Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-01-25
The Afghan Campaign Of 1842-How
the English Army was Destroyed.


good reasons for remembering each
other. In 1887 the conduct OF Russia
in connection with the Persian siege of
Herat excited an uneasy feeling in the
minds Of the Indio-English Govern
ment, and Burnes was sent by the Gov
ernor- General as resident to the
Ameer's Court at Cabul. Dost Moham-
med and the English disagreed upon
terms, and the English determined to
attempt to re-establish Shah Shuja,
who had long been refugee in British
territory. The King of the Pugjab
pledged his cooperation, but sfterward
refused the English permission to cross
his territory.
The "army of the Indus" numbered
81, 200. They assembled at Upper Sind
in March, 1888, and advanced under
the command OF Sir John Keane. They
met with little opposition, but suffered
great hardships. The Khan of Kan
dahar fed to Persia, and in April, 1889,
the city was occupied, and Shah
Shuja and his English allies contin-
ued their victorious march, and
| finally Dost Mohammed and his army,
being completely vanquished, they en-
tered the capital. The war was thought
to be at an end. Sir John Keane, who
was made peer, returned to India
with large part of his force, leaving
behind, besides the Shah's force, 5000
men. Sir W. Macnaughten remained
as envoy, and Sir A. Burnes as his col
league.
Dost Mohammed surrendered in No
vember, 1910, and was sent to India.
Shah Shuia and his allies retained pos
session of Cabul and Kandahar two
years. Meantime instructions against
the new government were frequent, but
the authorities, confident of their
strength, paid little or no heed to these
warnings. Nov. 2, 1871, violent re-
volt broke out at Cabul, and Burnes
and other officers were massacred.
The commander of the British army.
General Elphinstone, was shattered in
health and in poor condition to direct
resistance to such host of maddened
men. Besides, the position of the
British camp, its connection with the
citadel, and the location of the stores,
were the worst possible. Disaster fol-
lowed disaster.
After the capture of Dost Mohammed,
his son Akbar Khan took the lead.
With him conference was arranged
for the 23d Of December, at which the
envoy, Macnaughten, was foully MUIR
dered by Akbar's own hand, and with
ball from pistol which Macnaugh-
ten had presented him only the day
before. The naked and mutilated body
of the envoy was dragged through the
bazaar, and for days exposed to the view
of the rabble. At the same time Mac.
naughten was killed, the chiefs with
Akbar made an attack upon the staff of
the envoy, and nearly all of them were
cut down. The scuffle was seen from the
English camp, and when those who
had escaped reported the murder, Ell
phinstone was solicited to at once attack
and destroy the city. He only secured
a 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
occurred 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 ill-health
of Elphinstone can account for such
evident imbecility. The army, after
handing over its treasure, was to be
permitted to retreat unmolested on con-
dition OF never returning, and of for
warding certain sum of money rom
India. That army was never given an
opportunity to return. For the fulfill
ment of the terms, the women and
children were handed over to Akbar
The retreat began. How many there
30, 900 and $4,000, most of them camp
followers. They had hardly left the
camp when fires, shots, and cries of
anguish 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 great to overcome. To
the thousands of blood thirsty Afghans
who followed them were added thou.
sands equally savage. Still an adj
vance was ordered, until only one gal
liant regiment 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
entertained.
When Akbar heard OF the approach
of the avenging armies he started off
with the hostage women and children,
Lady Macnaughten among them. They
were rescued from such an awful fate
by the rapid advance of the English
cavalry.
The English have net forgotten these
things, and will take pleasure, mo doubt,
in further vengeance.-Ciacinnat Com
merciai.
Attention has haen called nv Prof