The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-09-23
AYOOB KHAN'S VICTORY.
Details of the lighting
and retreatins Twenty four Hours
without Food or Water.

" OON VI " OtSYs
London Times,
The important kilograms which we
published recently cast considerable
light on the disaster which befell Gen.
Burrows. We now know exactly the
main circumstances of the fight and
the cause of our defeat. 1t appears
that, learning on the morning of the
9th of July that Aboob Khan's advance
guard had occupied Mainwand, on the
north of Khushki-i-N Na-Khud, Gen. Bur-
rows marched out to give battle. The
action was opened by our cavalry and
horse artillery engaging the Afghan
cavalry, about 8 A. NJ. Soon after the
whole of Ayboob Khan's army, some
1900 strong, arrived, and formed order
of battle. The centre consisted of
seven regiments of regular infantry in
the first line, with three in the second
line. On the right were 1000 cavalry,
on the left 400 cavalry and 2, 900 Ghazis
and regular infantry. Five or six bat
teries-one of them breech-loaders-
were distributed along the front. The
ground was slightly undulating, Ayoob's
force being better posted than that Of
Gen. Burrows An artillery duel now
commenced, the enemy's fire being SO
well sustained and directed that our
six pieces, though superior in quality,
could not make head againstthe num-
bers on which they were opposed
About P NJ. the enemy seem to have
advanced, and our breech-loading rifles
produced great havoc. Two hours
later vigorous advance of cavalry
against our left, and a charge of Ghazis
on the front caused the native infantry
to fall back in confusion on the Goth.
Two guns were in consequence lost, the
Sepoys abandoned all formation, and
seemingly rendered the Goth helpless.
There does not seem to have been any
actual flight at that time on the part Of
either the native or European infantry.
They retreated slowly, but in spite of
Gen. Burrows gallant efforts to rally
them, they could not be induced to
make an effort to retrieve the fortunes
ofthe day, and were cut off from the
cavalry and artillery. After severe
fight in some inclosed ground, Gen.
Burrows succeeded in extracting his in
fantry. Then at length a rout we gath
er, did take place, the Afghans pursu-
ing up to ten miles from Candahar, but
not vigorously. Apparently, Gen.
Burrows endcavored to take the re-
mains of his force through country
where water was obtainablc.. Nothing,
however, would induce the fugitives to
quit the waterless main road. The
majority of casualties are believed to
have occurred through men fainting
from thirst and exhaustion. No Won
der, for their flight was not relaxed for
forty miles, and when the artillery and
a few of the infantry reached the banks
of the Argandab, at A. NJ. on the
2Sth, many had not touched water for
twenty-four hours. Once across the
Aragandab, Gen Burrows naturally rode
on to annouce his defeat, but he did not
arrive until the afternoon of the 2Sth.
There is no use attempting to disguise
the fact this was a very lamentable
affair. In the first place, Gen. Burrows
with his inferior force appears to have
accepted battle in parallel order, and
not to have attempted any maneuvr-
ing. In the first place, it is evident that
the Bombay Sepoys were-as we have
said already-of such inferior physique
that they could not stand up to the
stalwart Ghazis, who bore down on
them sword in hand. Giving way to d
sudden panic they mobbed the veteran
Goth, and caused the almost total an
Inhalation of that fine corps. The
cavalry do not seem to have coop
perated with much effect. The suffer-
ings of the troops in that uninterrupted
flight of forty miles must have been
terrible, for the season is the hottest
time of the year, and they had been
fighting and marching without food or
water for twenty-four hours.