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Departure from Kabul

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'''See This was an event during the [[1st Afghan War]]'''<br>'''For context see main article [[Retreat from Kabul to GandamakGundamak]]'''
== Kabul to Bagrame ==
After terms had been agreed for safe passage of Elphinstone's army to Peshawar (see [[Kabul Uprising]]), the Afghan chiefs made various excuses for delaying the departure. Eventually on 6 January 1842 4,500 fighting men and 12,000 followers began to leave the Sherpur Cantonment where they had been besieged for two months. In bitter weather with a foot of snow on the ground, the retreating army moved out into the countryside with only five days supplies and no sign of the promised Afghan escort. As they left, the Afghans started to plunder and destroy the cantonment. At evening the main column was still passing out of the gate and the rearguard was having to defend itself against sniper fire which killed Lt Hardyman of 5th Light Cavalry and fifty other ranks. Eventually all were across the river but two Horse Artillery guns and a quantity of baggage had been abandoned. It was 2 am before the rearguard reached the night halt at Bagrame 5 miles down the road.

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