The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01
THE LAST ANGLO-AFGHAN WAR.
A MORE DusASTROUs RETREAT THAN
NArOLEON's FROM MOSCOW.
Acbar Khan's vsBgeance-Only One Man
out Of an Entire Army Escapes.

| cincinnati Commerciall
Both tho English and Afgbans have
good reasons for remembering each
other. In 1897 the conduct OF Russia
| In connection with the Persian siege OK
| Herat excited an uneasy feeling in tho
minds OF the Indio English government.
and Burns was sent by Governor Cen
eral as resident to the Ameer's court at
Cabul. The Dost Mohammed and tho
English disagreed upon terms, and tho
English determined to attempt to re-
establish Shah Shuja, who had long
been refugee in British territory. The
King Of the Pauniab pledged his CO.
operation, but afterward refused tho
English permission to cross his terri
tory.
The "army of the Indus" numbered
81 900. They assembled in Upper Sind
in March, 1888, and advanced under tho
command Of Sir John Keane. They
met with little opposition, but suffered
great hardships. The Khan Of Khan
dabar fled to Persia, and in April, 1889,
| that city Was occupied, and Shah Shuja
was crowned. Shah Shuia and his
English allies continued their victorious
march, and finally Dost Mohammed
| and his army being completely van
| pushed they entered the capital. The
| war was thought to be at an end. Sir
John Keane. who was made peer, re-
| turned to India with large part Of his
force, leaving behind, besides the Shah s.
force, 8. 900 men. Sir w. Maonaughten
| remained as envoy, and Sir A. Burnes
| as his colleague.
Dost Mohammed surrendered i'm No
vember, 1910. and was sent to India.
Shah Shuja and his allies retained pos
| session OF Cabul and kanda1ar two
years Meantime Instructions against
| the new government were frequent. but
| the authorities, confident Of their
strength, paid little or no attention to
| these warnings. November 2. 184l, 81
violent revolt broke out ut Cabul, and
Burues and other officers were mas
sacred. The commander Of the British
army, Gen. Elphinstone, was shattered
in health and in poor condition to direct
| q resistance to such host OF maddened
men. Besides, the position Of the Brit
ish camp, its connections with the eta
del, and the location of the stores. were
the worst possible. Disaster followed
disaster.
After the capture of Dost Mohammed,
his son Akbar Khan took the lead.
With him o. conference was arranged
| for tho twenty-third of December, at
which tho Envoy, Macnaughten, was
fouly murdered by Akbar's own hand,
and with ball from pistol which,
MacDaughten had presented him only
the day before. The naked and mutila-
ted body Of the Envoy was dragged
through the bazaar, and for days exposed
to the view Of the rabble. At the same
time Macnaughten was killed, the chiefs
with Akbar made an attack upon the
staff OF the Envoy, and nearly all OF
them were cut down, The scuflle was
seen from the English camp, and when
those who had escaped reported tho
murder. Elphinstone was solicited to at
once attack and destroy tho city. He
only secured O. small quantity Of grain,
and this after hard fighting.
In short time, however, Elphin
stone, whose force had been much re-
duced by the departure Of several regi-
ments to secure communication with
the Khyber, saw that something must
be done. Snow had begun to fall, and
food was scarce. Fires and fighting oc.
CURED every night and during the day.
Instead OF fighting like soldier, he
opened negotiations with Akbar. The
terms finally agreed upon were most
disgraceful. Only the i'll health Of FL
phinstone can account for such evident
imbecility. The army, after handing
over its treasure, was to be permitted to
retreat unmolested on condition OF never
returning, and of forwarding certain
sum OF money from India. That army
was never given an opportunity to re-
turn. For the fulfillment of the terms
the women and children were handed
over to Akbar. The retreat began. How
many there were is not known. Prob
ably between fifty and seventy-five
thousand, most Of them camp
followers. They had hardly left the
camp when fires, shots and cries OF an
guish showed how the promises OF the
Afghans were to be kept. From every
rock and bush bullets were fired into
the retreating hosts, and the panic
stricken followers continually impeded
their progress. A rush was made for
the Khyber Pass, which they imagined
@ harbor OF safety. When they arrived
they found it occupied by numbers too
of oodthirsty Afghans who followed
them were added thousands equally
savage. Still an advance was or
dered, unit! only one gallant regi-
ment was left OF this one but $50
had gone that far, and there, the
next spring, when the avenging army
passed over the ground, were found
their whitened skeletons. lying close
together. Only one mounted officer
escaped, and even this is thought to
have been purposely permitted, that no
doubt OF Akbar's vengeance might be
When Akbar heard OF the approach
OF the avenging armies he started off
with the hostage women and children,
Lady Macnaughten among them, TO
intending to sell them. They
were rescued from such an awful fate
by the rapid advance Of the English
cavalry.
The English have not forgotten these
things, and will take pleasure. no
doubt, in further vengeance.
AngIO-French.
Rosbif and Godarn were regarded by French