The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-07 00:00:00

NOTIFICATION;

FROM MAJOR-GENERAL R. ENGLAND, K.H., COMMANDING
SCINDE FORCE, TO T. H. MADDOCK, ESQ., SECRETARY
TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, IVITH THE GO-
VERNOR-GENERAL.
Camp, near Killah Abdoulah, Aug. 19.
Sir—l have the honour to report for the information
of the Right Hon. the Governor-General in Council,
that the British force at Candahar having evacuated that
city on the 7th and Bth, I moved from my encampment
near its walls on the 10th, pursuant to instructions, with
the detachment under-mentioned, en route to Quettah,
and that I arrived on this ground yesterday :—One troop
late Shah's Horse Artillery; seven guns, drawn by bul-
locks; two Ressallahs Irregular Horse; one ditto .Poona
ditto; 25th Bombay Native Infantry; late Light Batta-
lion Native Infantry; Ist, 2d, and sth Regiments late
Shales Infantry.
2. It was communicated to me on the 9th and subse-
quently that the insurgents were preparing to attack the
column and convoy under my charge in its passage, and
especially that they would make efforts to intercept it in
the strong country of the Kojuck range, at the northern
extremity of which I arrived with little molestation on
the morning of the 16th.
3. Whatever might have been the intentions of the
enemy, it was ascertained by reconnoitring that the
highest points of the mountain were not yet occupied by
them, and I thought it right, therefore, notwithstanding
that the troops had just completed a night march of
twenty-four miles, to push forward a light column to
seize the summit at once.

4. This operation was perfected by three battalions,
and the most important ridge and all the peaks com-
manding the principal passes were gained by the troops
before dark. • •

5. On the following morning the insurgents began to
appear in small bodies on different hills, but the route
being flanked they did little mischief, and the baggage,
artillery, and immense retinue under the protection of
this camp, including nine or ten thousand beasts of bur-
den, began the ascent, covered by a rear-guard of two
battalions and the cavalry, and I was soon made aware
of our good fortune in having seized the heights on the
previous evening, for the number of the enemy gradually
increased, but all their efforts to capture the bar gage, or
indeed to interrupt us to any serious extent, were frus-
trated, and the passage across the Kojuck mountains may
be said to have been perfected by noon on the 18th.
6. Ihave had the highest reason to be gratified with
the exertions of all the officers and troops on this occa-
alon, and it is entirely owing to their incessant efforts in
duties of great fatigue, under a privation of water, both
in climbing up the extreme points of the range to drive
off the enemy whenever they appeared, and in dragging
thirteen pieces of artillery over the ridge, that this ser-
vice has been accomplished with so little loss on our side
of life or of convoy.
7. I beg to inclose a list of the casualties in killed and
wounded of this column which have occurred since I left
the immediate vicinity of Candahar.
8. My last accounts of Major-General Nott were of the
13th, three marches north of Candahar.
9. His Highness Prince Timoor and his family are in
my camp, and every possible attention is paid to his com-
fort and safety.
10. The Right Honourable the Governor-General will
have been informed that the Chief Saloo Khan, who had
taken service with us after the affair with the enemy of
the 28th April, near Hykulzie, suddenly absconded from
the military post held by us at this place, on hearing of
our abandonment of Candahar, and it was presumed that
he was at the head of the insurgents in the Kojuck hills,
but I am not inclined to believe that he was thus em-
ployed, and I think it more probable that he may have
proceeded to join Prince Suftur Jung, who had placed
himself at the head of affairs at Candahar.

11. I have no information to warrant the expectation
of any serious opposition between this and Quettah, es-
pecially as the Brahoe connexion with the Aikhans
seems severed for the present, and I hope to be enabled
to report my arrival at Quettah to his Lorpship on the
27th or the 28th instant.
12. Pursuant to the instructions of Government of the
19th of March, I have assumed the political responsi-
bilities as well as military command, vacated by the
casualty therein contemplated in the departure from
these countries of Major-General Nott.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) R. ENGLAND, Major-General,
Commanding Scinde Forces.