The Blackpool Herald. — 1879-10-24 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

THE AFGHAN WAR.  It appeare4 that he (Emam Bux) was a chop-prasaie of Major Cavagnari, and that he had been fortunate enough to get mixed with the assailants at the final rush, without being discovered. To my question asking how Cavagnari met his death, he replied that he was killed about one o'clock in the day by a clean cut between the eyes from one of those heavy triangular-shaped Cabulee knives which every man carries in Afghanistan. The knife must have penetrated the brain, and the man declared that after receiving the blow "Major sahib never spoke another word." Hamilton, of the I.Guides, was shot through the right side of the body an hour later. Dr. Kelly perished in the burning house. The house he described as being a two-storeyed house with an upper verandah, and a ditch outside all round it. He related to us in a horribly graphic manner how he saw a wounded Ghoorki, the last survivor, dragged out, mutilated, having his throat cut. On hearing this story our Sikhs were furious. The universal remark was, "We will go on to Cabul, slay these Pathan dogs, and burn the city to the grondd," while some ' sagaciously remarked, "The sirdar ought never to have sent an Elchi to Cabul unless an army had gone there first.' The following account of the circumstances under which the massacre took place is forwarded to the Times of India by a correnondent in the Koorum, who has collected its details from such evidence as he has been able to procure : On the morning of Wednesday the 3rd inst. some of the Ameer's troops were paraded—without arms, as is usual on such occasions—to receive their pay. They demanded two months' arrears, but were only offered one, whereupon they refused to receive it, and said they would go and appeal to the English Elchi (ambassadorlfor justice. A number of them crowded into the courtyard of Sir Louis Cavagnari's residence in the Bala Hissar clamouring for his assistance to have their grievances redressed. He became angry at their thus invading him, said the matter was not one in which he oc old interfere, and ordered his escort to turn the intruders out of his courtyard. On this being done the rioters rushed for their arms, came back, and opened fire on the premises occupied by the Embassy. Sir Louis Cavitnari, his officers, and escort went to the upper part of the house and returned the fire from the windows, killing and wounding a great many of the assailants. At last it occurred to the latter, whose numbers by this time had been swelled by portions 'of twelve regiments and by a great number of bndmashes from the city, to set fire to the doors and wooden verandah at one side of the house occupied by the Embassy. This they did at about 1 p.m. at which time the ammunition of the inmates is believed to have been almost, if not quite, exhausted. Under cover ot the smoke the assailants rushed upstairs, and entering the room where Sir Louis Cavagnari was, they split his bead open with a blow. He fell back against the wall, and just about the same time the burning roof fell in, and his body must have been immersed in the flames. It is said that Lieutenant Hamilton and Mn. Jenkyns had previously been either killed or badly wounded, and that their bodies were also buried in the burning ruins. Dr. Kelly is believed to have survived till the following morning, when some of the murderers returned and cut him to pieces, cutting and backing at the same time the bodies of the Embassy escort they could find, and in some of which life was not then extinct. The defence was of the most stubborn and heroic character, and the numbers slain by Sir Louis Cavagnari and his gallant followers (British and native) are estimated by some at over 400, and by some at  leas than 300.