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Pollock arrived at Peshawar on 5 February and found the regiments unfit for departure due to sickness and low morale. It took all of February and March to overcome these difficulties but finally, on 5 April, the Army of Retribution set out. They successfully forced the [[Forcing the Khyber Pass|Khyber Pass]] and reached Jalalabad on 14 April.
The new Governor-General [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Law,_1st_Earl_of_Ellenborough Lord Ellenborough] was firmly in favour of withdrawing from Afghanistan and on 29 April General Pollock was instructed to return to Peshawar. Subsequent communications seemed to allow him some discretion and he was reluctant to withdraw while the [[Captivity of the Hostages|hostages]] were in the hands of Akbar Khan. He was unable to advance towrds towards [[Kabul]] however due to lack of transport animals.
Ellenborough was under pressure from public opinion and the press which wanted to see a British victory over the Afghans. On 4 July 1842 he wrote to saying he had not changed his mind about withdrawal but, if General Nott wanted to direct his retreat through Kabul and General Pollock wished to assist the withdrawal but advancing to Kabul, they could use their discretion.
'''Jalalabad to Kabul'''<br>
