Battle of Killa Kazee
| Battle of Killa Kazee | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part of 2nd Afghan War 1878-80 | ||
| Date: | 11 December 1879 | |
| Location: | Kala, Kabul, Afghanistan | |
| Presidency: | Bengal | |
| Co-ordinates: | 34.480382°N 68.983536°E | |
| Result: | British withdrawal | |
| Combatants | ||
| British & Indians | Various Afghan tribes | |
| Commanders | ||
| Maj Gen Frederick Roberts Brig Gen William Massy |
Mahomed Jan | |
| Strength | ||
| 3,168 fighting men 12 guns |
10,000 | |
| Casualties | ||
| 29 killed 35 wounded |
||
Summary
General Roberts occupied Kabul on 13 October 1879. Afghan forces under Mahomed Jan advanced from Ghazni and Roberts determined to delay their approach to the capital. He ordered three columns to take the field: Thomas Baker Thomas Baker with 1,325 men, Herbert Macpherson (1,492 men) and William Massy (351 men). Massy's cavalry failed to meet up with Macpherson and confronted a greatly superior enemy near Kila Kazee. The four horse artillery guns were at too great a range to have any effect. 198 troopers of the 9th Lancers under Lt-Col Cleland and 40 of the 14th Bengal Lancers under Capt Philip Neville made a heroic charge but the ground was too broken by ravines for it to be of any effect. The force retired losing the guns in the process. The retreat was only saved by the arrival from the city of the 72nd Regiment of Foot which prevented any further advance by the Afghans.
External Links
2nd Afghan War 1878-80 The British Empire
Trumpeter's narrative Garen Ewing
Chaplain William Adams' VC Wikipedia
Map of Kabul environs University of Texas
Historical books on-line
The Afghan Wars 1839-42 and 1878-80] by Archibald Forbes 1892 Battle at Killa Kazee archive.org
Forty-one Years in India from Subaltern to Commander-in-Chief by Field Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar 1900 Battle at Killa Kazee archive.org
Recommended Reading
"Road to Kabul" by Brian Robson 1986 ISBN 1862271968
| General Roberts' March to Kabul | |
|---|---|
|
Actions fought on this march: | |
| Phases: General Browne's March from Peshawar to Gandamak – General Roberts' March to Ali Kheyl – General Stewart's March to Kandahar | |
| General Roberts' March to Kabul – General Stewart's March to Kabul – General Roberts' March from Kabul to Kandahar | |
| Part of the 2nd Afghan War | |