Ambela Campaign The Ambela Campaign ( also called Umbeyla ; Umbeylah ; Ambeyla ) was one of numerous expeditions led by British forces in the border area between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Punjab Province of British India ( this area was formally renamed to North - West Frontier Province in 1901 , present - day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ) ; this campaign was against local Pashtuns of Yusufzai tribes of the border region between British India and Afghanistan . The local Pashtuns were vehemently opposed to British colonial rule and frequently attacked British forces . In 1858 , an expedition led by Sir Sydney Cotton drove the Pashtuns from their base . By 1863 however they had regrouped around the mountain outpost of Malka . A force led by Neville Bowles Chamberlain planned to destroy Malka . They set up an operational base in the Chamla Valley accessed by the Ambela Pass , but they were soon bogged down a numerically superior local force . Reinforcements drafted in by the local Commander - in - Chief eventually broke through the pass , received the surrender of the Bunerwals and went on to burn Malka . The expedition saw 1 , 000 British casualties and an unknown number of Indian casualties . Expedition . The Lieutenant - Governor of the Punjab authorised an expedition of 6 , 000 men under Brigadier General Neville Bowles Chamberlain to destroy Malka . The Lieutenant Governor acted without consulting the Commander - in - Chief of the Frontier Force . Chamberlain chose the Chamla Valley as his operational base and the Ambela Pass as the main access . He chose this valley as the access as he believed that the local Bunerwal people were friendly to British forces ; this turned out to be a false impression as the Pashtuns had persuaded them that the British would annex their land if they failed to put up a defence . The first Peshawar column reached the Ambela Pass on 20 October , after struggling on rough terrain , and the rear of the column took another two days to reach the base . Crag Piquet . On 22 October a reconnaissance was attacked by some Bunerwal tribesman . As a result Chamberlain proceeded to fortify his position in the pass on two rocky outcrops , but Eagle ' s Nest and Crag Piquet could only hold small numbers of men . The Pashtuns had amassed a force of local tribesmen consisting of some 15 , 000 men . The two outcrops were the scene of fierce fighting . On 30 October Crag Piquet was the scene of fierce hand - to - hand fighting that saw two Victoria Cross es awarded ; to George Fosbery and Henry Pitcher . Crag Piquet fell to the Pashtuns three times in the next four weeks , but was retaken by British forces on each occasion . On 20 November Chamberlain was seriously wounded . Reinforcements were gradually drafted in on the orders of the Commander - in - Chief Sir Hugh Rose and he replaced Chamberlain with Major General John Garvock on 6 December . Garvock led a two - column attack consisting of 4 , 800 men supported by the 11th Bengal Cavalry led by another VC holder Colonel Dighton Probyn VC that broke out of the pass . The Bunerwals surrendered to Garvock on 17 December and he sent a party to burn Malka . The British had restored peace but at the cost of 1 , 000 casualties .