have been able to advance a promising
young soldier.
"I am only sorry that you are not gazetted to a regiment in my own
division. The 66th are at Candahar; and unfortunately they will
not, I understand, form part of a column with which General Stuart
will advance, in the spring, up the valley through Ghuzni to this
place. Had it been so, it would have been best for you to wait
their arrival here but, as it is, you had better go down the pass
to India, and work round and join your regiment. It is a long road,
but it is always best for a young officer to be with his
regiment--especially when in the field--and it is possible that
they may have their share of fighting, round Candahar.
"And now, there is one thing more. You will have to get an outfit,
and there will be the expense of your travel, until you join your
regiment. There will be no difficulty about an outfit. This you can
procure easily, on the sale of some officer's effects.
"By the by, poor young Thompson, who died yesterday, was about your
size; and you had better bid a lump sum for the whole of his kit. I
shall be happy to be your banker for that, and the needful sum for
your traveling expenses. When you join your regiment you will, of
course, be able to draw your pay, from the date on which you were
gazetted."
Will thanked the general very heartily for his offer, but said that
he had 100 pounds standing at his account at the bank of Hindostan,
which had been presented to him by the owners of the vessel in which
he arrived there; and that this would be more than sufficient for all
his needs, if the general would kindly authorize the staff paymaster
to cash his drafts upon the bank.
This request was at once granted. The paymaster of Lieutenant
Thompson's regiment estimated that the effects of the young officer
would sell, at auction, for about 20 pounds; and this sum William
Gale gladly paid, thereby obtaining a complete outfit of regimental
and civilian clothes, and under linen of all descriptions. Another
30 pounds bought him a horse and saddlery while, for 5 pounds, he
obtained a rough pony for the use of Yossouf--who steadily refused
to leave him, although Will pointed out to him that, glad as he
should be to have him with him, it would be far more to his
advantage to remain among his people at Cabul, where he had means
of settling comfortably.
Upon the following day--having obtained his new uniform, which he
found required no alteration to fit him fairly--William Gale dined
with General Roberts; who had kindly invited him in order to
introduce him, in his new position, to the officers of his staff He
was obliged to remain three or four days longer at Sherpur, until a
strong escort, with sick, was going down through the passes to
Jellalabad. His baggage was stowed upon a camel and, after a kind
adieu from General Roberts, and a very cordial one from the staff
sergeants--among whom he had worked for three months--he started
with the convoy for the lower valleys.
The escort consisted of a hundred men of the infantry of the
Guides. The way down the pass was difficult; but no snow had fallen
for three weeks, and the roads were fairly beaten down by passing
parties. Still, their progress was slow and, late on the afternoon
of the second day after starting, they were still four miles from
the fort of Jugdulluk; which was held by a British force, and where
they were to halt for the night.
The Guides were on the alert. A party of four men were 200 yards
ahead of the little column, which was commanded by Captain Edwards.
Presently a shot rang out from the front, followed by a scattered
discharge. William Gale was, at the moment, riding by the side of
Captain Edwards. He had already placed himself under that officer's
orders, in case of any emergency.
"Mr. Gale," Captain Edwards said, "will you ride forward at once,
with six men, to the advanced party. When you get there, take such
measures as you may think fit; and send me back word as to the
strength and position of the enemy."
With six of the Guides, Will at once rode forward; while Captain
Edwards halted, until the little column was gathered closely
together: the camels and dhoolies, with sick men, in the center;
the soldiers, in readiness for action, around them.
A soldier now ran up with a slip of paper, upon which Will had
scribbled, in pencil:
"The enemy are apparently in considerable force. The defile opens
here. They are disposed among rocks and boulders, on either side."
Will, on arriving at the advanced party, had found at once that the
force of the enemy was too strong for him to attempt to move
forward, at present. He had posted the men behind boulders by the
wayside, ordering them to pick off any man that showed himself; and
they were soon engaged in a sharp musketry skirmish with the enemy.
One of their number had fallen at the first discharge; and Will,
taking his rifle, used it with effect, until the head of the convoy
arrived.
It was now fast becoming dark, and the flashes of the enemy's fire,
from behind the rocks, showed how numerous were the assailants.
"There must be a couple of thousands of the scoundrels," Will said
to Captain Edwards, as the latter came up to ascertain the state of
affairs. "Hampered with the convoy, the position is an awkward one.
It is fortunate they attacked where they did; for we can hold our
own here while, if they had waited till we got fairly down into
this comparatively open valley, and then attacked us on both
flanks, it would have been very awkward.
"We must try and clear them out. We cannot stop here all night. It
is freezing very sharp, now; and the cold will be intense, in an
hour or two."
"I will take thirty men," Captain Edwards said, "and skirmish along
among the rocks on the left. Do you take as many more, and move
along the right of the path. The remaining forty shall stay here,
under my sergeant, to guard the convoy from an attack in rear, in
case any of the enemy should come down the defile behind us."
The fight soon became exceedingly hot. Making their way along the
rocks, on either side of the path, the Guides slowly drove the
enemy before them. It was hard work, however, for the tribesmen
fought steadily and, as those in front fell back upon those lower
down the valley, their resistance became every moment more
obstinate. Eight of Will's party had already fallen; but although,
sword in hand, he was leading them, encouraging them with voice and
gesture, not a bullet had as yet struck him.
