The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-09 00:00:00

AFFGHANISTAN.
We have been favoured with the following extracts
from the journal of an officer, which gives a more de-
tailed account than has yet appeared of the ill-concerted
march on Ali Musjeed :
" We moved from Peshawar to Kawalsar, eight or
nine miles, and, after some halting, marched on Satur-
day, January 15, for Ali Musjeed. From Kawalsar to
Junirood is four or five miles, and after passing Jum-
rood the road enters the well-known Khyber Pass. Our
dinner on the 15th was finished, when, at 7 p.m., orders
were issued that the regiment would march that night
at 10 p.n. for Ali Musjeed, about 18 miles distant, in
the centre of the pass. The order said, on secret and ac-
tive service, to march as light as possible. I, supposingwe should return after a skirmish, or that the other regi-
ments would follow next day, took nothing but a seer or
two of grain for my horse, and a razai or counterpane to
sleep on. We, the 64th ands3d, marched at 10 pan, passed
Juinrood, and entered the dangerous pass, and but three
shots were fired at us. We got to Ali Musjeed at about
9 a.m. on Saturday, after a fatiguing march through de-
files, and towards the end of the march were fired on a
good deal, and had to cover the heights with skirmishers.
Ali Musjeed is a fort, or rather two forts, situated on
the top of a high, steep rock of slate, standing in the
middle of the pass, and commanding the road, which is
the bed of the stream : the place itself is very strong, but
it is commanded by two peaks that are near, and within
700 yards of the hills on either side. Here, then, were
we, 2.200 men, in a little fort, for what purpose it is im-
possible to say; the mountaineers came as close as they
dared, and fired upon the men who crowded the place.
"Sunday, 16,—Sent parties to occupy the two peaks;
the mountaineers came down to a sortof breastwork, and
tired upon our picket outside, which was withdrawn.
Captain Ferris; who is the hero of Peshbolag,,sent out a
party of Jessailchees, drove away the Khyberees, and
killed one. ,From a part of the rock of Ali Musjeed,
that rises up to the westward, our men fired, but it was
mere waste of ammunition, as a musket will not carry
beyond 200 yards, and the mountaineers use a tong gun,
called a jesail, which is very effective at 600 or 700
yards, and therefore the men fired at us with impunity.
Ferris's Jessailchees' however, were a match for them.
" Monday, 17.—Last night ‘‘ as very
.cold ; the men
hid nothing but their bare clothes. In a skirmish seven
men were wounded, and ten Jesailchees, and one killed.
We have nothing to eat but flour, coarse and brown,
made into cakes. I hope to be soon out of this place,
which is unhealthy, bleak, and exposed. Many men are
laid up with diarrhcea. The men are fired upon as they
descend to the stream for water.
" Tuesday, 18.—Firing all day. A baggage bull killed,
but so tough as to be very nearly uneatable. We have
nothing with us, and have to wander about,- talking
about our future prospects, which are not at all agree-
able. Colonel Wild, with the other regiments, said he
would come up fo-day ; but he is not come. We have
only a few days' provisions, and the Khybcrees are in-
censed at our having come so suddenly, and swear we
shall never return. They have all risen, and are down
at the mouth of the pass, to prevent Wild from reaching
us ; some say they are 600 or 700, some 5,000 or 6,000
strong.
" Wednesday, 19.—This morning Wild attacked the
rascals. He was driven back most signally, and he and
his staff-officer, Loftie, wounded : this makes our posi-
tion absolutely desperate ' • retreat is impossible, for Wild
had guns, and yet was defeated. Our enemies are a
mere horde of plunderers, thieves armed with jesails,
talwar, and knives ; their only object is plunder ; but
their country is so impassable, that nothing could force
it were they organized and determined. They are
cowards in the extreme, but yet bold enough to rush
destruction if plunder is in view. They lie between the
stones, and pick off their victims from a distance then,
if possible, rush down, strip him, and cut bis body to
pieces ; such is their hatred of all but their own coun-
trymen. Poor Swinton (53d) was shot through the
knee, and with difficulty rescued ; he lies in agony, and
will probably lose his leg, as the ball is withinside the
joint. Raper is going up the south peak, and, as a com-
panion, I shall accompany him.
" Thursday, 20.—Last night slept on the peak, with
Raper's company ; we were on the bare ground, merely
wrapped in our razais and cloaks, and got wet through ;
cold, bleak wind, snowing fast on the higher peaks of the
hills. Many balls whistled over our heads during the
day, but we are quite accustomed to the whiz, and take
no notice. how soon one gets hardened to danger ! At
5 p.m. Corsar relieved us, and we returned to the fort.
Wild is to demonstrate against the mouth of the pass
while we go over the hill, by a difficult route, to Jum-
rood again, hoping that the enemy may be drawn away
by Wild's firing. Three-quarters of a seer of flour is
allowed for every sepoy and officer, and half for a set.-
- Vent ; even at this rate it will be out soon and the men
are disgusted and mutinous. Every horse is allowed
one-half seer of grain, and not a particle of grass can be
got ; they must starve in a day or two. We march to,
morrow at 4 a m.

