=Source.=--_Parliamentary Publications, "Afghanistan,"_ C 2,457 of
1880, p. 95.
_Statement of Taimur (Timoss), Sowar B troop, Corps of Guides, on
September 15, 1879._
I was in the Bala Hissar, Cabul, on the 3rd instant: Major Sir
Louis Cavagnari and the other British officers were in the
bungalow. At about 8 a.m. the Turkestani ("Ardal") regiment, which
was in the Bala Hissar, was paraded to receive its pay. Daud Shah,
the Commander-in-Chief, gave them one month's pay. They claimed
two, and broke. They were paraded quite close to the Residency,
and another regiment was also quartered with them. One of soldiery
shouted out, "Let us destroy the Envoy first of all, and after
that the Ameer!" They rushed into the courtyard in front of the
Residency, and stoned some of the syces who were sitting there. We
then opened fire on them, without orders from any European. All
the British officers were inside. The Ameer's men then went for
their weapons, and returned with them in a quarter of an hour.
They then commenced to besiege the Residency, and from commanding
positions made the roof of the Residency untenable. We made shelter
trenches on it, and fired from the windows. The city people came
to help the soldiers about 10 a.m. Major Sir Louis Cavagnari was
wounded in the forehead about 1 p.m.; he was in a shelter trench. A
man from the roof of a house shot at him, and the bullet striking
a brick, it, together with a piece of brick, struck Sir Louis.
But he was not killed. Mr. Jenkyns came up and sent for a Munshi
to write to the Ameer, but the scribe was unable to write through
fear. I then wrote briefly to the Ameer that we were besieged, and
he was to help us; and sent it by Gholam Nabbi, a Kabuli, an old
Guide Sowar who was in the Residency. No answer came. Gholam Nabbi
afterwards told me that the Ameer wrote on the letter, "If God
will, I am just making arrangements." Major Cavagnari was helped
into the Residency, and tended to by Dr. Kelly. Mr. Jenkyns then
ordered me to send a second letter to the Ameer, stating that Major
Cavagnari was wounded, and to hasten on assistance. The letter was
sent by a Hindu whose name I don't know. He was cut to pieces in
front of the Residency. I was at about 3 p.m. sent with a letter
by Mr. Hamilton promising six months' pay. By that time they had
managed to get on to the roof of the Residency. I went armed into
the midst of the crowd, and was immediately stripped of my arms,
but my life was saved by an officer. They threw me from the roof
of the Residency on to the roof of the neighbouring house. I lost
my senses.... I know nothing of what happened after this, but I
visited the place next morning. I recollect they had begun to set
fire to the Residency just as I was leaving.... Daybreak I went
to the Residency, and saw first the corpse of Lieutenant Hamilton
lying over a mountain gun which had been brought up. The troops
who were there told me Mr. Hamilton had shot about three men with
his pistol, and had cut down two more before he was shot. He was
stripped and cut into pieces, but not dishonoured. About 25 feet
off was the body of Mr. Jenkyns in a similar state. I did not go
into the Residency, but was told Dr. Kelly was lying killed in the
Residency. Sir Louis Cavagnari was in the Residency when it fell in
flames. He was in the room where the wounded were, and his body had
not been discovered when I left the city.
=Source.=--_Parliamentary Publications_, "Afghanistan," C 2,457 of
1880, p. 83.
_Extract from Deposition of Ressaldar-Major Nakshband Khan._
At about 9 a.m., while the fighting was going on, I myself saw the
four European officers charge out at the head of some twenty-five
of the garrison; they drove away a party that were holding some
broken ground. About a quarter of an hour after this another sally
was made by a party with three officers at their head--Cavagnari
was not with them this time--with the same result. A third sally
was made with two British officers (Jenkyns and Hamilton) leading;
a fourth sally was made with a Sikh Jemadar bravely leading. No
more sallies were made after this. They all appeared to go to the
upper part of the house, and fired from above. At about half-past
eleven o'clock part of the building, in which the Embassy was,
was noticed to be on fire. I do not know who fired it. I think
it probable that the defenders, finding themselves so few, fired
part, so as to have a less space to defend. The firing went on
continuously all day; perhaps it was hottest from 10 a.m. to 3
p.m., after which it slackened, and the last shots were fired at
about 8.30 p.m. or 9 p.m., after which all was quiet, and everyone
dispersed. The next morning I heard shots being fired. I asked an
old woman, to whose house I had been sent for safety by Sirdar Wali
Muhammad Khan, what this was: she sent out her son to find out.
He said: "They are shooting the people found still alive in the
Residency."