Presently Captain Edwards, having crossed the valley, stood by his
side.
"We are at a standstill," he said. "Nine of my men are killed or
wounded, already; and the fellows are as thick as peas. I am afraid
we shall never be able to force our way through.
"There," he exclaimed, as a sound of firing was heard in the rear,
"they have come down on the convoy from behind. We had better, I
think, fall back a bit; and take post near the mouth of the defile.
We must defend ourselves, as best we can, till morning."
The movement was steadily executed, the wounded men being carried
with them as they retired. The tribesmen advanced as they fell
back--not venturing to press them, however; for the rear guard kept
their faces towards them, and any who ventured to show themselves
instantly paid the penalty of their rashness.
For an hour the fight went on. It was night now, and dark as pitch
in the deep valley in which the fight was going on; the position of
the combatants being only indicated by the flickering flashes of
the muskets. The Afghans were gradually creeping nearer, as the
Guides could see, by the flashes.
"If the fellows only make a determined rush at us," Captain Edwards
said to Will, "it will go hard with us. Fortunately, they are as
much in the dark as we are, and will find it difficult to gather
for a rush."
"I think we may hold out till morning but, by that time, news that
we are blockaded here will spread throughout the hills, and we may
have 10,000 of them down on us. I think, if you will give me leave,
the best plan will be for me to try and make my way down to
Jugdulluk, to bring up help from there."
"You would never get through," Captain Edwards advised. "It is a
brave offer, Gale, but could not be done."
"I think it might be done," Will said. "It is as dark as pitch. I
will take my lad with me, and will borrow a native cap and cloak
from one of the bearers--there are some Afghans among them. I will
take off my patrol jacket, and leave it behind me, and my boots. We
will crawl along in the dark.
"If--as is likely enough--we stumble against some of them, we will
say we are wounded, and are making our way to the rear. They cannot
see us in the dark, and my Afghan will pass muster; and Yossouf
will certainly not be suspected. If I am discovered and killed, he
will go forward and deliver the message."
The plan seemed to offer every possibility of success; and Captain
Edwards, seeing how serious the position was, consented to allow
Will to attempt it.
A few words to Yossouf sufficed to inform him of the task Will was
about to undertake, and he at once agreed to share the danger. A
rough sheepskin cap was obtained for Will from one of the camel
men. His tunic was thrown off, and a posteen--or Afghan sheepskin
coat--was put on, in its place. He took a long matchlock, which the
camel man carried, slung over his shoulders; took off his boots,
and thrust a pair of loose Afghan shoes into his belt. Yossouf
needed no preparations, beyond borrowing a matchlock.
Wringing Captain Edwards' hand, Will stooped on his hands and knees
and, with Yossouf a pace or two ahead, began to crawl down the
path. Before starting, the orders had been sent round to the
soldiers to fire at the rocks on either side of the path, but on no
account to fire down the road, itself. As he expected, Will found
this clear of Afghans, for a considerable distance. A heavy fire
had, previous to their starting, been directed down this path; to
prevent the Afghans from gathering there in the darkness,
preparatory to making a rush. They came across several dead bodies,
but the enemy were all behind rocks, on one side or other of the
road.
When they had crawled a hundred yards, they were past the front
line, from which the Afghans were keeping up a heavy fire; but Will
knew that, from their numbers, they must extend far back down the
valley and, indeed, from almost every rock the flashes of the
matchlocks blazed out, as the lurking tribesmen fired in the
direction of the mouth of the defile.
They were nearly a quarter of a mile down when an Afghan--who had
been crouching behind a rock, close to the path--advanced into the
road to fire, when he stumbled against Yossouf.
"What are you doing?" he exclaimed.
"We are both wounded, by the Kaffirs," Yossouf answered; "and are
making our way back, to bind up our wounds. I think my arm is
broken; but I mean to come back again, to have a few more shots at
the infidels."
"Good!" the Afghan replied. "How goes it in front?"
"Their fire is lessening," Yossouf said. "We must have killed many.
We shall finish with them in the morning, if not before."
The Afghan fired, and then retired behind his rock to load again;
while Will and Yossouf continued their way.
A few hundred yards farther, they rose to their feet. Will slipped
on the Afghan shoes; and they then proceeded, at a rapid pace, down
the pass. Several times they withdrew from the road, and hid beside
it, as they met parties of tribesmen hurrying up to join in the
attack but, in an hour after starting, they heard the welcome
challenge of the sentry, at Jugdulluk.
Saying who he was, Will was at once passed forward into the fort,
and taken to the quarters of the officer in command.
"I am Lieutenant Gale, of the 66th," Will said, "and was on my way
down the pass with the convoy of wounded, and 100 men of the
Guides, under Captain Edwards. They have been attacked at the lower
end of the defile, some four miles above, by a very strong body of
tribesmen. They are attacked front and rear.
"I have made my way through to ask you if you can despatch a force
to their rescue. Were the tribesmen attacked in their rear, now,
they might be scattered easily enough; but they are assembling very
fast and, in the morning, it will be a difficult matter to reach
them."
"We have fancied," the officer said, "for the last two hours that
we heard distant firing; but we could not be sure, for any noise
echoes so, in these mountains. I will set out at once with you,
with as many men as I can spare."