Battle of Jalalabad
| Battle of Jalalabad | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part of 1st Afghan War 1839-42 | ||
| Date: | 7 April 1842 | |
| Location: | Jalalabad, Afghanistan | |
| Presidency: | Bengal | |
| Co-ordinates: | 34.456712°N 70.384276°E | |
| Result: | Akbar Khan defeated | |
| Combatants | ||
| British & Indians | Ghilzai tribesmen | |
| Commanders | ||
| Maj-Gen Sir Robert Sale | Mohammed Akbar Khan | |
| Strength | ||
| 1,500 | 5,000 | |
| Casualties | ||
| 14 killed 66 wounded |
||
Synopsis
On 1 April a sortie was able to bring in a flock of 500 sheep and on 7 April Sale mounted a major assault on Akbar Khan's forces and defeated them convincingly though Colonel Dennie was killed. Akbar retreated towards Kabul and the district chiefs tendered their submission. Sale had effectively raised the siege. Pollock's army reached Jalalabad on 16th April.
Troops in the Sortie
Left Column under Lieut-Col Thomas Monteath CB
Centre Column under Col. William Dennie
- 13th Regiment of Foot 500 bayonets
Right Column under Capt. Henry Havelock
- One company 13th Regiment of Foot
- One company 35th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- Detachment of Sappers
Artillery
- No 6 Light Field Battery under Capt Abbott
Cavalry
- Small troop under Capt Oldfield and Lieut Mayne
Biographies
Entries in the Dictionary of Indian Biography 1906:
Mahommed Akbar Khan (1813?-1849)
William Brydon (1811-1873)
William Dennie (1785?-1842)
William Elphinstone (1782-1842)
Henry Havelock (1782-1842)
Thomas Monteath (Douglas) (1795-1857)
George Pollock (1786-1872)
Eldred Pottinger (1811-1843)
Robert Sale (1782-1845)
Claude Wade (1794-1861)
External Links
1st Afghan War Wikipedia
1st Afghan War Somerset Record Office
Siege of Jellalabad Google Books
Siege of Jellalabad BritishBattles.com
Siege of Jellalabad Google Books
Maj Gen Sir Robert Sale ODNB
Historical books on-line
Sale's Brigade in Afghanistan: with an Account of the Seizure and Defence of Jellalabad by George Robert Gleig 1846 (Google Books)
History of the war in Afghanistan, Volume 3 - Siege of Jalalabad by John William Kaye 1851 (Google Books)