Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-26
(cere1ranleaes IF the y: y Er,n:5s Poel

Lospoy, April Cd, 1872.
Important Views from India Disasters Of the Brs-
tsh =. .l9ghQRston- letters f.om Bombay OF the
IS, Of February, intelligence has been received OF the
greatest disaster which has ever ye bealen the Bri.
fish IN the East. AT leas, FIVE thousand English and
Indian troops have been destroyed in their re-
treat from Caboo
Success in thu East had become much matter OF
course that the first accounts of this tremendous DIS
aster al first discredi,ed SubSe quent accounts,
however, leave doubt of the accuracy OF the lead
ing features Of the intelligence Between 5000 and
G,000 troops have been destroyed-the British Com
mander Gen. Eiphinstone, has been taken prisonei-
numbers Of English officers have fal!en-,he British
Envoy, Sir William McNaughten has been treache-
rously assassnated-tie murder of Sir Alexander
Eurnes confrmed-and Lady McNaugh,en and SIX
teen other ladies are in the power of the Ah9hans
Such is outline of The disasters. III order, how
ever give your readers view Of the whole circum'
of the case it will be necessary 10 revert 10 the
past. The position of the British in India and Inc ex-
tent Of Their dominons, is but impeFfeetly known IN
England and canno; be supposed 10 be very iamar 10
the generality Of American readers
The spread OF Russ'an nucnee In the East, mas ever
been source Of Jealousy to England. Accordingly,
couple OF years ago. when Russia marched on hlu-
eech, and was known 10 te intriguing against US IN
Persia, the Anglo Indian Government took Inc alarm
1t resolved that g-ond blow should be slrucK.-
Russian influence was dominant in Persia; AHghin's.
tan lies between Persia AID the British, domnons, SO mat
when II was iouna that the Russians we're intriguing
against them Karat, and gradually extending
their influence eastward In gland determined to ex'
tend he's westward. In doIns this she committed a
great and objectionable buncer-she qnarreed WIN
the Atfghaas, and made them enemies Ins'eau Z"
friends She took up, her prottge and puppet' an
ndoeEh m6ccile old profit gate named Shah SooIah n!-
Aok, who had been very properly kicked "nl VI u
boc by his subjects, and IN order to place MN on he
tt:one quarrelled with The popular chief Dost Ma
! apmmed.
: The captured Gnyznee overran Aaghanis'an and
took Dos. Mohpmmed PRISONER and placed Shah Sooah
on the throne. Russia received check, Persia sue
cnmbed TO British power and al! apparently went wen
This, however, was only the beginning OF Inc emu
| The Affnhans turbu!en. and warlke race, swore
that they would not Ina Shah Sooah and The old ~
ran, only remained on throne propped up oy hf''sh
bayonets, at an immense expense, without any CORES
ponding advantage TO the Indian Government In VIC.
tcber last it thought safe 10 withdraw portion OF
those bayonets and though hints had been received oil
intended rising, they were dsregarded, and Dir Roos
Sale left with has brigade and reached Jeiiaiahao
distance Of about 80 miles, through almost impas-
sable country. Here he Immediately surround
ed by army nj 5000 20 900, and cooped up with
| in the walls. The winter came land IN the noun
tans Of Afshanstan it is almost bad az in Russa)
all communication with Caboo was cut oil; lie lnsur.
recon commenced IN that city, the house OF the GAL
liant solder and enterprsng traveller, Sir Alexander
Burnes, attacked, and himself and brother murder
ed, and the British attacked their entertainments ny
hordes of exasperaied Afghans Ill provided with am
mnnItion, ana snort oil PROVISIONS, The Englsh were
obliged 30 negotiate. Accordingly interviews took
place between the parties and convention wasagreed
upon guaranteeing the unmoesed retreat OF The BRITISH
10 Jrllalabad. Up 10 this point The British were deci-
dedly in the wrong, the Afghans clearly in The right
Things, however, took different turn !; Inc
British force, TO the amount of between 1000 and
5000 men-qui,ed The camp of Caboo and com
menced their fatal retreat The following extract OF
letter from Bombay, will give you an idea of the KIND
, of country they had to traverse
"From Cabool to Jelalabad is distance Of 90 miles
The road lies through series of tremendous dehles
where army, IT properly resisted, could penetrate
In the course of the first II miles from Caboo you as
cend 400 !eet; then the pass of Khoord ca
booi TINS dehle is about six miles in length, and
from 100 10 200 yards in breadth. Here the fighting
with Sale brigade began the 9th of October. The
road crosses the river which gives 10 the pass -
times. In the course OF the 10 miles, the road as
cends GOO feet and descends 1000 feet rough,
Jagged stones aud rocks which cut and bruse the feet
So on from pass TO mountain, and from mountain 10
pass, till j, reaches Jellalabad.
1.-THE afghan merchants at Bombay" says an ac-
count "speak plainly and openly as 10 The ulterior nten
tons Of their cnun,rymen. They perfectly aware OF
our ability, and have little doubt 10 intention OF
throwing IN overwhelming force into their county
They say they are aware that they have chance with
our artillery. But they have The Koran,
from Caboo TO fferat, that the flalad IA fir shall not
hold footing in the country They are determined to
close their passes every where against They know
and do We, that would be 10 carry artillery to
the top of Mount Blanc, than to baggage through
the seventy or eighty miles of Boan, of Khyber
pass if properly DISTRACTED They have resolved if We
should penetrate beyond the mountain, TO drive their