=Source.=--_Parliamentary Publications_, "Afghanistan," C 2,736 of
1880, p. 3.
_Telegram from Viceroy, June 27, 1880, to Secretary of State._
Telegram from Thomson at Teheran says: Ayub Khan marching against
Candahar with large force. I think we should leave Shere Ali to
defend himself beyond the Helmund, but it seems to me, after
communicating with Stewart, that it would be inconsistent with
security of our military position at Candahar to allow hostile
forces to cross that river. I propose, therefore, to instruct
Primrose, if Ayub reaches Furrah, to advance towards Girishk with
sufficient force to prevent passage of Helmund....
_Telegram dated August 2, 1880, from Colonel St. John, Candahar, to
Foreign, Simla (p. 33)._
_29th._--Arrived here yesterday afternoon with General Burrows
and Nuttall and remnant of force. Telegraph has been interrupted
ever since my arrival. No chance of restoration, so send this
by messenger to Chaman. Burrows marched from Kushk-i-Nakhud on
morning 27th, having heard from me that Ayub's advanced guard had
occupied Maiwand, about three miles from the latter place. Enemy's
cavalry appeared advancing from direction of Haidrabad, their
camp on Helmund ten miles above Girishk. Artillery and cavalry
engaged them at 9 a.m., so shortly afterwards whole force of enemy
appeared, and formed line of battle--seven regiments, regulars in
centre, three others in reserve; about 2,000 cavalry on right;
400 mounted men and 2,000 Ghazis and irregular infantry on left;
other cavalry and irregulars in reserve; five or six batteries of
guns, including one of breechloaders, distributed at intervals.
Estimated total force, 12,000. Ground slightly undulating, enemy
being well posted. Till 1 p.m. action confined to artillery fire,
which so well sustained and directed by enemy that our superior
quality armament failed to compensate for inferior number of guns.
After development of rifle fire, our breechloaders told; but
vigorous advance of cavalry against our left, and Ghazis along the
front, caused native infantry to fall back in confusion on 66th,
abandoning two guns. Formation being lost, infantry retreated
slowly; and in spite of gallant efforts of General Burrows to rally
them, were cut off from cavalry and artillery. This was at 3 p.m.,
and followers and baggage were streaming away towards Candahar.
After severe fighting in enclosed ground, General Burrows succeeded
in extricating infantry and brought them into line of retreat.
Unfortunately no effort would turn fugitives from main road,
waterless at this season. Thus majority casualties appear to have
occurred from thirst and exhaustion. Enemy's pursuit continued to
ten miles from Candahar, but was not vigorous. Cavalry, artillery,
and a few infantry reached banks of Argandab, forty miles from
scene of action, at 7 a.m., many not having tasted water since
previous morning. Nearly all ammunition lost, with 400 Martini,
700 Sniders, and 2 nine-pounder guns. Estimated loss, killed,
and missing: 66th, 400; Grenadiers, 350; Jacob's Rifles, 350;
artillery, 40; sappers, 21; cavalry, 60.... Preparations being now
made for siege....
_Extract from General Burrows's Report on the Action (p. 101)._
... Between two and three o'clock the fire of the enemy's guns
slackened, and swarms of Ghazis advanced rapidly towards our
centre. Up to this time the casualties among the infantry had not
been heavy, and as the men were firing steadily, and the guns
were sweeping the ground with case shot, I felt confident as to
the result. But our fire failed to check the Ghazis; they came on
in overwhelming numbers, and, making good their rush, they seized
the two most advanced horse artillery guns. With the exception of
two companies of Jacob's Rifles, which had caused me great anxiety
by their unsteadiness early in the day, the conduct of the troops
had been splendid up to this point; but now, at the critical
moment, when a firm resistance might have achieved a victory, the
infantry gave way, and, commencing from the left, rolled up, like
a wave, to the right. After vainly endeavouring to rally them, I
went for the cavalry.... The 3rd Light Cavalry and the 3rd Sind
Horse were retiring slowly on our left, and I called upon them to
charge across our front and so give the infantry an opportunity
of reforming; but the terrible artillery fire to which they had
been exposed, and from which they had suffered so severely, had so
shaken them that General Nuttall was unable to give effect to my
order. All was now over....
_Extract from Report by Lieutenant-General Primrose, Commanding 1st
Division Southern Afghanistan Field Force (p. 156)._
I would most respectfully wish to bring to the Commander-in-Chief's
notice the gallant and determined stand made by the officers
and men of the 66th Regiment at Maiwand.... 10 officers and 275
non-commissioned officers and men were killed, and 2 officers and
30 non-commissioned officers and men wounded. These officers and
men nearly all fell fighting desperately for the honour of their
Queen and country. I have it on the authority of a Colonel of
Artillery of Ayub Khan's army that a party of the 66th Regiment,
which he estimated at one hundred officers and men, made a most
determined stand in a garden. They were surrounded by the whole
Afghan Army, and fought on until only eleven men were left,
inflicting enormous loss upon the enemy. These eleven charged out
of the garden, and died with their faces to the foe, fighting to
the death. Such was the nature of their charge and the grandeur
of their bearing that, although the whole of the Ghazis were
assembled around them, not one dared approach to cut them down.
Thus standing in the open, back to back, firing steadily and truly,
every shot telling, surrounded by thousands, these eleven officers
and men died; and it was not until the last man had been shot down
that the Ghazis dared advance upon them.