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Synopsis of Second Anglo-Afghan War
British Forces Page ^ | 10/22/01 | ???

Posted on 10/22/2001 11:49:11 AM PDT by janus

Synopsis

Russian advances into central Asia after the Crimean War were seen in London and Calcutta as a threat to Britain's Indian possessions. The Tsar's armies had absorbed Tashkent, Samarkand and Khiva bringing the Russian presence close to Afghanistan and the traditional invasion route to India.

In 1877, Amir Sher Ali of Afghanistan welcomed a Russian mission to Kabul. The Viceroy of India, Lord Lytton, responded by sending a British mission to the Amir, demanding that the Russians be dismissed. The Amir replied by turning back the British mission's advance party as it crossed the Afghan border in September 1878.

Lord Lytton subsequently sent an ultimatum calling for an apology of this rebuff and the acceptance of a British mission. No reply was received and an invasion of Afghanistan was in order. A large and well-equipped force was assembled and on 21st November 1878, three British columns invaded Afghanistan. These columns were supported by a siege train and over twenty batteries of field and mountain guns.

The Peshawar Valley Field Force, commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Browne, entered the Khyber Pass and the surrounding hills during the night of 20th November and after long artillery duel captured the fort at Ali Masjid. Jellalabad was occupied four weeks later.

The Kandahar Field Force, commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Donald Stewart, marched up through Bolan Pass to Quetta. On 8th January 1879, they reached Kandahar, which had already been evacuated by the Afghan garrison.

The Kurram Valley Force, commanded by Major-General Sir Frederick Roberts, marched into the Kurram Valley and took Kurram Fort, but then found its progress blocked by a line of Afghan defences based on Peiwar Kotal, a ridge between the hills. The road to Kotal was covered by Afghan artillery and sharpshooters and could be raked from end to end by gun and musket fire from the surrounding positions. Robert's force was facing thousands of Afghan regulars and tribesmen.

Wolseley's force camped just outside the range of the Afghans' guns and a careful reconnaissance was made. Wolseley decided to divide his force. He would lead the bulk in a flanking march by night and climb the left side of the hill where the Afghans were posted, while the remainder of the force made obvious preparations for a frontal attack.

At dawn, his Ghurkhas, Sikhs and Highlanders took the Afghans totally by surprise, stormed their defences and put them to flight. At roughly the same time, the force at the base camp launched a frontal attack. Soon the Afghan camp and guns were in British hands. For the loss of twenty dead and seventy-five wounded, General Roberts had won Peiwar Kotal and opened the way into Afghanistan. For his victory Roberts was appointed Knight Commander of the Bath and was formally thanked by Parliament.

The Amir Sher Ali fled to Turkestan and died a few months later. His son, Yakub Khan, signed a treaty with the British at Gandamak on 26th May 1879, under which the Amir agreed to welcome a British envoy to his court and to allow Britain to control his foreign policy in return for a subsidy and protection.

The British envoy appointed was Major Sir Louis Cavagnari, KCSI, and he set out with an escort to the Afghan capital, arriving on 24th July 1879. A few short months later, on 3rd September, Afghan troops in the capital rioted when the authorities failed to meet their pay arrears. They besieged the British residency at the Bala Hissar and slaughtered the occupants. Three British officers and 25 men had mounted four attempts to break the siege but had failed against the Afghan troops superior numbers.

News of the massacre reached India, and immediately war was resumed. General Roberts was ordered to march on Kabul and re-impose British rule and punish the rebel ringleaders. His 6,500 strong force included battalions of the 72nd and 92nd Highlanders together with Ghurkhas and Sikhs, and Gatling guns were attached to the force. The force routed a much larger Afghan army at Charasiah, a few miles from Kabul, and made a triumphant entry into Kabul. Roberts tried and executed the rebel ringleaders and those accused of executing the British envoy and his escort.

Roberts then learned that several large Afghan forces were advancing on Kabul and decided to withdraw to Sherpur, a fortified area north of the city. The Afghan army returned to Kabul, while at Maiwand a field force of 2,000 British were surprised by an Afghan army and suffered 1,330 casualties. The survivors retreated to Kandahar where the Afghans besieged them.

A strong column was at once assembled at Kabul, and with Roberts again in command left Kabul on 8th August, arriving at Kandahar on 28th August, having traveled over 300 miles in 20 days. The column consisted of the 72nd Highlanders, the 92nd Highlanders, the 60th Rifles, the 9th Lancers, the 2nd, 4th and 5th Ghurkha Regiments, a number of Sikh and Punjabi infantry and cavalry units with three batteries of mountain guns.

The column relieved the demoralized garrison at Kandahar, and Roberts launched an attack on the Afghan army on 1st September. Under heavy fire, the Highlanders and Ghurkhas stormed the Afghan positions and drove them out of their entrenchments, capturing all their guns.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous
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I underlined the dates of these skirmishes to note that 120 years ago the Afghans could be fought and beaten during winter.(Maybe someone should let CNN know about this and stop their panic)
1 posted on 10/22/2001 11:49:11 AM PDT by janus
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To: janus
There were three Anglo-Afghan wars--one right after WW I--and the "party line" repeated ad nauseam by the mainstream media (and their Taleban proteges) is that the British lost all of them. But this synopsis shows that, as the liberals are fond of saying, "the truth is more complex...."
2 posted on 10/22/2001 12:27:36 PM PDT by Map Kernow
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