Throughout the winter of 1841-42 General Nott had been subject to considerable annoyance from the tribes of Southern Afghanistan. On two occasions he had been attacked at Kandahar, and he had experienced some difficulty in keeping open his communications with India by the Bolan Pass. It was not until he had heard that General Pollock was at Jelalabad that he was able to commence his advance towards Kabul. His force was divided into two brigades of infantry, with a small, but very efficient, force of cavalry, consisting of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry (now the 33rd Queen's Own Light Cavalry), and two regiments of irregular cavalry, one of which is still with us as Skinner's Horse. His artillery comprised two batteries of horse and two of field artillery. The First Infantry Brigade was under Brigadier Wymer, and consisted of the 40th (South Lancashire Regiment), the 16th and 38th Regiments of Bengal Infantry, and the 12th Khelat-i-Ghilzai Regiment, this last alone being with us. The Second Brigade comprised the 41st (Welsh Regiment), the 42nd and 43rd Regiments of Bengal Infantry (now the 5th and 6th Regiments of Light Infantry). On passing Khelat-i-Ghilzai, which all through the winter had been most gallantly defended by the 3rd Regiment of the Shah's infantry, under Captain Craigie, Nott, in obedience to instructions, destroyed the fortifications. At Ghuznee he met with his first opposition, and was able, with but little loss, to inflict a sharp defeat on the Afghans. GHUZNEE, 1842. This distinction was conferred on the regiments which marched up from Kandahar, under General Nott, and were present at the successful little skirmish outside the fortress of Ghuznee in August, 1842. The regiments authorized to bear this honour are the South Lancashire. The Welsh. 33rd Q.O. Light Cavalry. 5th Light Infantry. 6th Jat Light Infantry. 12th Khelat-i-Ghilzais. The losses were slight; indeed, when we examine the casualty returns of nearly all the engagements that have been inscribed on the colours of the British army for services in Afghanistan, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the honours have been very liberally bestowed. CASUALTIES AT GHUZNEE, 1842. +------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Royal Artillery | - | - | - | 3 | |40th S. Lancs. | - | 1 | - | 12 | |41st Welsh | - | - | - | 4 | |33rd Q.O. Light Cavalry | 2 | 2 | 15 | 7 | |Christie's Horse | - | 1 | 7 | 14 | |5th Light Inf. | - | - | - | - | |6th Jat. Lt. Inf. | - | - | - | - | |12th Khelat-i-Ghilzais | - | - | - | - | +------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ CABOOL, 1842.