The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-07 00:00:00

SCENE OF THE BATTLE.

The Daily Telegraph gives the following description
of the actual ground on which the battle of Khushk-i-
Nakhud was fought, from the pen of a Correspondent
who knows the locality well :-
- - -

" From Girishk the road crosses the Helmund river, and
follows a direction almost true east right up to Candahar.
lor some miles after leaving the river the ground on either
side is an extensive stony plain, bounded on the north by a
considerable chain of hills running parallel to the road, from
which several spurs trend outward, approaching more and
more to the road until at last two of these spurs close in the
valley of Khushk-i-Nakhud on the west and east, while the
parent chain bounds the north. The western spur retires a little
from the road, but the eastern spur comes out so much that
the road is forced to make a detour round it. From this
point to Hauz-i-Iladad, a distance of tweaty•three miles, the
mountains begin to recede, till at the latter place they
fall back to form the eastern side of the Argan-
dab Valley. Beginning again at the Helmund, and
looking towards the south the plain as far as Khushk-
i-Isiakhud becomes more slid more undulating, and, cul-
minating at this point, forms elevations which bound the
southern part of Khushk-i-Nakhud valley. The elevations
are abrupt and difficult, and though not actually impas-
sable for any arm, yet are sufficient to prevent cavalry and
horse artillery passing at anything but a slow walk. From
here to Hauz-13Iadad the ground smooths down gradually,
patches of cultivation appear, and at last cover the whole
country about, leaving nothing bare but the rocky
mountain sides and the desert, like a line of red sand.
There is a good deal of grape cultivation, especially on the
lower slopes of the hills, and as these vineyards are gene,
rally enclosed by a low wall, and the vines are grown in
parallel ditches seven to eight feet apart, each ditch three
feet wide and four feet deep, the excavated earth being
heaped on the middle between the two rows, they form
serious impediments to an advance, while at the same time
giving excellent cover to skirmishers. The soil of the
valley is soft loam, so that the Afghans who have an
excellent system fog distributing water, would be able in
a few hours to make the whole valley almoatenpassable
for cavalry. Towards the right gentre of the v'Wey and 800
yards from the road is a kind of Ifitsjid, marking the tomb
of a Mussulman pir, or saint. it stands at) the aorner of a
large vineyard, cultivated by the fakir, who looks after the
tomb. The spot is a well•known landmark, on ac,count cff
three large cypress trees which grow close by, and can be
distinguished for many a mile by their dark massive foliage.
On the slopes of the eastern spur, and overshadowed by
Its last high hill, is situated an old castle. A little
less to the east, and 4 hundred yards south of the
road, is a square Walied enclosure of about eighty
yards side and with walls twenty feet high, along the inner
side of which and abutting a.gainst them are A row of native
round-topped huts, showing that it was probably an old
Afghan outpost. It was here that Colonel Malcohnson atid
Colonel Tanner, of the Ind Beloochees, took up their posi-
tion for the night when, last year, they repulsed the attack
vaa4a upon them by the turbulent tribes of 'Leinindaavar.
One more curious feature of the scene yet remains untold
—it is that 44 the hills are approached the ground is so
sharply and deeply nudulating that in any of the hollows
thus formed several thousand men might be hid and lie
there quite concealed until these approaching had actually
mounted the side of the undulation. 'faking all this into
consideration, and seeing that there Was never alcient
cavalry to feel the eher4Y, there can be no doubt that AYoub
Khan crossed the Helninnd north of the line of hills above.
mentioned, then it is most prohahla that he followed the
northern slopes until he met the road pen,iing across
from Khushk-1-Nakhud, and that would he jua by the
junction of the eastern spur. By turning to hie riot t
this place he might easily get his infantry along
the hollows and sides of the hills almost right
up to the old castle. If such was the case, and General
Burrows' cavalry and artillery were drawn off to the north
of the valley by a feigned attack and flight, then it is easy to
see how open it left the British infantry, who must have
been drawn up somewhere near the old 4.9h4b., outpost."