The rumour of General Nott's successful assault of Ghliznee, current
st Jellalabad on the departure of the previous accounts, proves to have been well-founded. He had not reached the place unopposed. On the 28th August, a body of the enemy attacked his rear-guard at a place about thirty-eight miles from the city, and were repulsed, seemingly pith some trouble ; but they lost about fifty of their number. An unauthenticated account, which appears in the Indian papers, represents aparty of British cavalry as having, on the same day, been "fairly thrashed" and beaten back to camp with considerable loss. On the 30th, the British army was encamped at Gonine ; when Shumshoodeen, a native chief, appeared at the head of about 12,000 men, at three o'clock in the afternoon. General Nott was not slow to meet him— "I moved out," he says, "with one-half of my force : the enemy advanced in the most bold and gallant manner, each division cheering as they came into position ; their left being upon a hill of some elevation, their centre and right along a low ridge, until thew flank rested on a fort filled with men. They opened a fire of small-arms, supported by two six-pounder Horse Artillery guns, which were admirably served. Our columns advanced upon the different points with great regularity and steadiness ; and after a short and spirited contest, completely defeated the enemy, capturing their guns, tents, ammunition, 80., and dispersing them in every direction. One hour's more daylight would have enabled me to destroy the whole of their infantry. Shumshoodeen fled in the direction of Ghuzuee, accompanied by about thirty horsemen."
In this action and the engagement on the preceding day, our total casualties amounted to 104 killed and wounded; Captain Bury and Brevet Captain G. 0. Reeves, of the Third Regiment of Bombay Light Infantry, being among the killed.
On the 1st September, General Nott continued his march to Ghuznee. He arrived on the 5th, and invested the city, which was strongly gar- risoned; while the hills to the North-east swarmed with soldiers. The heights were the first object of attack ; and, after considerable opposi- tion, they were cleared. Preparations were then made for an attack on the fortress ; but before the batteries could be opened, the enemy aban- doned it, and the British flag soon waved on the citadel. Three men were killed and 47 wounded. The citadel and other works were razed to the ground. The sandal-wood gates of Mahomed's mauso- leum, it is said, were carried off from Ghnznee by General Nott, at the express desire of Lord Ellenborough.
In the city were found 327 Sepoys of the Twenty-seventh Native Infantry, in slavery. They confirmed the story of Colonel Palmer's having been tortured: but he was not dead ; having been taken to Cabal, and thence to Bameean, with the other Cabal prisoners.
General Nott arrived at Cabal on the 16th September, and formed his camp about five miles from Pollock's, on the Ghuznee road. He was to march to the front of Cabal on the next day.
Previous page
