The Kabul Insurrection Of 1841-42

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ... 255 CHAPTER XIII. THE RETREAT OF THE ARMY, AND ITS ANNIHILATION. January 6th.--At last the fatal morning dawned, which was to witness the departure of the Kdbul force from the cantonments, in which it had sustained a twomonths' siege, to encounter the miseries of a winter march through a country of perhaps unparalleled difficulty, where every mountain defile, if obstinately defended by a determined enemy, must inevitably prove the grave of hundreds. Dreary indeed was the scene, over which, with drooping spirits and dismal forebodings, we had to bend our unwilling steps. Deep snow covered every inch of mountain and plain with one unspotted sheet of dazzling white, and so intensely bitter was the cold, as to penetrate and defy the defences of the warmest clothing. No signs of the promised escort appeared: but at an early hour the preparations commenced for our march. A cut was made through the eastern rampart, to open an additional passage for the troops and baggage, a sufficient number of gun-waggons and platform planks were taken down to the river for the formation of a temporary bridge, and every available camel and yabu (the whole amounting to two thousand) was laden with military stores, commissariat supplies, and such small proportion of camp-equipage as was indispensably necessary to shelter the troops in a climate of extraordinary rigour. The strength of the whole force at this time was, so far as can now be ascertained, very nearly as follows: --1 troop of Horse Artillery H.M.'s 44th Foot-5th Eegt. Light Cavalry, 2 squad. 5th Shah's Irreg. do. (Anderson's) Skinner's Horse, 1 rissala 4th Irreg. do. 1 do.-Mission escort, or body-guard 5th Native Infantry 37th do. 54th do. 6th Shah's Infantry Sappers and Miners Shah's do. Half the..