The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-22 00:00:00

AFFGHANIST AN.

COPY OF A LETTER FROM LADY SALE TO GENERAL SIR '
ROBERT SALE, FROM CAUBUL, GIVING A PRECIS OF
EVENTS IN THAT CITY FROM THE 2D TO THE BTH OF
NOVEMBER, 1841, AND DESPATCHED ON THE 9TH OF
THAT MONTH.
"Sly dear Sale,—The last letter I had from you was dated
the Ist, from Gundamuck. On the 2d an insurrection broke
out in Caubul, the shops plundered, Johnson's house and tree-
sury looted (stripped) and burnt. He was in cantonments, his
guards and servants murdered. Troup and Warburton were
in cantonments; their houses burnt; Sir A. Burnes, his bro-
ther, and Broadfoot, murdered ; Skinner supposed to be se-
creted by his gomashta ; Sturt was sent by the General a
message, and was stabbed in four places in the King's presence
—the face, the shoulder, a glance on the arm, and on the side.
There are three principal chiefs at the head of this—Abdoela
Khan, Atehokaye Moota Meuin, and Secunda Khan. The
Kussulbashes are in, but are afraid to declare openly in our
favour. Shelton, with two reehnents and one company, in the
Bala Hissar. On the 3d the 27th came iii: '1 hey had to fight
their way, being followed by 200 men, and had five killed, and
15 wounded. Gordon slightly w6unded. A number of Ko-
histanees came into Caubul.
" The Trevors got out of the city with just the clothes they
had on their backs. Their house burnt. The Affghans at-
tacked the cantonment and fort, but were repulsed by Waller,
who was wounded by a ball, which lodged in his armpit.
Another large party, who have raised the religious standard,
came against the cantonments at the rear gate, where our guns
dealt destruction, and the cavalry cut them up. Sturt able
to speak, the wound in his shoulder deep, the side not so bad,
the lungs uninjured,- the face wound near the corner of the
eye ; he was struck on the bone with such force, that he was
stunned for the moment ; he had warded off two blows.
" On the 4th, Khan Shurreen Khan and others drove dart
of the fighting men out of the town. The enemy took pos- I
session of the small fort nearly opposite our bazaar that joins
on the King's gardens. ,The guns played all day against the '
gate of the Shah Bagh, which is filled with the enemy ; it
cannot be blown open with powder, as there are too many
people about it. A large party of horsemen showed themselves
on the Shah Sang-hill. Malunond Khan's fort, where the
tower has been thrown down, has been taken possession of by
the enemy. He is on our side, and therefore they have cut off
his son's ears. We shotted and shelled the fort opposite our
bazaar all day, but with little or no effect. The Kohistans
up iii arms and furious. Maule and Wheeler murdered ; their
men overpowered. Maule's khatagie (servant) alone escaped;
came in half naked this day (the 14th). Saw killed Gordon
and Swayne of the 44th. Robertson, of the 44th, and four
men wounded. Walsh, Hollaken, Warren, and sixteen men,
6th cavalry, wounded; thirty-one missing. At tea-time an
alarm ; very brisk firing.
"sth inst.—The troops employed all day. Guns and mug,
tars, with shot and shell, at the fort, with very little effect.
‘• 6th inst.—Sturt insisted, weak as he was, in shirt, plasters, ,
and pay-jumas (drawers), on going to the General (Elphin-
stone), as there was no engineer there but himself. We have
only Warburton and Eyre as artillery-officers—no laboratory-
man—the General gave him leave to do what he pleased—by
ten o'clock we got all in order—by twelve a good breach, and
in a few minutes it was carried—Raban killed—Dear wounded
—llobhouse and twelve of the 13th volunteered for the assault
—one man badly wounded—those of the enemy who escaped
were joined by a large body of horsemen, well dressed and '
mounted, evidently Kussulbash—Sturt says not more than
2,060, others say 3,000—a beautiful sight—Anderson's horse
charged up the hill, and drove the enemy all along the crest of
it to the extreme left, where the sth Cavalry charged up—
they were hemmed in—more Affghan horse came up, and they
had a great struggle with swords, but the Affghan matchlock
was so hot, that they in turn drove ours back all along the
ridge, and they had outnumbered us so greatly as to be able
to retire in excellent order. Anderson's horse again went up
the road to challenge them, but their position was good and
they maintained it. We had every man out on duty canton-
ments. A brigade was much wanted in the field. Two guns
of Warburton's were seised by the enemy in the city, and the
men forced to work them. They have thrown a number of
balls into cantonments and into Sturt's garden from Mahmoud
Khan's fort. Sir William Alacnaghten has given 50,000
rupees to a Kussulbash chief to create a diversion in our
favour, and promised him two lacs'if he succeeds. The Envoy
and General agreed to send for the 13th and 35th (Sale's bri-
gade)—at first the General would not, but yesterday the
order went off for you to return with the 13th and 35th, leavint.
your sick, wounded, and baggage in safety to come on by 1:ong
marches ;.but much responsibility is thrown on you in t.),5 way,
and you will have to fight great numbers near W's, whatever
the state of the country may be far off.
" 'I he enemy have had possession of the tommissariat Fort
these two days—to-day they have set it tVo tire, as also a village
near the town that fired on them. -%,:e thought it was the city
on fire. Sturt got the wall of tke garden near the Commissa-
riat Fort down by the Saraers to-day. A new King and
Vizier had been set UP, but the other chiefs will not have
them. Codrington‘s corps in Chareckan surrounded. All the
officers wounde-1. Rattray and Salisbury killed. Sturt's
wounds are doing well, but he overworks his strength; his
mind keeps him up ; and Harcourt tells me to give him wine
and arrowroot. Ile cannot get open his mouth to get food in
properly. His tongue and throat have suffered, and all the
nerves about. He is out all clay, and the soldiers help him
about. Last night he did not get to bed till one, and then
was waked up by a note. Mackenzie defended the fort he was
in till his ammunition was expended, and then he cut his way
out : has three wounds. We have intelligence that we were to
be attacked to-night, and that they were making boosa bays to
throw into the ditch. No one had made arrangements for an
attack. The General and Anquetil gave Stun a carte blanche.
Ile has told off the officers and people to their posts, and
paraded them this evening, and at nine went with Paton, Eyre,
and Pellew, all the rounds. The Envoy is in cantonments,
and his place is a cavalry and infantry intrenched camp, and
the walls loop-holed. We have a nine and a six-pound. r in the
battery next us, 15 guns in position, the walls well-manned,
and our men stanch. If we get over to-night, we shall, I
trust, repel the enemy till you arrive. Heavers shield us all!
I should not be nervous if I could see what was going on. I
hope they will not atkaek us this night ; but the unusual still-
ness of no firing looks like mischief.
" Bth instant.—We had an alarm at four o'clock. The
enemy attempted to take the fort back again. They mined a
large hole, and set fire to the bastion, but were drive(' back.
We areal! in high spirits, and look fot ward to your arrival with
interest and anxiety.—With our united love,
" FLORENTINE SALE."