" Friday, 21.—Wild's firing was heard all the morn-
ing, but our march was countermanded ; we, the ad-
vanced guard, had marched. A despatch from Wild
caused this ; it said that the enemy were fortified in such
a manner that had the despatch not reached us we must
have been cut to pieces. This was written last night,
but Wild still attacked, in case we might have marched.
What a providential escape. In the evening we were
ordered to march to-morrow, but countermanded.
" Saturday, 22.—Ordered to march at 10 p.m, leaving
everything, horses and all,and to go silently over the hills.
In high spirits at the prospect of leaving this. We are
regularly starved out ; only half-rations were issued to-
day, and no grain ; the horses are eating rope and wood,
&c., and are nearly starved. We leave them as they are
when we evacuate, as they will be saved by the enemy,
and probably taken care of. At 6 p.m. Wilson and Mac-
kenzie in burning some baggage, to prevent its falling
into the enemy's hands, nearly set the west fort on fire.
At half-past 9 p.m. a despatch arrived from Wild, writ-
ten this morning. He has completely thrashed the
'enemy, knocked down their defences and barriers, and
had we *marched we should have escaped beautifully and
with glory, if glory is to be got from a war with robbers.
However, we do not march to-night, but to-morrow at
daylight.

Sunday, 23.—Now comes the dreadful part of my
story. At daylight we marched, taking all we had
with us, prepared to cut our way through the regu-
lar road, Wild co-operating on the other side. We
proceeded half a mile, when a doolie or palky for
the sick was abandoned by the bearers, and the in-
mates cut to pieces by two of the enemy, such was the
straggling of the column. The 53d was in front, leaving
the other regiment, ours, behind ; and in the interval
four camels with ammunition, &c., and man.), horses, were
carried off by these rascals. We went on, skirmishing
here and there ; the enemy were bold in the extreme,
rushing down to the bullocks, cutting down the men, and
then away again before one could fire, at least with
effect ; they were mostly dressed in blue, which is not
conspicuous against slate. The balls from those distant
whizzed in every direction, and aver and anon a man
fell near you gasping. At the entrance of a narrow de-
file, or cut in the hill, my captain, Mackenzie, and I
were ordered up a height to protect the column ; we
clambered up the slaty face, through a thick and unceas-
ing shower of balls, but I did not get struck, though the
end of my scabbard was dented by a ball. We kept the
peak for some time and then retired to the regiment.
Here I learned that Capt. Wilson, commanding the 64th,
had just fallen, shot through the lungs ; he lived but
two or three minutes, and never spoke. His body was
carried on four muskets, in spite of the heavy fire. More
than a dozen of my men fell by my side, but I stood, and
at last stood alone! The rear-guard was now attacked
by these yelling robbers, and the slaughter began in '
earnest ; the column hurried on, we reached the bridge,
and went on under a rather abated fire. Rattray re-
ceived a ball through the left fore-arm, and Baron
Mayern through the leg. I was struck on the leg by a
stone flung from the top of a height, but was not much
hurt. Now we were met by Lawrence and some horse,
and the 60th and 30th Native Infantry, which came to
cover our exit from the pass. Tired and spotted with
blood, we left the scene of death, and bent our steps
towards Jumrood, in the open plain. here the colours
were displayed, and the loud Ram, ram' of the sepoys
proclaimed our return. How mixed are the feelings after
a battle! While yet glowing with the love of country and
of duty, and conscious of the glory attending a victory, I
learned that Capt. Lock, who was doing duty with the
60th, had fallen. Poor Lock! we always lived together in
the same tent, like father and son, and he was quite as a
father to me. We were of the same regiment, had the
same feelings, and equally loved each other. But this is
not all ; his death, too, was most terrible—a large stone
struck him on the head as he was calling to his men. He
fell stunned, and seven of the enemy rushed down, killed
five Sepoys, who were with him, and cut poor Lock into
pieces, throwing them in all directions. and carrying off
the severed head.

" This kind of warfare is disgusting in the extreme,
not as on a plain, on equal footing, but one's death-blow
comes from some distant, invisible enemy ; add to this
the knowledge that a man left behind wounded can by
no possibility escape, being cut to pieces and stripped.
When tin officer fell a general shout arose from the in-
visibles, and perhaps a dash would be made to seize his
body. For a Sepoy's head a man gets fifty or sixty
rupees from the Chief, and more, much more, for that of
a European.
" Tuesday, 25th.—We moved camp yesterday, and are
now at Kawalsar again."

110 P INTELLIGENCE.—INIAIDSTONE.-411 the prin-
cipal grounds of this neighbourhood the Dines have made most
gratifying progress during the
In
week, and tying has com-
menced in the best grounds. n some of the weak grounds the
ravages of the flea are complained of, but the mischief has not
been very great. Tying will doubtless become general within
the week, should fair weather continue.--WATERINGBURY,
MEREWORTH, &c.—The hops are making their appearance in
most grounds, and although they are backward, in consequence
of the cold weather in the beginning of last month, yet they
are cons'dered to look healthy, and there has been no com-
plaint of the flea, although that is a general complaint when
the wind remains long eastward and the weather dry. A
change of wind and a few warns showers would cause a very
great fad- beadoial.alteratio4 tow liaph.;l(aidakse
Gap*. •