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[[Category:Battles|Jalalabad, Siege of]]
{{Battles_Infobox
|partof=[[:Category:1st Afghan War|1st Afghan War 1839-42]]
|date=12 13 November 1841 - 14 April 1842
|location=[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalalabad Jalalabad, Afghanistan]
|presidency=[[Bengal]]
|combatant1=British & Indians
|combatant2=Ghilzai tribesmen
|commander1=[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Henry_Sale [Robert Sale|Maj-Gen Sir Robert Sale]]|commander2=[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar_Khan Mohammed [Mohammad Akbar|Mohammad Akbar Khan]] |strength1=1,500|strength2=5,000
|casualties1=
|casualties2=
}}
'''This was an event during the [[1st Afghan War]]'''<br>
'''For context see main article [[General Sale's March from Kabul to Jalalabad]]'''
== Synopsis ==
Having left [[Kabul]] on 9 October 1841 Sale's brigade fought its way east until it reached [[Jalalabad]] on 12 November. The town walls were in a bad state of repair and there was debate as to whether such a long perimeter could be defended or whether it would be better to retreat into the citadel. In the event it was decided to repair the walls and this began directed by [http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/53/mode/1up Captain George Broadfoot] of the Sappers under constant attack from the surrounding Afghans.
On 16 November [http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/122/mode/1up Col Monteath] of 35th Bengal Infantry led a sortie of 1,100 men which drove the enemy away from the walls. [http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/260/mode/2up/search/MacGregor George MacGregor] as Commissariat Officer sent out foraging parties and built up a month's supplies.
By the end of the month Afghan attacks were getting bolder and a second sortie was made on 1st December under [http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/117/mode/1up William Dennie] which was equally successful.
On 8 January 1842 a letter was received from Kabul confirming that the British had agreed to capitulate and leave the city under safe escort of the Afghans and ordering Sale to evacuate Jalalabad. Sale and MacGregor sent a reply declining to do so as they were aware that the local tribes were being ordered to attack the retreat. This decision was proved right when on 13 January Dr Brydon arrived wounded and alone to relate the massacre of [[William Elphinstone|Elphinstone's]] army following its departure from Kabul on 9 January.
Considerable progress had been made over three months in building up the defences of the city. The ramparts were widened and the parapets raised. In addition cover outside the walls was removed by demolishing buildings and filling ditches. However a severe earthquake on 19 February threw down two bastions and caused a major breach in the walls. Hurried efforts were made to repair the damage before the Afghans realised their opportunity for attack.
At the beginning of March Akbar Khan moved troops closer to the city and began to construct stone [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangar_(fortification) ''sangars'']. A sortie on 11 March led by Col Dennie dispersed them temporarily. Sale was writing regularly to [[George Pollock|General Pollock]] in Peshawar warning that if a force from Kabul attacked with artillery, he would not be able to hold out. Pollock however was hampered by disaffection amongst his sepoys and want of supplies. It was not until 5 April that the Army of Retribution left Jamrud.
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.
The [http://www.britishmedals.info/jellalabad_medal.html Jellalabad Medal] was awarded to the defenders.
== British & Indian Regiments ==
[[13th Regiment of Foot]]<br>
Shah Shujah’s Sappers<br>
Artillery<br>
== Biographies ==
Entries in the Dictionary of Indian Biography 1906:<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/8/mode/2up/search/Akbar Mahommed Akbar Khan (1813?-1849)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/58/mode/2up William Brydon (1811-1873)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/117/mode/1up William Dennie (1785?-1842)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/138/mode/1up William Elphinstone (1782-1842)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/122/mode/1up Thomas Monteath (Douglas) (1787-1868)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/339/mode/1up George Pollock (1786-1872)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/341/mode/1up Eldred Pottinger (1811-1843)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/371/mode/1up Robert Sale (1782-1845)]<br>
[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/437/mode/1up Claude Wade (1794-1861)]<br>
== External Links ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Anglo-Afghan_War Wikipedia - 1st Afghan War]<br>Wikipedia*[http://www.somersetbritishbattles.com/first-afghan-war/siege-jellalabad.htm Siege of Jellalabad] BritishBattles.com*[http://www.govoxforddnb.ukcom/archivesindex/sli101024533/1afghan.htm Somerset Record Office Maj Gen Sir Robert Sale] ODNB ==== Historical books on- 1st Afghan War]<br>line ====*[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IBEWAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA201&dq=Jellalabad&as_brr=1&ei=AFrOR-P0DJXOywT8goiwBQ#PPA201,M1 Google Books - Siege of Jellalabad]<br>Google Books*[http://wwwbooks.google.britishbattlesco.comuk/firstbooks?id=IBEWAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA201&dq=Jellalabad&as_brr=1&ei=AFrOR-afghan-warP0DJXOywT8goiwBQ#PPA201,M1 Siege of Jellalabad] Google Books*[http://siege-jellalabadbooks.htm BritishBattlesgoogle.com - Siege /books?id=POFGAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false''Sale's Brigade in Afghanistan: with an Account of the Seizure and Defence of Jellalabad'']by George Robert Gleig 1846 (Google Books)<br>*[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IBEWAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA201&dq=Jellalabad&as_brr=1&ei=AFrOR-P0DJXOywT8goiwBQ#PPA201v=onepage&q=Jellalabad&f=false ''History of the war in Afghanistan,M1 Google Books Volume 2'' - Siege of Jellalabad]<br>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101024533/ ODNB - Maj Gen Sir Robert SaleJalalabad]by John William Kaye 1851 (Google Books)
[[Category:1st Afghan War|Jalalabad, Siege of]]
[[Category:General Sale's March from Kabul to Jalalabad|Jalalabad]]
