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'Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Edward Stewart, Bengal Staff Corps, on Special Duty on the Perso-Afghan Frontier.' [‎128r] (11/80)

The record is made up of 1 file (40 folios). It was created in 8 Feb 1883. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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inquiries at Herat, he could find no corroboration whatsoever for Pahlwan Khan’s
statement that he or any one else had been sold as a slave. Pahlwan Khan’s state
ment is, I feel confident, unworthy of credence, and was only invented to account for
his long absence. The whole story is so opposed to Afghan customs and ways, with
which, from more than 20 years’ experience of Afghans, I am well acquainted, that I
put no faith in it whatsoever. My messenger heard a story in Herat, and I have
myself heard the story from others, which may have helped to spread the idea that
prisoners, besides Lieutenant Maclean, were taken after the battle of Maiwand. It
was to the effect that a few days after Maiwand a Musulman sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. of the English was
captured by some Afghans, who were about to kill him, when he said, “ If you will
“ swear to spare my life, I will tell you where three or four Englishmen are hidden.”
They swore to spare his life, and he then took them to a kariz, or dry underground
canal, where he showed them that four Englishmen were hidden. The sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. , it is
said, had been in hiding with them, and had gone out to look about. The Englishmen
were taken out and killed, and the sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. was liberated, as they had sworn not to kill
him. Later, at Birjand, I also heard this story myself from some of Ayub Khan’s
followers, but they said they had only heard it as a rumour that four Europeans
found in a kariz had been killed by Kakari Afghans, and not by soldiers. Perhaps
Pahlwan Khan had heard this, and concocted his story from it. I also heard later that
the lives of one or two Musulman sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. were spared after Maiwand, but they were
not treated as prisoners, and, after remaining some time with the troops, were allowed
to go. Ayub Khan and his principal Sardars, however, utterly denied that they knew
of any prisoner having been spared after Maiwand, except Lieutenant Maclean. The
sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. who accompanied Ayub Khan spuke much of Lieutenant Maclean. They said
he was brought in bound, with his hands behind his back, to Ayub Khan, who released
him from his bonds and placed him under a guard, and that Ayub Khan used often to
send for him and talk with him. One day, when, he was with Ayub Khan, the heads
of a number of Englishmen were brought in. This apparently happened on the day
that the sortie from Kandahar was repulsed. Lieutenant Maclean recognized one of
the heads as that of a friend, and said he was a person of some importance. The
Afghans would say this if it had been the head of any officer. Lieutenant Maclean
was much affected by the sight of these heads, and shed tears, saying he wished he had
died with them. After this day, though Ayub Khan repeatedly sent for Lieutenant
Maclean to speak with him, he refused to go to him. On the day of the defeat of
Ayub Khan’s army by the forces under General Roberts, Ayub Khan, when he found
he had lost the battle, sent for Lieutenant Maclean for the purpose of taking him with
him to Herat, but he found that he had been murdered by the guard of seven men placed
over him. I think it is as certain as anything of the kind can ever be, that no European
prisoners, except Lieutenant Maclean, remained alive after Maiwand.
My presence at Khaf had decidedly been of use, as, had I not been present, the
Persian Governor would never have had the courage to bring strong pressure to bear
upon Ayub Khan to force him to move further into Persia, and I have no doubt that
he would have remained lor a considerable time longer at Khaf, under various excuses,
with the object of attempting the recovery of Herat.
Chapter II.
State of Herat, and account of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Abdul Kudus Khans capture of that place.
During the latter part of the rule of Ayub Khan at Herat, after his return from
Kandahar, when defeated by Sir Frederick Roberts, great oppression was committed.
His Afghan soldiers were quite out of hand, and did exactly what they liked. The
population of Herat dwindled down to perhaps 10,000, the people flying from oppres
sion to the neighbouring villages. Herat, though strongly fortified, is quite a small
town. It is surrounded by many flourishing villages, hut the population of the
villages near Herat also fled to places further off, to avoid the oppression of Ayub
Khan. Many large bodies of Aimaks, as the nomads of the Herat district are called,
took refuge in Persia. The nomads who entered Persia were chiefly of the Timuri
or Hazara tribes, as many nomads of these tribes were previously settled in Persia.
Ayub Khan had to make a very great effort to get together troops for his second
expedition to Kandahar, when he defeated Amir Abdur Rahman Khan’s troops.
During his first expedition to Kandahar, when he defeated our troops at Maiwand, he
left Abdul Wahab Khan, the son of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mir Afzul Khan, as Governor of Herat.
Abdul Wahab Khan, though he was forced by the necessities of his position to exact

About this item

Content

This file consists of a report written by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Edward Stewart, Bengal Staff Corps, in which he describes his journeys to and around Mashad, Herat and Merv in the vicinity of the Perso-Afghan frontier, and provides detailed intelligence regarding topography, settlements, communications, vegetation and agriculture. He also describes local populations, tribes and chiefs, and their present and historical actions and allegiances.

The author records his opinion that due to a general fear of Torcoman raids, and a positive attitude towards Russia, the region of Khurasan [Khorāsān] could willingly fall under Russian sway; he therefore urges the instalment of an English officer on the Perso-Afghan frontier to maintain a British influence there.

The report is written in twelve chapters, and is followed by five appendices giving detailed descriptions of routes travelled, with mileages.

Extent and format
1 file (40 folios)
Arrangement

This file begins with a table of contents (f 123) followed by a report (ff 123-158), with five appendices at the end (ff 159-162).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 123 and terminates at the last folio with 162, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 123-162; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

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'Report of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Edward Stewart, Bengal Staff Corps, on Special Duty on the Perso-Afghan Frontier.' [‎128r] (11/80), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/C42, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100032562303.0x00000c> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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