Forty-one years in India eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,042 pages of information about Forty-one years in India.

Forty-one years in India eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,042 pages of information about Forty-one years in India.

[Footnote 6:  Baker’s column consisted of:  4 guns Mountain battery; 3 troops 5th Punjab Cavalry; 25 Sappers and Miners; 450 rifles 92nd Highlanders; 450 rifles 5th Punjab Infantry.]

[Footnote 7:  Now Lieutenant-General Sir William Lockhart, K.C.B., K.C.S.I.]

[Footnote 8:  On the 11th December, the troops at and around Kabul amounted to 6,352 men and 20 guns, which were thus disposed: 

         &nb
sp;                                      Men. Guns.
  Baker’s column 1,325 4
  Macpherson’s column 1,492 4
  Massy’s column 351 4
  At Sherpur 3,184 8
                                                ----- --
                                                6,352 20
  There were besides at Butkhak and Lataband 1,343 2
  And the Guides Corps, which reached Sherpur}
  on the evening of the 11th December } 679
                                                ----- --
                       Total 8,374 22]

[Footnote 9:  The memorandum was as follows: 

’Brigadier-General Massy will start at eight a.m. to-morrow with a squadron of Cavalry, join the Cavalry and Horse Artillery now out under Colonel Gordon, taking command thereof, and operating towards Arghandeh in conjunction with Brigadier-General Macpherson.  The troops to return in the evening.’]

[Footnote 10:  Kizilbashes are Persians by nationality and Shiah Mahomedans by religion.  They formed the vanguard of Nadir Shah’s invading army, and after his death a number of them settled in Kabul where they exercise considerable influence.]

[Footnote 11:  Stewart-Mackenzie’s horse was shot, and fell on him, and he was extricated with the greatest difficulty.]

[Footnote 12:  Mazr Ali was given the order of merit for his brave action, and is now a Native officer in the regiment.]

[Footnote 13:  Our Chaplain (Adams), who had accompanied me throughout the day, behaved in this particular place with conspicuous gallantry.  Seeing a wounded man of the 9th Lancers staggering towards him, Adams dismounted, and tried to lift the man on to his own charger.  Unfortunately, the mare, a very valuable animal, broke loose, and was never seen again.  Adams, however, managed to support the Lancer until he was able to make him over to some of his own comrades.

Adams rejoined me in time to assist two more of the 9th who were struggling under their horses at the bottom of the ditch.  Without a moment’s hesitation, Adams jumped into the ditch.  He was an unusually powerful man, and by sheer strength dragged the Lancers clear of their horses.  The Afghans meanwhile had reached Bhagwana, and were so close to the ditch that I thought my friend the padre could not possibly escape.  I called out to him to look after himself, but he paid no attention to my warnings until he had pulled the almost exhausted Lancers to the top of the slippery bank.  Adams received the Victoria Cross for his conduct on this occasion.]

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Forty-one years in India from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.