CHAMBERS'S POCKET MISCELLANY. PASS OF KHOORD-CABOOL A REALITY OF WAR. THE retreat of the British army through the Pass of Khoord-Cabool, in Afghanistan, will be fresh in general recollection; for it occurred so late as January 6th, 1842, and was signalized by the most terrible disasters. The following particulars of the retreat, furnished by a survivor, will give an impressive idea of the realities of war. It will be remembered that the army, which was under the command of Major-General Elphinstone, was compelled to evacuate the cantonments at Cabool, where it had sustained a thoroughly disheartening siege of two months, and to commence a retreat towards Jelalabadthe attempt to settle affairs in Afghanistan, where the British had in reality no right to be, having signally failed. To aggravate the difficulties of the retreat, the period was the depth of winter, the cold was intense, and the troops were inadequately supplied with provisions, fuel, or tentequipage. Besides, the road lay through a country full of rugged mountains and barren heaths, without any means of shelter or succor. To complete the picture, a powerful and treacherous enemy hung on the skirts of the retreating regiments, and threatened their entire slaughter. The whole affair, indeed, had what is usually called 'a very ugly look!' And ugly it was, sure enough. Orders were issued to cut a passage through the eastern rampart, to allow the exit of the gun-carriages, baggage, &c., and for planks to be conveyed to the river to construct a bridge. These orders were carried into effect, and 2000 camels and yaboos or mules were laden with military and other stores, together with a miserably small supply of materials to shelter the troops when encamped. The 44th regiment is said to have mustered about 600 strong; add to these 970 cavalry, a troop of horse artillery of about 80 or 90 in number, and 2800 native troops, chiefly Hindoos, and the total is 4460 fighting men, with three mountain train-guns and six horse-artillery guns. The campfollowers, which are the annoyance of Indian armies amounted to about 12,000-men, women, and children -a host of useless lumber in the flight that was to take place. There was a sergeant in the 44th, named Frederick Maitland. He was a handsome young man, whom misfortune had compelled to enlist as a private soldier, just before the regiment left England, and he was accompanied by his young wife. During the occupation of Cabool by the regiment, a strong friendship had sprung up between Maitland and a renowned chieftain of the Kuzzilbashes,* named Chinga Zung. It arose from the sergeant having saved the life of Chinga in action, and the grateful Kuzzilbash offered eternal friendship to his preserver. The time had now come for him to evince his gratitude, and he prepared to do so most nobly. On the morning of the evacuation, he sought the sergeant, to tell him that he would, with the aid of his personal followers, do all that was possible to protect the sergeant's wife, and that he had already mounted her on a sure-footed and swift camel. Chinga Zung was a man of gigantic stature, and of very impressive appearance. He wore the usual dress of his people-wide trousers, tightly gathered round the ankles, * The Kuzzilbashes are descended from the Persians, and usually may be distinguished by their red caps. They remained neutral during all the disastrous skirmishes which led to the subversion of our power at Cabool, until the British lost the Commissariat Fort, which at once shamefully induced the majority of them to join the Afghans. |