Campaign of the Indus: In a Series of Letters from an Officer of the Bombay DivisionHoldsworth, T. W. E.
History
Campaign of the Indus: In a Series of Letters from an Officer of the Bombay Division
Holdsworth, T. W. E.
Afghan Wars
chief, Hadjee Khan Kauker, is a prisoner at Cabool, as I told you in my
former letter.
At length, on the 31st of October, we reached Quettah, where we were
delighted to find a few Parsee merchants, who had come up from Bombay,
and from whom we were enabled to get a few European comforts, in the
shape of brandy, gin, wine, tea, pickles, &c., which we had long been
without; even milk and butter were luxuries to us.
General Willshire now ordered the 31st Bengal Native Infantry, which had
been left here in our march up, together with H.M. 17th, and a small
detail of Artillery, to proceed to Kelat, under Colonel Baumgardt, our
Brigadier. The 31st were to garrison it; and the 17th were sent because
Mehrab Khan, the Kelat chief, had declared that "he would not surrender
to any but European troops, and see the Sepoys d--d first, if they came
alone." However, no resistance was expected, as Mehrab had been offered
very liberal terms, which he had apparently accepted. The rest of the
force was to go down by the Bolan Pass, and wait at Bukkur, or somewhere
in Upper Sinde, till joined by the 17th. However, the next day a new
order came out, and the Queen's, together with a stronger detail of
Artillery, were ordered to reinforce the detachment to Kelat.
Well; we marched on the 5th of November; and the next day, after we had
readied our ground, when we had just sat down to breakfast, great was
our surprise to see General Willshire himself ride into camp with a few
of his staff. All we could learn on the subject was, that on that
morning, which was the day fixed for the rest of the division to begin
their march down the Bolan Pass, and just as they were about to start,
the General sent for his Adjutant and Quarter-master-general, and,
taking them and his Aides with him, started for our camp. Things now
looked a little more warlike; still we experienced no annoyance during
the whole march; few of us but thought that on our approach Mehrab Khan
would give in.
We halted a day at Mostrong, which was about half way, and here General
Willshire and the political agent communicated with the Khan, who
replied, that "as to the terms, he was willing to meet General Willshire
half way, with a small escort, and there talk them over; but that if we
advanced against him with an army, he should shut his gates, and we
should find him at the door of his citadel with his drawn sword." There
was "no mistake about that 'ere," as Sam Weller would say. However, most
of us thought it was merely bravado, as our progress was not molested
at all; this, however, was afterwards accounted for by the Khan's having
called in all his fighting-men to his standard.
The last three days before arriving at Kelat we marched in order of
battle, and had strong pickets at night, the whole force sleeping on
their arms, and ready to fall in at a moment's notice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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