From the Black Mountain to Waziristan: Being an account of the border countries and the more turbulent of the tribes controlled by the north-west frontier province, and of our military relations with them in the pastWylly, H. C. (Harold Carmichael)
History
From the Black Mountain to Waziristan: Being an account of the border countries and the more turbulent of the tribes controlled by the north-west frontier province, and of our military relations with them in the past
No. 2 COLUMN.
Major Williams.
25 sabres, 2nd Punjab Cavalry.
350 bayonets, 4th Punjab Infantry.
300 bayonets, 6th Punjab Infantry.
No. 3 COLUMN.
Colonel Gardiner.
2 guns, No. 2 Mountain Battery.[110]
280 bayonets, 5th Punjab Infantry.
280 bayonets, 5th Gurkhas.
The first and second columns, advancing on the 9th November from Kohat
and Gumbat and by Tortang and Gandiali respectively, met at Turki, and
moved in combination upon Paia, which was occupied after but
insignificant opposition. Meanwhile, the third column had pushed forward
from Shadipur through the Namung Pass, finding the enemy holding the
ridges on the right of the exit from the defile; these were quickly
driven off, and the column moved on to Kakhto and there entrenched. On
the 12th the third column was again engaged, and the 13th and 15th were
occupied in the destruction of towers about Zal-Beg and in the Paia
Valley, the main body then moving to Shindih and Turki. There was very
heavy rain between the 16th and 25th, but a good deal of reconnaissance
and survey work was carried out. No further military operations were,
however, possible until the 1st December, when an advance on Jamu had
been decided upon. As it appeared that heavy loss must accompany any
retirement from Jamu after its capture, Brigadier-General Keyes
suggested that his operations should be assisted by the advance of a
force from Peshawar upon Bori: this was agreed to.
[Sidenote: Combined Operations]
On the 1st December the force under General Keyes, divided into three
columns, left camp at 4 a.m. The right column moved to the plateau to
the north-east of the camp in the direction of Paia; the centre column
advanced towards Bagh and Saparai; while the third, or left, moved by a
high ridge to a point to the north-west of the camp. The general advance
commenced at 6.30 a.m.; the enemy were completely surprised and,
although they had constructed breastworks, did not in any place attempt
to make a stand. They were driven into and beyond the two villages of
Shahi Khel, close to the Nara Khula defile, where the Jamu Valley is
very narrow, and these villages were then occupied by our troops and
finally burnt. The force then fell back and bivouacked at Saparai and
Bagh. On the 2nd and 3rd the Jamu Valley was surveyed and the Bazid Khel
Kotal reconnoitred, and on the 4th the village of Bagh was burnt, the
whole force now bivouacking in its vicinity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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