The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-11-26 00:00:00

THE AFGHA.NISTAN WAR.

ADVANCE INTO THE KHYBER PAM.

CATTURR OF • FORT.
Peons tA4 " Dail, News," Thurviv attermoo„.

At daybro tk to-day General Browne stood on the
little plain beyond Junlrood watching the march to
the front. 'The advance gaunt, under General
Appleyard, firat paved; flex', the wing of the 14th,
the Sikh.. a splendid regiment. then the wing of the
81s1 Queen's; then two companies of Native Sappers,
followed by m'.ui.tnln bAitary 011.1
Horse Artillery. The road is roughi.h till filhadi
Bhuglar Glen la reached; it is then ceder, especially
on Gemmel Mackeerin's road, A piequet of the enemy.
cavalry was visible in front on the top of the Sheol
ridge, quite beyond range. Thu advance guard
merched briskly on, and presently crested • height.
whence, at ten o'clock, a skirmishing fire was opened
on the enemy's Ocquet. The enemy retired after
de,mitcr, reply. The f roe pressing on, and occasicm
ally firing reached the Shama ndge, whence AB
Mruijid is dearly visible. At 2,500 yards range the
front was cleared by our skirmishing fire, then the
Sikha went to the right to work round on All hluajid,.
while other detachments operating on the left front.
occupied without resistance the village of Leila Chem,.
and the tower on the hill beyond. At no in Ali
Mtujid fired the first shell, winch burst into the air.
A second, well aimed, flew over the staff 00 Shag*
and fell without bursting beyond. A long halt was
neoresary to sill /w our heavy battery to come up, ecd
the interval was utilised by the Horse Artillery pladng
guns on the height to our proper right. Ali Musjid
fort replied, and the firing became somewhat brisk.
Meanwhile firing was heard to the proper left of All
Musjid. Some c njecturel it was Ilaciihereon's
turning movement on our rizht coming into operation
but the Afghans about Ali hlusjid held their ground,
although thus apparently threatened on their flank se
well as in front. Our Horse Artilery fire we fahly
served, but the Afghans replied with spirit from AB
Musjid at first, but afterwards was more silent. At
one o'clock the 40-pounders reached the scene and
came into action, as also hiagenis's 9-pounders. The
horse-guns moved off the ridge and gave place to the
9-pounder battery, while the 40-pounders played
weicet the right prolongation of the Afghan position
The Afghan guns itiesS but steadily replied, making
good practice, es y from 7.pounders in the
central' bsetion. bout two o'clock two 40-pounder
shells crashed into the central bastion of All hluaild
and crumbled a great portion of it, and apparently
diem muting the coo which hail been so stubb
Our infantry now mired forward, covered by the
artillery fire, and the skirmishera began to mount the
steep slopes of the Ithotaa. On our rtht the musketry
ass now apparently audible. Soon after two o'cl lot
the infantry &learned briskly. The Fourth Brigade
took the left slopes of the valley, pressing on through
the rock. towards All Musjid. where the l'hird
Brigade took their right side. When the last rocky
ridge on the left slope was closed, • rooky plateau
olaln followed nearly up to the foot of the Ali hirujid
rock, and the skirmisher, pushed on steadily, fi lag
briskly, and irking a awl, reply from the enemy,
who were eturldinir the rock-strewn slopes. Mean-
while Manderain'a b ittery, moviny, on along the bed
of the stream, had COOlO into action. Four guns
previously ail-nt, came again into action, and the
enemy developed guns in new plates. In view id the
expected co-operation front two brigades detached on
the turning movement, and the sun setting while as
yet mu,h hid to be done, the operationa were
reluetontly suspended till to-morrow, precautions
being taken to protect our positions, and the troops
bivormling where they stood on our left. The Third
Brigade had gained a position very close to the right
flank of the All Iduajol position, and linked, were
almost within storming distance.
A MAJOR AWL) LIEUTENANT KILLED.
Au !dump, Friday.

