The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-09-11 00:00:00

AFGHANISTAN.

THE STORY OF AYOOB KHAN'S
DEFEAT.

tinder date Candahar, Sept. 2nd, The Times of Tuesday
publishes the following letter from its Correspondent with
Sir F. Ekberts:—
The full story of Ayoob's defeat yesterday is as
follows :—The army reached Robat, seventeen miles
from Candahar, on the 28th ult., and General Rob.3rts,
justly considering that his men required repose
after their great exertions of the last twenty days,
halted on the 29th. He then made Candahar by two
easy marches, arriving there on the 31st ult. On the
afternoon of the 31st a bold reconnoissance of the enemy's
position was made by the whole Cavalry Brigade, ac-
companied by Colonel Chapman, Chief of the Staff. The
fire of the enemy was drawn in all directions, and
their positions accurately discovered. The Cawalry
retired late in the evening, covered by the 15th Sikhs,
under a heavy fire. The 3rd, or Macgregor's Brigade,
hel4 an advanced position for the night. The enemy's
position was found to be as follows :—Their camp was
pitched behind the screen of a high-banked ridge of
hills, extending from near the Argandab in a north
easterly direction. The western extremity of this
ridge is called Pir-Paimal. There are two passes through
this ridge from Candahar, the Baba Wali and the
the Morcha. The first is easy, but it was strongly held
by the enemy, with several guns on its crest. The second
which was more difficult, was on the right of the posi-
tion, and was covered by several parallel canals,
derived from the Argandab, which, though very dry
at present, formed a most formidable obstacle. A.
detached hill, in the rear of the position, and sepa-
rated from the outer ridge by gardens and orchards
further strengthened the enemy's flank. Nevertheless,
General Roberts decided to make this his point of
attack, perceiving that if once the village of Pir-
Paimal, at the foot of the hill of that name, were
captured, his troops would take the whole position in
flank, when a determined advance must roll up the
whole of Ayoob's line, and infallibly lose him his guns.
Orders were accordingly given assigning this operation
to Hardy, with the Cabul Brigades, while the Baba
Wadi and Morcha Passes should be watched and
menaced by the Candahar garrison, and the guns on
the Baba Wali be silenced by the heavy battery.
General Gough's Cavalry was to act independently on
the left and cut off fugitives from the main attack.
At nine a.m. the troops were in position and at half-
past ten a commanding village in front of the Infantry
had been stormed by the 92nd, the 2nd Goorkhas, and
the regiments of the Ist Brigade, after being heavily
shelled by Battery C 2 of the Royal Artillery and by
the screw gun battery C 8 Royal Artillery. This Bri-
gade was then joined by the 2nd, or Baker's, Brigade,
and the two advanced along the line of the canals until
they were lost to sight round the shoulder of Pir-
Paimal. The fighting was severe during this advance
and in taking the village of Pir-Paimal, but the 3rd
Brigade (Macgregor's) was in reserve to afford support
if necessary It was intended that the troops should
halt for some time in Pir-Paimal and reconnoitre
further, but the enemy showed continued confidence,
and it was found advisable by Major-General Ross,
who conducted the operation, to push on. The enemy
resisted stoutly, and it was here that the principal
as loss w sustained. Two small advance camps
were then sighted and captured, together with some:
guns. After a brief struggle the alarm caused by
this success was communicated to Ayoob's main i
camp further on, and a general flight ensued. Guns
were captured by our troops at each step, and 32
had been taken before they drew breath at the village
of Mazra, far beyond the Baba Wali Pass. Here
General Ross halted his brigade at 1 p.m., further
infantry pursuit being impossible and useless. As
soon as General Roberts saw how matters were pro-
ceeding, he sent for the 3rd Bombay Cavalry and the
3rd Scinde Horse from the front of the Baba Wall Pass
to Mazra, and ordered them to carry on the pursuit
for 15 miles further. They met General Gough's
cavalry returning, and returned with them to Can-
dahar. The cavalry pursued the fugitives in the
direction of Khakrez, and killed between 200 and
300, 70 of whom fell to the sabres of the
3rd Punjab Cavalry in one place. They then
swept round and met the Bombay Cavalry, as before
mentioned. At the enemy's main camp was found
the lifeless. body of poor Lieutenant Maclaine.
Some native soldiers, prisoners in Ayoob's camp,
reported that when the Afghans were about to fly,
the guard at his tent called him out and deliberately
murdered him—a deed for which Ayoob will be fori
ever execrated. Remains of bread, which the poor
fellow had been eating, his journal, his pipe, and other
trifles were found in the tent half an hour later by
Euan Smith. The first Brigade bivouacked for the
night at the enemy's camp, in charge of the captured
guns, among which were the two Horse Artillery guns
lost at Khuslik-i-Nakhud. The rest of the troops
returned to Candahar by the Baba Wali Pass, ar-
riving at six p.m. When General Roberts, at the end
of the action, rode up to the different regiments to
thank thun for their conduct, he was loudly and re-
peatedly cheered, showing how entirely he possesses
the confidence and the affection of the troops. The
feeling of the whole of the Cabul force is that the
victory of yesterday fully repays them for their past
exertions.

