2nd Afghan War

No sooner had the Georland troops left India than the Afghans rose again + destroyed the Residency with all in it. Rahez Khan the Indian General in command of the Indian Brigade having marched to Kabul was shut in there by hordes of tribesmen. The Indian Chiefs at once renewed the subsidy with H.I.M. who sailed March 1880 with the 8 H, 17 l, 1+2/21, 2/25, 3/60, 3/28 F.A. + a number of officers to raise a force of Native Corps which by May was ready as follows

3 Regts Deccan Horse, 1 Poonah + 2 Sind Horse, 4 Bns Hyderabad 4 Sikh, 1 Mahratta, 2 Byapur Inf, 2 Balooch Rifles.

 H.I.M. decided to move through Afghanistan on Kabul as follows

Column under Marshal Ernest 17 L, Puna Horse, 3 HI, 3/60 1/21 from Quetta Ismail Khan 14th June on Ghuzani

Column under LG Elliott 8 H, 17 L, 2 DH, 3 DH, 3/60, 2/25, 1 + 2 HI from Quetta on “. The latter occupied Kandahar on 6th June + moved N meeting the enemy ay Khelab on 10th June + defeating him with a loss of 107 K[illed] + 373 w[ounded] reached Ghuzani 27th June.

Meanwhile Marshal Routsbach’s column having advanced was attacked 20th June in the Ab–i-Takht pass but forced the Kotal + joined hands with LG Elliott’s force before Ghuzani 27th June.

The united columns were organized thus for the siege of Ghuzani under M[arshal] Routsbach.

The camp was attacked on 8th + 12th July. 2nd 3rd + 4th Brigades + 2 CB (Cavalry Bde) cross R(iver) Joga on 15th in face of enemy. A parallel cut + Batteries made 18th - 2nd parallel cut 22nd July. On 23rd enemy made a sortie driving 2HI out of 2nd parallel but 2nd Brigade turned out + drove them back. On 24th bombardment commenced + a breach made in SE of Mahmund Redoubt. On 25h Ghuzani was stormed – the 4th 15th blew in + stormed Kabul gate – the breach by 2nd + 3rd Bgdes followed by the 17th Lancers – the 1st Brigade entered with 1st Cav Bgde – the Kandahar gate which had been opened by the 4th Bde. The Georland total loss during the siege was 393 k + 60 wounded.

This day a despatch was received from Genl Rahez Khan at Kabul to say that Yakub demands he had handed the city over to him + was retiring.

H.I.M. accordingly ordered his forces to return to India + sent off a Divn 2nd C[avalry] Bgde, 3rd + 2nd Bgde, + 3 Divn via Kabul to Peshawar but receiving news that Ayub Khan a pretender to the Afghan throne had advanced on Candahar [sic] overwhelming on 15th. Genl McPherson had taken to oppose him at Maiwand 39th July 1897 he marched with the 17th L 1/21, PH, 3HI + a Divn of Robey Khan’s from Kabul for Kandahar 12th August and, reaching Khandahar (sic) 4th Sept attacked + routes Ayub’s force on the 6th Sep 1897. Leaving a force in Kandahar H.I.M. returned to India through the Bolan Sep 1880.

During the winter H.I.M. was busily engaged in organizing his Native Levies + was reinforced by the arrival of troops from Georland + Nithrinko 7th H, 14 H, 2/27 2/33 2/44. In April he moved AHQ [Army Headquarters] to Kohat and thence with a small force led a punitive expedition to Makin in the Mahsud Waziri country May 1881 (3/60 5 PI, 6 PI 2 DH 4 PI 9DR 2 In B

The Muranzi Valley being disturbed H.I.M. on July 19th sent from Kohat with the 17th L 1?h 1 sq[uadron] each 3 cos 3/27, 4/Sikhs 2 Cos + 5 PI 5 Cos under MG Jervis + followed next day to Murrakinela for where the tribesmen unsuccessfully attacked a piquet on Spirgual Spur (17 L 3/37+ 5 PI) on 25th. The valley having been overrun the force returned to Kohat 30th.