Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-11-28
WHO IS DOST MOHAMMED!

Gu An alIlunCS Will DOSG MOuHIumeu utto
brought into notice, a name famous
enough ten years ago. but lately almost
forgotten. There are doubtless thousands
Of our readers, especially the younger
ones, wondering who Dost Mohammed is.
We will tell them, for it is Il name that
will probably live in history.
The country Of the Afg"ns, lying on
the northwest of British India, is 4 noun
taneous region. inhabited by bold and
hardy tribes, whose blue eyes, light hair
and marked countenance, show them to
be of the best Caucasian race. Some
years ago. The monarch Of AfyanlAtan
dying, the ancient kingdom split into
fragments, and among those who Proiitcd
by the occurrence was Dost MOhammed,
a younger brother of former vizier.
The British, however, taking the part Of
Shah Shuja, former occupant of the
throne who had been deposed. marched
an army into AHganistan, seized Cabu!
the capital, and. having made IL prisoner
of Dost Mohammed, sent him across the
Indus to their own territories, where they
retained him as Il sort Of honorable cap
tivitv. At the same time Shah Shul n
was replaced on the throne of Cabul.
These events happened in 1880 and 1910.
For this Interference in the affairs Of
AtFEaniStau the British had no excuse
whEtever 1t is true that the Persians
were ut war with Herat, and the British
feared that If Her"t fell that the Pcrsians,
instigaIed by Russia, would assaIl Brit
i~h India next. 1t is true also that Dost
Mohanmcd was believed to favor the
Persians' designs on Hcrat. But that
Dost Mohammed was at this juncture
hostile TO the British has never been
proved. Dearly, however, did the Brit
iHb pay for the Interference. In Novem,
Der, 1874, an instruction broke out at
Cabul against the British. In this tumult
Sir Alexander Barnes and several other
distinguished officers lost their lives.
This partial rising was followed by an
insurrection over the whole kingdom.
The British. for the first time in India
since Lord Give began 10 lay the foun-
storm. Sir William McNaGhten, the
British envoy to Cabul, agreed with Ak
Der Khan, tho favorite son Of Dost Mo-
hammed, to evacuate the country, Akber
stipuINting to escort the British army to
the frontiers, and Sir William pIedging
Shah Shuja should abdcate i'll order to
make room for Dost Mohammed's s return.
At second meeting between Sir William
and Akber, a disseusion arising, proba-
bly, provoked on purpose By the latter,
Sir William was shot dead by the Af-
ghOn chief Akber, however, agreed
subsequently to carry out the terms OF
the treaty.
Now began retreat the horrors OF
which only that Of Moscow has equaIIed in
modern times. Akber professcd to escort
the British army, but secretly instigated.
it is believed, the mountain tribes to assail
them; and consequently the march OF
the fugtives was daily 81 scene of massa-
ere. The season was cold, the deGles
were blocked up with snow, the troops
were encumbered with a large number of
women and children, besides large boz
dy Of camp~followcrs. Some died from ex-
posure and some were left to perish from
sickness on the way>side but the greater
quantity fell by the sword of the mercless
mountainccrs. Never but once in modern
time has more signal vengeance beeu
visited on invaders. The passes were filled
ses that we're often piled in heaps. AL
most the only persons who escaped were
some officers and their wives who had
placed themselves under Akber'S personal
care few marches from Cabul, and, af-
ter months of captivity, after terrible pri.
v0tions, and after long weeks of suspense
more agonizing than the worst privalions,
succeeded by bribes in making their eS-
cape and reaching the nearest British
forces. having ridden several days in
hourly peril Of their lives.
The British, mean time, had advanced
IN force from their own side Of the Indus,
ana had even penetrated to Cabul but,
the prisoners having thus been recovered,
and Shah Shuja having been assassinated
it was resolved to leave the Afpans to
themselves. Accordingly, Dost Moham>
med, who had been retained in CAPTIVITY
all this time and whose participation in
the late events, though suspected. could
not be proved, was set at liberty. He
took possession at once of the throne of
Cabul. The Bridish simultaneously
abandoned that capital. but not until they
had destroyed its famous bazaar. 1t was
IN November, 1912, that the last division
re-crossed the Indus and the AfFgan
Rrlnce was restored to freedom and es>
corted to the frontiers of his kingdom
Just twelve months had elapsed since the
instruction in Cabul but in that single
year more fatal blow had been struck
at the British power, by DESTROYING the
idea Of British invincibility, than the
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