The action was fought throughout on a scientific
plan, without accident or mistake, and was certainly
creditable to the British arms. Ayoob will probably
find his way, a discredited man, to Herat, and some of
the other chiefs to Zemindawar, but it is not likely
that they will Imo able to induce their followers *soon to
repeat the experiment of braving an English force.
Colonel Brownlows loss is deplored by the whole
force, as that of one of the best and bravest soldiers who
ever led a Britishregiment. Captain Stratton had ren-
dered great service as the head of the Signalling De-
partment from Char-Asiab up to his death. Ile was
shot in the leg by a Ghazi as he wSs riding, almost
unattended, to establish a heliograph station on the
Baba Wali Kotal. His death was promptly avenged
by a signaller of the 72d. Early orders are expected
for the return of the Benol troops to India. General
Roberts has appointed Protheroe to the charge of the
city. Euan Smith proceeds to reopen the line of com-
munications and restore order in the Atchakzae country.
The casualties yesterday were as follow :-72d—killed,
7; wounded, 17. 22d—killed, 11; wounded. 51. 60th
Rifles—wounded, 1. Native Regiments—killed, 11;
wounded, 72. The officers killed were Colonel
Brownlow and Captain "Frome, both of the 72nd
Regiment; and Captain Straton, of the 22nd. The
officers wounded were Captain Murray and Lieu-
tenant Monro, of the 72nd ; Lieutenants Menzies
and Stewart, of the 92nd; Lieutenant-Colonel Battye,
of the 2nd Goorkhas ; and Major Slater, of the 2nd
Sikhs.

The following telegrams have been sent to the papers
from the India Office for publication :

"From Viceroy, 6th September, 1880 :
"Following from Candahar, 3rd September :—The whole
of Ayoob's guns found and brought into Citadel. Ayoob
fled to Khakrez without stopping; is probably in Zemin-
dawar to-day. Hassim Khan and the other Sirdars and
Chiefs, with two exceptions went with him. He had no
baggage and no troops but the fierati Horse. lie is said to
have announced his intention of going straight to Herat.
General Phayre reached Abdulrahman post last evening.
The wounded are doing well."

"From Viceroy, 6th September, 1880.
"Roberts reports from Candahar, under date 3rd, that
Cavalry Brigade have marched for Kokaran. Wounded
comfortably housed and mostly doing well. Total casualties
on 31st and Ist amounted to 248, including two officers
not before mentioned, Lieutenant-Colonel Rowcroft, 4th
Goorkhas, and Lieutenant Chesney, 23rd Pioneers, both
slightly wounded. Number of guns taken is 32-, including
two guns lost at Maiwand. Prisoners say that Ayoob saved
none."

Under date Simla, September 6, a Reuter's tele-
gram says : .

According to intelligence received here from Candahar,
all Ayoob Khan's guns were captured by General Roberts.
It is believed that A yoob Khan has fled to Herat.

The gates of Candahar have been reopened, and the in-
habitants are returning.
The total British loss in the battle with Ayoob Khan's
forces amounts to 248 killed and wounded.

"Lieutenant Maclaine, Royal Artillery, whose
murdered remains were found in Ayoob Khan's camp,
is the eldest son of Mr. W. 0. Maclaine, J.P., of
Kyneton, near Thornbury,. Gloucestershire. He was
reported missing after the battle of Khushk-i-Nakhud,
but intelligence afterwards came from Colonel St.
John that he was a prisoner in Ayoob's camp. The
deceased entered the Royal Artillery in 1872, and was
in his 29th year."—Obituary of The Times, Sept. 6.

The Court Circular of the 3rd says :—" T.o-day the
Queen received with the ,g,reatest satisfaction the
gratifying ktelligence of Sir F. Roberts's brilliant
victory in Afghanistan, after his successful march to
Candahar. Her Majesty at once telegraphed her
congratulations througliuthe Viceroy to Sir F. Roberts
and his gallant troops."

In noticing General Robert's victory, the Pall Mall
Gazette remarks :—" The full political effect of the vic-
tory at Baba Wall remains to be proved by the course
of events; but it does not seem difficult to foretell
what the general sequel of the situation will be. The
main fact which we have to build upon is the great
moral effect sure to have been produced on the Af-
ghans by the rapid, machine-like, unerring certainty
of the blow dealt to them by the flying column in re-
venge for their victory at Kushk-i-Nakhud. They
know the difference between a chancs battle and a
battle by calculation. Neither Ayoob nor any
one of his followers is likely to set Kushk-
i-.Nakhud against Baba Wall, and to cry quits
with the English. Entire demoralization must
be the result of Wednesday's disaster, when the enemy
lost every gun, every tent, and apparently all the
ammunition, food, and baggage. Ayoob Khan, with
Hashim and Musa Jan, and all the rest of them, fled
the straightest way from the English troops, and at this
moment they are pressing hard on the road to Herat.
Not only are our generals very unlikely to see any of
them again, but it is probable that the discourage-
ment will spread through Afghanistan, and that now,
at last, we may have done with the whole sorry busi-
ness, and abandon the quest of honour where no
honour can be found.

In reference to General Roberts's victory the
Debats says :—" Too much praise cannot be bestowed
upon the rapidity and boldness with which this able
commander achieved in twenty days a march of three
hundred and thirty-live miles in a_hostile country,
without a basis of operations, under a broiling heat,
amid untold difficulties and dangers. This brilliant
aohievement, in which the troops showed the legen-
dary solidity of the British soldier, will retrieve the
prestige of England in Afghanistan."

A WEALTHY FRIENpLY.SOCIETY.—The 30th annual
report of the Royal Liver Friendly Society shows that
the collection for the year amounted to £264,282, and
the interest on invested capital to £21,657. The total
receipts from all sources are set down at £286,758.
In the same period £131,762 was spent on claims and
grants, and rather less than £126,000 was expended in
commission to collectors and. agents and other mana-
gerial expenses. The commission to collectors alone
amounted to £66,477. The accumulated capital
amounts to £629,478, of which more than half a mil-
lion sterling is invested in municipal, local govern-
ment, dock, and other bonds: A saving of £40,738 is
claimed on the year's operation',