The realisation of the f tot that there wa no hops of
co-operation from Macpherson, thtre wee no alterna-
tive but to suspend the enterprise for the niAt. The
dispositions accordingly were made. Appltyard's
advance of the Third Brigade, cansisting of a
detachment of the 27th lidgade .4 infantry had
passed forward on the steep slope leading t. the t.eak
forming the right flank of the enemy's position, so
eagerly that hopes rose to suc see' but Major Birch,
who commanded the gallant band, found successive
lines of entrenchment occupied by the Afghan., and
at dusk the order reached him to abandon the
insible effort and fall back on his supporta. In
do so the detachment was severely handled. 'Major
13* end Lieut. Fitzierall were k.lled. Lieut.
Maclain was wounded, as were about a score of
&pop,. A few other Sepoys and four men of
Manderson's battery completed the casualties.
JOYILOOD, Friday.

In the houses about Ali lin,jid some 40 to 50
wounded have been found. The garriacin bad bolted
precipitately, leaving their arms, belts, and food. A
considerable number of prisoners were taken. The
General is now in the Afghan commander's tent.
Twenty-one guns were taken. It is reported that the
guides captured the Afghan commander while trying
to escape by B.heti Kheeta. A good deal of firing
has taken place during the morning up the Pass in
the direction of Tytler's Brigade, The Third and
Fourth Brigades are halting at All Idusjid to-day to
admit the supplies coming up.
The Afghan resistance is believed to be smashed.

The official accountworti;74;27e of All I4u.jld
was issued from the India Office on Saturday. From
this it appears that the victory was by no means a
bloodier one, Major Birch and Limit. Fitzgerald, of
the 27th Native Infantry, having been killed, Captain
M'Lean, of the 14th Sikhs, wounded, and 213 or 40 of
the rank and file killed and wounded. One column
advanced on the fortress direct, while a roond nude
a long detour to the right with the view of taming
the position and cutting off the Afghan retreat. In
this it was entirely sucoewdul, and many prisoners
fell into the hands of our troops General 8.. rowne's
report of the brilliant little exploit pats the number of
guns taken at ten; but • subsequent message from
Lahore stare that 22 guns fell into the hands of the
British. It is believed, too, that the messuree which
were taken to cut off the retreat of the garrison,
though not wholly successful, have 'unneeded better
than was at first supposed, the Lahore telegram before
mentioned stating that the greater portion of the
Afghan force, including • General, is believed to have
been captured. It is announced, too, that Sibi has
been occupied without resistance. The spirited
manner in whirs the campaign has opened is being
• pod deal talked about on the Continent
'111(1 column under General Roberta continues Its
advance up the Kliururn Valley, the enemy retiring
before him, end the people maintaing • friendly
attitudw

Quettah Division commanded by Mej
General Biddulph, is pushing oautiously on, and bad
advanced dolt to Pishin ; lxit no resistance is expected
then.

LADY MACBETH AT COURT.

- •
At the Salisbury Petty Sessions on Wednesday,
an elderly woman who would give no other mime
than " Lady Macbeth," warn charged with being drunk
In Bridge-street, and also with wilfully breaking.
square of plate glaas of the value of tl 75., the
FoPertj of Mr. Knight, of the Shoulder of mutton
Inn. Previous to the case being heard prisoner made
an effort to escape from custody, and two or three
Policemen were required to hold her. When she had
calmed down somewhat she commenced quoting
PaGutgen from Shakespeare's plays, to the intenso
amusement of some of the people in court. She varied
this form of diversion by loudly calling for snuff and
mulled porter. She accounted for her conduct on the
Previous evening by saying that • large tom cat was
painted on the window at which she threw a stone.
ldhe broke the window beeause the cat made faces at
her and wagged his tail in a derisive manner; besides
her husband wan inside the inn when she threw the
atone. In reply to the Benoit, Superintendent
Mathews said he Wired prisoner's eccentricities were
"put on." The prisoner was ordered to pay the coat
of the damage to the window, Cl. 7a., and fine of 405.,
in default one month's imprisonment. The money was
not paid.