Campaign of the Indus eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 186 pages of information about Campaign of the Indus.

Campaign of the Indus eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 186 pages of information about Campaign of the Indus.

The arrangements made by Superintending-Surgeons Kennedy and Atkinson previous to the storming, for affording assistance and comfort to the wounded, met with my approval.

Major Parsons, the Deputy Commissary-General, in charge of the department in the field, has been unremitting in his attention to keep the troops supplied, although much difficulty is experienced, and he is occasionally thwarted by the nature of the country and its inhabitants.

I have throughout this service received the utmost assistance I could derive from Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonald, my officiating military secretary, and Deputy Adjutant-General of her Majesty’s Forces, Bombay; from Captain Powell, my Persian interpreter, and the other officers of my personal staff.  The nature of the country in which we are serving, prevents the possibility of my sending a single staff-officer to deliver this to your Lordship, otherwise I should have asked my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Keane, to proceed to Simla, to deliver this despatch into your hands, and to have afforded any further information that your Lordship could have desired.

The brilliant triumph we have obtained, the cool courage displayed, and the gallant bearing of the troops I have the honour to command, will have taught such a lesson to our enemies in the Afghan nation as will make them hereafter respect the name of a British soldier.

Our loss is wonderfully small considering the occasion, the casualties in killed and wounded amount to about 200.

The loss of the enemy is immense; we have already buried of their dead nearly 500, together with an immense number of horses.

I enclose a list of the killed, wounded, and missing.  I am happy to say that, although the wounds of some of the officers are severe, they are all doing well.

It is my intention, after selecting a garrison for this place, and establishing a general hospital, to continue my march to Cabool forthwith—­I have, &c.,

  (Signed) JOHN KEANE, Lieut.-General.

No. 1.

List of killed, wounded, and missing, in the army under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Keane, before Ghuzni, on the 21st of July, 1839:—­

2nd Troop Bengal Horse Artillery—­3 horses wounded.

3rd Troop Bombay—­2 rank and file, 2 horses, wounded.

4th Troop Bombay—­1 horse killed.

2nd Regiment Bengal Cavalry—­1 horse killed, 1 rank and file wounded.

4th Bengal Local Horse—­1 rank and file and 1 horse missing.

Her Majesty’s 13th Light Infantry—­1 rank and file killed.

16th Bengal Native Infantry—­1 captain wounded.

48th Bengal Native Infantry—­1 lieutenant, and 2 rank and file wounded.

Total killed—­1 rank and file, and two horses.

Total wounded—­1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 5 rank and file, and 6 horses.

Total missing—­1 rank and file, and 1 horse.

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Campaign of the Indus from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.