Difference between revisions of "Retreat from Kabul to Gundamak"

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== Prelude ==
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{{Battlemap|war=Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak|link=http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=p&msa=0&msid=101241150585833319689.00046bda10060121205ab&ll=34.389913,69.831848&spn=0.831807,1.381531&z=10}}
{{Battlemap|war=Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak|link=http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=101241150585833319689.00046bda10060121205ab&ll=34.437496,69.505005&spn=0.826804,1.343079&t=p&z=10}}
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'''This was an event during the [[1st Afghan War]]'''
''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hay_Macnaghten Sir William Macnaghten] the political agent in Kabul was murdered at a conference by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar_Khan Muhammad Akbar Khan] the son of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dost_Mohammed_Khan Dost Muhammad] on 23 December 1841. On 24 December 1841 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldred_Pottinger Major Eldred Pottinger] took up negotiations with the Afghans. He agreed to give up most artillery pieces, spare rifles, ammunition, money and six hostages for safe passage to [[Jalalabad]].''
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== Synopsis ==
 +
==== Prelude ====
 +
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hay_Macnaghten Sir William Macnaghten] the political agent in Kabul was murdered at a conference by [[Mohammad Akbar|Mohammad Akbar Khan]] the son of [[Dost Mohammed|Amir Dost Muhammad Khan]] on 23 December 1841. On 24 December 1841 [[Eldred Pottinger|Major Eldred Pottinger]] took up negotiations with the Afghans. He agreed to give up most artillery pieces, spare rifles, ammunition, money and six hostages for safe passage to [[Jalalabad]].<br>
 +
====The Retreat ====
 +
In bitter winter weather the retreating army was continually attacked and in a series of rearguard actions the majority of the troops and camp followers perished. Muhammad Akbar took 120 men, women and children hostage. The remnants of the [[44th Regiment of Foot|44th Regiment]], 20 officers and 45 European soldiers, made a last stand at [[Gundamak]].
 +
 
 
== Retreating Army ==
 
== Retreating Army ==
''Brigadier John Shelton''<br>
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''4,500 fighting men under Brigadier John Shelton''<br>
 
'''Advance Guard'''<br>
 
'''Advance Guard'''<br>
*[[44th Regiment of Foot]]
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''Brigadier Anquetil commanding''<br>
*[[4th Irregular Cavalry|4th Irregular Horse]]
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*[[44th Regiment of Foot]] (600)
 +
*[[4th Irregular Cavalry|4th Irregular Horse]] (70)
 
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (two 6 pounder guns)
 
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (two 6 pounder guns)
*Sappers & Miners Mountain Train
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*Sappers & Miners (20)
*Envoy’s Escort<br>
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*Mountain Train (3 guns)<br>
 
'''Main Body'''<br>
 
'''Main Body'''<br>
*5th Native Infantry
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''Brigadier Shelton commanding''<br>
*[[37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|37th Native Infantry]] (in charge of treasure)
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*[[5th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|5th Native Infantry]] with baggage (700)
*Anderson’s Horse
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*[[37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|37th Native Infantry]] in charge of treasure (600)
*Shah’s 6th Regiment
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*Anderson’s Horse (70)
 
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (two 6 pounder guns)<br>
 
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (two 6 pounder guns)<br>
 +
*Envoy’s Escort with the ladies<br>
 +
*Invalids and sick<br>
 
'''Rearguard'''<br>
 
'''Rearguard'''<br>
*[[54th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|54th Native Infantry]]
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''Colonel Chambers commanding''<br>
*[[5th Bengal Light Cavalry|5th Cavalry]]
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*[[54th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry|54th Native Infantry]] (650)
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (two 6 pounder guns)<br>
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*6th Shah's Infantry (600)
 +
*[[5th Bengal Light Cavalry|5th Cavalry]] (260)
 +
*[[Bengal Horse Artillery|Horse Artillery]] (four 6 pounder guns)<br>
 
'''Total 4,500 fighting men and 12,000 followers'''<br>
 
'''Total 4,500 fighting men and 12,000 followers'''<br>
  
== The Retreat ==
+
==Related articles ==
''In bitter winter weather the retreating army was continually attacked and in a series of rearguard actions the majority of the troops and camp followers perished. Muhammad Akbar took 120 men, women and children hostage. The remnants of the [[44th Regiment of Foot|44th Regiment]], 20 officers and 45 European soldiers, made a last stand at [[Gundamak]]. All were killed except Captain Thomas Alexander Souter who was taken prisoner and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brydon Dr William Brydon] who escaped on horseback to the besieged city of [[Jalalabad]].''
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For further details of events during this period see the following articles
 +
{|
 +
|[[Departure from Kabul]]
 +
|6 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Action at Boothak]]
 +
|7 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Battle of Khoord-Kabul Pass]]
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| 8 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Hostages taken at Khoord-Kabul]]
 +
|9 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Battle of Tunghi Tarika]]
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|10 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Action at Jugdulluk]]
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|11 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Retreat from Jugdulluk]]
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|12 January 1842
 +
|-
 +
|[[Battle of Gundamak]]
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|13 January 1842
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Spelling Variants ==
 +
Modern name: Gandomak<br>
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Variants: Gandamak/Gundamak/Gundamuck/Gundumuk<br>
 +
 
