Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎226v] (142/174)

184
MOVEMENTS OE AMEER’S ARMY.
[1871.
possession of the city without opposition/^; Street fighting' then commenced^ in which Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Futteh Mahomed Khan received a wound, of which he died that night. Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed Azeem
Khan got a bullet wound in the thigh, at the door of his private residence, from the effects of
which he died in nine or ten days. The Heratee soldiers in the fort first attacked the Cabulee
troops and plundered them, then they set to plundering the townsfolk. There were about 20^>
men killed on both sides. Roostum Kafir, the father-in-law of the Commander-in-Chief, was
taken alive and executed. All other relations of the Commander-in-Chief and of Ameen
Nizam were made prisoners, in order that property might be obtained from them. Yacoob
Khan only lost two men of known name, viz., the son of Wullee Khan, and Ameer Khan,
commandant.”
674. The Commander-in-Chief, Feramoz, pushed on with all rapidity on
hearing the news, and Uslum too hastened to join him at Asferaz (Subzwar).
The day before he joined there had been a disastrous brush with the enemy.
Yacoob’s cavalry had made their appearance near the Cabul force:
“ The Commander-in-Chief sent out five regiments of cavalry, the Furrah horsemen, and
T ,, . . TT , , other irregular levies, with Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Abdool Wabab,
Letter from Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Uslum Khan, to Jpntish Agent e r i xn i o* i ,. , .
at Cabul, dated 22ud May 187i. son of Meer Afzul Khan, and Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed
Alum Khan, and Mahomed Kasim Khan [proba
bly Uslum's youngest brother]. All these leaders went off with no regular order, each taking
his own time to attack the enemy, and in this scattered state crossed the country for fourteen
or fifteen Jcos to the stream of Arnsgung. Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Khan and Futteh Ali Shah were killed, and
65 sowars were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. They brought back two heads of the
enemy, and wounded a few of them.”
675. Yacoob then moved out of Her^t with his force and encamped in Pool-i-
Malan, placing advanced posts at Shahbid and Oorknee. And now there arose in
the Ameer’s Court at Cabul a very serious apprehension lest, when the two forces
came into collision, the Cabul troops would not all go over to the rebel prince.
This would, the British Agent wrote in his letter of 25th May, be a real disaster,
* s. i. 1871, No. 77 (enclosure No. 12 of Secret as a new army could not be extemporized,
letter to Secretary of State, No. 29 of 1871). h e said, the Court felt that there* is
“one element of comfort in the prospect, namely, that in the letter from the Government of
India, to His Highness the Ameer, dated Umballa, 21st March 1869, there is a clause which
intimates that, whoever of the Ameer's family opposes his authority, will incur the severe dis
pleasure of the British Government. God knows if, owing to embarrassing circumstances, the
Ameer should feel constrained to apply for aid in what manner the English would be prepared to
assist him to overpower his enemies. In brief, if Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mahomed Uslum and the Com
mander-in-Chief are able with the force at their disposal to cope with Mahomed Yacoob Khan,
well and good, otherwise it is not improbable that, after the defeat of Mahomed Uslum Khan
and the Commander-in-Chief, the durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). of Cabul may openly ask the British Government for
aid of an auxiliary force from the direction of Shikarpoor.”
676, On seeing this, the Viceroy* desired that Atta Mahommed Khan might
# Foreign Secretary^ demi-official note of the 4th be put OU his guard, in Case he Was asked
June, to Commissioner of Peshawur. to f orwar a such an application, which Gov
ernment must refuse, even though the refusal must weaken Shere All’s cause. He
should not take the initiative in any reference to the question; but. if the Ameer
should in conversation with him refer to the subject or give him an opportunity of
explaining the views of Government, the agent should reply to the Ameer in the
following words:
“ Bi reference to what took place at Umballa, when the Foreign Secretary distinctly told
Noor Mahomed, for the information of the Ameer, that under no circumstances could the British
Government employ its troops for the suppression of rebellion or civil war in Afghanistan, it
would be most undesirable that any application of the kind should be made. The words ‘ severe
displeasure' cannot have any such meaning as is suggested.”
{a) The account given by AMoollah Khan, Nasiree, when he arrived at Cabul, was quite in accordance with ths.
[Diary ending 1st June.] That given by the occasional correspondent of the Punjab Government differed somewhat.
It was that Futteh Mahomed had been induced by traitors to go out through the gate on which the false attack was
made, and was killed by his own men while passing through it on his return to the city. When the city was captured
the Heratees massacred all the Cabulees within it.—[Letter, without date, received through the Lieutenant-Governor 1
about 15th June.] *