Connecticut western news., 1885-04-22
THE INDIAN WAR.

The London Stdnddrd has received the fol' lowing from its curresponde { with Sir Peter Lumsden's fuIce: H1he accounts If the Ar gllai losses in the recent engagement are con hlcting It is assert ted thai me Lundr, ds Of Afghans were literally nlassac ed. Sir Peter Lumsden has broken camp at Guiran and Is maj ckDg on lirpul, station on the Htrl- Rud, near Kusan. The force was oveIt taken on the march by a seve snowsto m, wLlch caused several deaths and great suffering among the retlnue.'
 dispatch from St. Petersburg says that decorations and rewards have already been conferred by telegraph on the Russian officers and soldiers who took part in the battle with the Afghans.
 Various rumors are ahoat to the effect that some English officers were killed in the Ru -so- Afghan engagement, and that the Afghans have risen against the English,
 Russia's Defence.
 Gen. Komaroff's dispatch is published off, cially in St. P, tersburg. He says:
 'On the p h of March our detachment ap- preached Dashkepri. When near the bridge we saw an intrenchment occupied by Afghans. In order to avoid conflict stationed y troops five versts Ga little over three miles) f. om the Afghan position. NeguIiati, ns with Captain Yates Ca member of Sir Pet CT Lumsden's force commenced on the 18th. When the Afghans became convinced that we had no intention of attacking them they daily drew nearer to our camp. On the 2 th they dispatched against 6 company of ours, covering a accommodating party, three companies, with gun, and some cavalry. Next day, their audacity and arrogance increasing, they oecu- pied & high and commanding position on the left flank of our camp, n. ade intrenchments, and placed 8 cavalry post in the rear of our line and picket within gunshot of our fort. On the 29th sent the Afghan commander an en- ergetic summons to evacuate the left bank of the Kushk and the right bank of the Murg- hoh far "a month of the KnshE He replied that, acting on the advice of the English, he would not retire beyond the Kushk. then sent him private letter, couched in amicable terms On the 30th, in order to sup port my demand, marched with my detach- ment against the Afghan position, still expect ing pacific issue, but fire from the Afghan artillery and an attack of their cavalry com pelled me to accept combat"
 General Komarof telegraphs further that the Afghans planted cannon in such a way that the Russians were placed in a very unfa- vorable strateg cal position. and consequently had to meet the offered battle. The first shot was actually fired by the Afghans. In answer to qu, stion ds to how the Afghsns fought Baron Kaulbers said: ''At the beginning they fought with bravery, but at last they fled in wild confusion, leaving all ther artillery and train in the hands of General Komaroff, as well ss many If their deal and wounded"
 A dispatch from Vienna gives the following: M. de Giers, the Russian Premier, sent & teie- gram to Baron de Staal, the Russian Minister at London, in these words: I am charged by the Czar's personal command to request you to inform the English Government that iu the Czlrs opinion war would be deptorable to both countries. The Czar firmly hopes that a prompt and simple arrangement will be estab- fish d. In reply to this Baron de Staal tele- graphed M. de Giers that the English Cabinet gladly accepted NJ. de Giers's communication.
 The remnant Of the Afghan detachment de- feated by the Russian forces at the engage ment on the Kushk river fled 10 Herat after the battle. The losses of the Afghans were largely in excess of the first estimate. In ad- dition to those who fell on the field of bAttle or died of their wounds, many perished during their forced rttreat from cold and hung r.. Tn Vt ather has been mutually severe. and cold rain or snow has been falling almost without ntermiss on the last twelve days.
 An order has been sent to Cronstadt 10 get ready within a fortnight forty war-ships, in cludIng torpedo boats Two divisions about to leave Odessa for the Caucasus to take the pl ce of those removed to the tIsns-Cas- pian territory,