The Battle of Peiwar Kotal was fought on 28–29 November 1878 between British forces under Sir Frederick Roberts and Afghan forces under Karim Khan, during the opening stages of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The British were victorious, and seized the strategic Peiwar Kotal Pass leading into  Afghanistan.     Order of battle  British Regiments 10th Hussars 8th King's Regiment 72nd Highlanders  Indian Regiments 5th Gurkha Rifles 12th Bengal Cavalry  5th Punjab Cavalry 21st Bengal Native Infantry (Punjabis) 23rd Bengal Native Infantry (Punjab Pioneers) 29th Bengal Native Infantry (Punjabis) 2nd Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force 5th Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force (Vaughan's Rifles ) 21st (Kohat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force)  Aftermath Captain John Cook was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle. First Battalion the Fifth Gorkha Rifles was awarded its first battle honour .  Category:Conflicts in 1878 Category:1878 in India Category:Battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War Category:Battles involving the United Kingdom Category:Battles involving Afghanistan Category:History of Pakistan Category: November 1878 event
The Battle of Peiwar Kotal was fought on 2 December 1878 between British forces under Major General Frederick Roberts and Afghan forces under Karim Khan, during the opening stages of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The British were victorious, and seized the strategic Peiwar Kotal Pass leading into the interior of Afghanistan. The battle After the outbreak of the Second Afghan War in November 1878, British-led forces invaded Afghanistan in three separate columns, the smallest of which was commanded by Major General Roberts. This column entered Afghanistan via the Kurram Valley on 21 November 1978, heading towards Kabul. The pass was however heavily defended at the Peiwar Kotal. This included Afghan regular forces, reinforced by local tribesman, who had established themselves in a strongly fortified position on a mountain overlooking the pass, which Robert described as an 'apparently impregnable position'. Roberts halted and camped just outside Afghan artillery range for several days, sending out reconnaissance parties before deciding on his response. Finally, on 1 December, he ordered preparations for a frontal attack, including marking out artillery emplacements directly facing the main Afghan position. This was however a feint, and that night Roberts led the main body of his force around the flank of the Afghan defences. His attack on the morning of 2 December took the Afghans by surprise. After Roberts' forces, led by the Highlanders and the Gurkhas, took a number of strongly held positions, the Afghans realised that their line of retreat was threatened and retreated from the battlefield. Aftermath This victory, against a well positioned superior force, opened the route to Kabul and helped lead to the Afghan government suing for peace and accepting a British Resident in Kabul, the first phase of the war ending on 26 May 1879. It also brought General Roberts, until then a little known staff officer, into public prominence, both in Britain and the wider Empire. Captain John Cook was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle, while his regiment, the 5th Gurkha Rifles, was awarded its first battle honour. Order of battle The following regiments participated in the battle: British Regiments 2nd battalion, 8th King's Regiment 72nd Highlanders (half-battalion) Indian Regiments 12th Bengal Cavalry 2nd Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force 5th Punjab Infantry 23rd Bengal Native Infantry (Punjab Pioneers) 29th Bengal Native Infantry (Punjabis) 5th Gurkha Rifles 21st (Kohat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) Thirty-eight members of the 10th Hussars were also present. Prior to the battle, the total strength of the force in camp was 889 Europeans, including officers, and 2,415 native Indians . Sources Category:Conflicts in 1878 Category:1878 in India Category:Battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War Category:Battles involving the United Kingdom Category:Battles involving Afghanistan Category:History of Pakistan Category: December 1878 event
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28–29 November
2 December
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Sir
Major General
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the interior of
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The battle After the outbreak of the Second Afghan War in November 1878, British-led forces invaded Afghanistan in three separate columns, the smallest of which was commanded by Major General Roberts. This column entered Afghanistan via the Kurram Valley on 21 November 1978, heading towards Kabul. The pass was however heavily defended at the Peiwar Kotal. This included Afghan regular forces, reinforced by local tribesman, who had established themselves in a strongly fortified position on a mountain overlooking the pass, which Robert described as an 'apparently impregnable position'.
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Roberts halted and camped just outside Afghan artillery range for several days, sending out reconnaissance parties before deciding on his response. Finally, on 1 December, he ordered preparations for a frontal attack, including marking out artillery emplacements directly facing the main Afghan position. This was however a feint, and that night Roberts led the main body of his force around the flank of the Afghan defences. His attack on the morning of 2 December took the Afghans by surprise. After Roberts' forces, led by the Highlanders and the Gurkhas, took a number of strongly held positions, the Afghans realised that their line of retreat was threatened and retreated from the battlefield.
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Aftermath This victory, against a well positioned superior force, opened the route to Kabul and helped lead to the Afghan government suing for peace and accepting a British Resident in Kabul, the first phase of the war ending on 26 May 1879. It also brought General Roberts, until then a little known staff officer, into public prominence, both in Britain and the wider Empire.
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Captain John Cook was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle, while his regiment, the 5th Gurkha Rifles, was awarded its first battle honour.
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The following regiments participated in the battle:
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10th Hussars
2nd battalion,
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(half-battalion)
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5th Gurkha Rifles
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2nd Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force
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Cavalry 21st Bengal Native Infantry (Punjabis)
Infantry
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2nd Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force
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Punjab Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force (Vaughan's Rifles )
Gurkha Rifles
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Thirty-eight members of the 10th Hussars were also present.
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Aftermath Captain John Cook was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle. First Battalion the Fifth Gorkha Rifles was awarded its first battle honour
Prior to the battle, the total strength of the force in camp was 889 Europeans, including officers, and 2,415 native Indians
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Sources
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November
December