 +
==External Links==
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[http://www.britishbattles.com/first-afghan-war/kabul-gandamak.htm Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak] www.britishbattles.com<br>
 +
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_Elphinstone's_Army Massacre of Elphinstone's Army] Wikipedia<br>
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[http://www.khyber.org/publications/011-015/brydonreport.shtml Dr Brydon's Account] www.khyber.org<br>
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[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Eiduxo3wZEQC&pg=PA90&dq=few%20more%20statements%20by%20eye%20witness&cd=4#v=onepage&q=few%20more%20statements%20by%20eye%20witness&f=false Sgt-Maj Lissant's account] Google Books.  [http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/12410282 "Narrative Of Serjeant-Major Lissant, 37th Regt. N. I., from the  6th to the 13th January, 1842"] ''The Sydney Morning Herald''  Wednesday 5 October 1842. Originally from the ''Englishman'' <br>
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[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Eiduxo3wZEQC&pg=PA118&dq=we+were+hurried+from+Lughman&cd=2#v=onepage&q=we%20were%20hurried%20from%20Lughman&f=false Captain Souter's account] Google Books
 +
 
 +
==== Historical Books on-line ====
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''The Kabul Insurrection of 1841-42'' by Maj-Gen Sir Vincent Eyre 1879 [http://www.archive.org/stream/kabulinsurrecti00eyregoog#page/n272/mode/2up  The Retreat of the Army and its Annihilation] (archive.org)<br>
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''Battles of the Nineteenth Century Vol II" by Archibald Forbes et al  [http://www.archive.org/stream/battlesofninetee02forb#page/565/mode/1up The Utter Destruction of a British Army] (archive.org)<br>
 +
''The military operations at Cabul: which ended in the retreat and destruction of the British army, January 1842'' by Sir Vincent Eyre  2nd edition 1843 [http://www.google.com/books?id=V8VFAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA195#v=onepage&q=&f=false The Retreat of the Army]  (Google Books)<br>
 +
''Historical record of the Forty-fourth, or the East Essex regiment of foot'' by Thomas Carter 1864 [http://books.google.com/books?id=iGYVAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA138&dq=Historical+record+of+the+Forty-fourth,+or+the+East+Essex+regiment+of+foot+It+was+at+first+intended+to+march&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false The Retreat of the 44th Foot] (Google Books)<br>
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[http://www.archive.org/stream/ajournaldisaste01dickgoog#page/n6/mode/2up ''A Journal of the Disasters in Affghanistan 1841-2''] by Lady Florentia Sale 1843 (archive.org)<br>
 +
''Memorials of Affghanistan: being state papers, official documents'' by Joachim Hayward Stocqueler 1843 [http://books.google.com/books?id=XiEPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR60#v=onepage&q&f=false Narrative of the Events in Cabul between the 2nd of November 1841, and the middle of September 1842 by a Quondan Captive] (Google books)
  
[[Category:1st Afghan War]]
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[[Category:1st Afghan War|    Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak]]
 
[[Category:Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak|  Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak]]
 
[[Category:Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak|  Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak]]
[[Category:Campaigns with FIBIS Battle Maps|Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak]]
 

Latest revision as of 02:48, 1 January 2015

Battlemappic.gif See our interactive map of
Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak
locations and routes on Google Maps

This was an event during the 1st Afghan War

Synopsis

Prelude

Sir William Macnaghten the political agent in Kabul was murdered at a conference by Mohammad Akbar Khan the son of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan on 23 December 1841. On 24 December 1841 Major Eldred Pottinger took up negotiations with the Afghans. He agreed to give up most artillery pieces, spare rifles, ammunition, money and six hostages for safe passage to Jalalabad.

The Retreat

In bitter winter weather the retreating army was continually attacked and in a series of rearguard actions the majority of the troops and camp followers perished. Muhammad Akbar took 120 men, women and children hostage. The remnants of the 44th Regiment, 20 officers and 45 European soldiers, made a last stand at Gundamak.

Retreating Army

4,500 fighting men under Brigadier John Shelton
Advance Guard
Brigadier Anquetil commanding

Main Body
Brigadier Shelton commanding

Rearguard
Colonel Chambers commanding

Total 4,500 fighting men and 12,000 followers

Related articles

For further details of events during this period see the following articles

Departure from Kabul 6 January 1842
Action at Boothak 7 January 1842
Battle of Khoord-Kabul Pass 8 January 1842
Hostages taken at Khoord-Kabul 9 January 1842
Battle of Tunghi Tarika 10 January 1842
Action at Jugdulluk 11 January 1842
Retreat from Jugdulluk 12 January 1842
Battle of Gundamak 13 January 1842

Spelling Variants

Modern name: Gandomak
Variants: Gandamak/Gundamak/Gundamuck/Gundumuk

External Links

Retreat from Kabul to Gandamak www.britishbattles.com
Massacre of Elphinstone's Army Wikipedia
Dr Brydon's Account www.khyber.org
Sgt-Maj Lissant's account Google Books. "Narrative Of Serjeant-Major Lissant, 37th Regt. N. I., from the 6th to the 13th January, 1842" The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 5 October 1842. Originally from the Englishman
Captain Souter's account Google Books

Historical Books on-line

The Kabul Insurrection of 1841-42 by Maj-Gen Sir Vincent Eyre 1879 The Retreat of the Army and its Annihilation (archive.org)
Battles of the Nineteenth Century Vol II" by Archibald Forbes et al The Utter Destruction of a British Army (archive.org)
The military operations at Cabul: which ended in the retreat and destruction of the British army, January 1842 by Sir Vincent Eyre 2nd edition 1843 The Retreat of the Army (Google Books)
Historical record of the Forty-fourth, or the East Essex regiment of foot by Thomas Carter 1864 The Retreat of the 44th Foot (Google Books)
A Journal of the Disasters in Affghanistan 1841-2 by Lady Florentia Sale 1843 (archive.org)
Memorials of Affghanistan: being state papers, official documents by Joachim Hayward Stocqueler 1843 Narrative of the Events in Cabul between the 2nd of November 1841, and the middle of September 1842 by a Quondan Captive (Google books)