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More snow fell and the temperature dropped to 14℉ below zero. Cold, wet and with dwindling supplies the garrison held out over the new year. On 15 January a truce was called pending the arrival of Shumshoodeen. Water had been cut off and supplies had run out so Palmer was forced to capitulate on a promise of safe escort to Peshawar. The garrison left the citadel on 6 March and were quartered in the town. Almost immediately they were attacked and fought desperately from house to house. The sepoys determined to escape through the walls, and, with no authority left, the ten remaining officers were persuaded to surrender and seek safety in the citadel on 10 March. The sepoys who escaped were killed or captured and the officers were confined in a small cell. Colonel Palmer was tortured to make him reveal where imagined treasure was concealed.
On 19 August the nine surviving prisoners (including[[ John Nicholson]]) were taken to Kabul and joined the other [[Captivity of the Hostages|hostages]] on 23 August 1842. Despite having received separate orders from the Political Agent and the Commander-in-Chief at Kabul to evacuate Ghazni, Palmer was court-martialled for surrendering. He was acquitted.
== The Prisoners ==
*Capt. Burnett (54th)
*Lieut. Crawford
*[[John Nicholson|Lieut John NIcholson]]<ref>This was the charismatic John Nicholson who was killed at the [[Recapture of Delhi Sep 1857|storming of Delhi in 1857]]</ref>
*Harris
*Poett
== External Links ==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Afghan_War 1st Afghan War] Wikipedia<br>[http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/sli/1afghan.htm 1st Afghan War] Somerset Record Office<br>===Historical books online===
[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IBEWAAAAMAAJ&pg=PAi&dq=Brigadier+Shelton&as_brr=1&ei=AFrOR-P0DJXOywT8goiwBQ#PPR1,M1 History of the War in Afghanistan] Google Books<br>
[http://books.google.com/books?id=1m8BAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA161&dq=History+of+the+war+in+Afghanistan+The+tidings+of+the+fall+of+Ghuznee&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false Siege of Ghazni] Google Books<br>
