The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-12-20
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
Who is DOSt Mahammcd Z

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
Who is DOst Mahammcd
The intelligence from India that Russia has
formed an alliance with Dost Mahammed, has
at once brought into notice name, famous
enough ten years ago, but lately almost for
gotten. There are, doubtless, thousands of
readers, especially the younger ones, wonder
ing who Dost Mahammed is; we will tell them,
for it is a name that will probably live in his
tory,
The country of the Affghans, lying on the
northwest of British India, is mountainous
region, inhabited by bold and hardy tribes,
whose blue eyes, light hair, and marked coun.
tenances show them to be of the best Caucas.
sian race. Some years ago, the monarch of
Atrghanistan dying, the ancient kingdom split
into fragments, and among those who prohle'i
by the occurrence was Dost Mahammed, u
younger brother of former vizier. The Brit
isl, however, taking the part of Shaj Shuja, a
former occupant of the throne, marched an
army into Af1ghanistan, siezed Cabul, the cap
tai, and having made prisoner Of DoSt Mo.
ham, ned, sent him across the Indus to their
own territories, where they retained him in a
sort of honorable captivity. At the same time,
Shat Shujah was replaced on the throne Of
Cabul. These events happened in 1880 and
1910.
For this interference in the affairs of Aft.
ghaus,an, the British had no excuse whatever.
1t is true that the Persians were at war with
Herat, and that the British feared, if Herat
fell, that the Persians, instigated by Russia,
would assail British India next. 1t is true, al
So that Dost Mohammed was believed to favor
the Persans' designs on Herat. But that DIST
Muhammed was, at this juncture, hostile t"
the British, has never been proved. Dearly,
however did the British pay for their interler-
ence In November, lS4l, an insurrection
broke out at Cabul against the British. In
the tumult Sir Alexander Barnes, and several
other distinguished officers lost their lives
This partial rising was followed by an insurrec-
tion over the whole kingdom. The British,
for the first time in India, since Lord Give be-.
gan 10 lay the foundations of their power,
quailcd before the storm. Sir William Nc.
Naghten, the British envoy at Cabul, agreed
with Akber Khan, the favorite son Of Dnst
Mnhammed, to evacuate the country, Akber
STIMULATING to escort the British army to the
frontiers, and Sir William rledging that Sha
Shuja should abdicate in order to make room
for Dost Mohammed's return. At second
meeting between Sir William and Akber, a dis
sension arising, probably provoked OH purpose
by the latter, Sir William was shot dead by the
afghan chief. Abker, however, agreed sub.
scquently to carry out the terms Of the treaty.
Now began retreat, the horrors of which
only that of Moscow has equalled in modern
times. Abker professed to escort the British
Army, but secretly in>tisated, it is believed,
the mountain tribes to assail them; and con-
sequcnlly the march of the fugi,ives was dali
Iy scene of massacre. The season was cold;
the defles were blocked up with snow the
of women and children, besides vast body of
followers. Some died from exposure, and
some were left to perish from sickness on the
way.side; but the greater quantity fell from
the swords of the mercess mountaineers.-
Never but once in modern times has more
signal vengeance been visited on INVADERS
The passes were filled along the whole line
of retreat with corpses, that often were FILED
in heaps. Almost the only persons who es-
capped were some officers and their wives, who
had placed themselves under Ackber's person
al care, few marches from Cabul, and who,
after months of captivity, after terrible pri.
vations, and after long weeks of suspense, sue.
cccded, by bribcs, in making their escape and
reaching ihe nearest British torce-having rid.
den several days in hourly peril of their lives.
The British, meantime, had advanced in
force from their own side of the Indus, and
had even penetrated to Cabul but the prison.
erS, having thus been recovered, and Shaj Shu
jah having been assassinated, it was resolved
to leave the Aifghans to themselves. Accord
insly Dost Mohammed, who had been retained
in captivity all this this time, and whose parti.
cipation in the late events, though suspected,
could not be proved, was set at liberty. lie
took possession at once of the throne OF Cabul.
The British simultaneously abandoned that
capital, but not until they had destroyed its ia.
nous bazaar. 1t was in November, 1912, that
the last division rc.crossed the Indus, and the
AlfGhan prince was restored to freedom and
escorted to the frontiers OF his kingdom. Just
twelve months had elapsed since the iusurrcc-
ton in Cabul But in that single year more
fatal blow had been struck at the British pow
er, by destroying the idea of British invinci
bilty, than the whole ninety preceding years
had witnessed, since the British arms first be-
gan to make headway in the East.
Dost Mohammed has no love for tn, En-.
glish There is little doubt that he secretly
caused the massacre at Cabul, and that he will
at the first chance, seek still further vengeance.
In releasing him, the British acted from fear
more than any other motive. for they found
they could not hold Aayhanistan, and they
thought it would concilate Dost Mohammed