The Dark Defile (46 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

143   “
that there … regiment … This is … Burnes”:
Quoted in J. H. Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
[
sic
], Appendix 12, “Narrative of the Murder of Sir Alexander Burnes by his servant Bowh Sing,” p. cxli.

146   “
crying … murdered”:
Sir G. Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 64.

148   “
stirring … perdition”:
James Burnes to James Carnac, 1 February 1842, WELLES 37313, folio 135.

148   “
Since … tomorrow … Our … done”:
Quoted in Sir J. W. Kaye,
History of the War in Afghanistan
, vol. 2, p. 187.

150   “
be impolitic”:
Quoted in Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, Appendix 7, “Narrative of the Events in Kabul by a Quondam Captive,” p. lxxi.

150   “
From the … troops”:
P. Macrory,
Kabul Catastrophe
, p. 162.

151   “
from where.… mad … had forgot … king”:
Quoted in Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, Appendix 7, p. lxvi.

152   “
suddenly … body”:
Mackenzie’s letter to Eyre of 19 November 1842, V. Eyre,
The Military Operations at Kabul
, p. 377.

152   “
rather … going”:
Ibid.

153   “
Feringhee
… European):
Ibid.

153   “
and then … him”:
Quoted in H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p, 208.

154   “
It behoves … terms”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, vol. 2, p. 197.

154   “
there was … hourly”:
Quoted in Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, appendix 7, p. lxxii.

155   “
very … awful … Do not … fast”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, 2, pp. 199–200.

156   “
beegahs
… swords”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 230.

156   “
We came … religion”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 231

157   “
Most … day … the enemy … dawn”:
J. Haughton’s account of his survival,
Char-ee-kar and Service There with the Fourth Goorkha Regiment.

CHAPTER TWELVE

158   “
It is … country”:
Quoted in Sir J. W. Kaye,
History of the War in Afghanistan
, vol. 2, p. 254.

158   “
contumacious … actuated … feelings”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 209.

162   “
I have … chance!”:
Letter of 17 November 1841, J. H. Stocqueler,
Life of Sir William Nott
, pp. 361–62.

162   “
The despatch … destruction”:
Quoted in P. Macrory and G. Pottinger,
The Ten-Rupee Jezail
, p. 201.

163   “
If … befall us”:
Quoted in Sir G. Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 84.

165   “
Dust to dust”:
Quoted in H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p. 221.

165   “
swarms … cavalry”:
V. Eyre,
The Military Operations at Kabul
, p. 104.

167   “
none … stiff”:
Quoted in J. Bruce,
Retreat from Kabul
, p. 150.

169   “
something … favour”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, vol. 2, p. 237.

169   “
We learn … delay”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 235.

170   “
I beg … to you”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 254.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

172   “
We shall … with us”:
Quoted in Sir J. W. Kaye,
History of the War in Afghanistan
, vol. 2, p. 281.

172   “
At … judgement”:
Quoted in Ibid., p. 255.

175   
Macnaghten
… the cavalry: All quotes in these two paragraphs are from ibid., pp. 272–74.

175   “
The military …
moment
”:
Quoted in H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p. 236.

175   
The following … with us”:
All quotes in these four paragraphs are from Kaye,
History
, vol. 2, pp. 278–81.

177   “
exceedingly … cold”:
J. H. Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, [
sic
], appendix 7, “Narrative of the Events in Kabul by a Quondam Captive,” p. xciv.

179   “
You can … rupees … If … tomorrow”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, vol. 2, pp. 295–96.

180   “
The sending … agreement”:
Quoted in Ibid., p. 297–98.

181   “
the gilded bait”:
Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan,
appendix 7, p. cii.

181   “
A plot!… that!”:
Quoted in Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine
, p. 241.

181   “
not … plot … Leave … you”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, vol. 2, pp. 301–2.

183   “
Why not!… betrayed … person”:
Mackenzie’s letter to Eyre, in Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, appendix 15, p. cliii.

183   “
Oh … alarmed”:
Quoted in Sir G. Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 118.

184   “
armed … teeth … slippery … glass”:
Ibid., p. 119.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

185   “
hacking … body”:
Quoted in V. Eyre,
The Military Operations at Kabul
, p. 183.

186   “
with instant … for you”:
H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p. 246.

186   “
in a … manner”:
J. H. Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
[
sic
], appendix 7, “Narrative of the Events in Kabul by a Quondam Captive,” p. civ.

186   “
as silent … dead”:
Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine
, p. 247.

187   “
The Sirdar … spot”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 247.

188   “
savage … sides”:
Sir G. Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 127.

188   “
of treachery … bad … would … treasure”:
Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine
, pp. 248–49.

188   “
utterly … customs”:
Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 128.

189   “
[I was] hauled … advice”:
Quoted in G. Pottinger,
The Afghan Connection
, p. 154.

189   “
if … good”:
Lady Sale,
A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan, 1841–2
, p. 201.

190   “
be dishonoured … ever”:
J. Cunningham,
The Last Man
, p. 75.

192   “
with … her … Can … supplies?… pretty … retreat!”:
Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, pp. 142–43.

193   “
We shall … can”:
Quoted in Cunningham,
The Last Man
, p. 83.

193   “
if it were … need”:
Eyre,
The Military Operations at Kabul,
p. 189.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

196   “
the oaths … camels”:
J. H. Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
[
sic
], appendix 7, “Narrative of the Events in Kabul by a Quondam Captive,” p. cix.

197   “
columns … flame”:
Ibid.

197   “
literally … misery”:
Sir G. Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 145.

198   “
worn out … cold”:
Ibid.

198   “
one mass … order gone”:
Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, appendix 7, p. cx.

199   “
hungry wolves”:
Sergeant Major Lissant’s account,
Army Quarterly
, October 1928, p. 145.

200   “
Here … lost”:
Quoted in Sir J. W. Kaye,
History of the War in Afghanistan
, vol. 2, p. 369.

200   “
burnt … charred”:
Major General Sir T. Seaton, From Cadet to Colonel, quoting a sergeant-major, p. 223.

202   “
dreadful … of all”:
Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
, appendix 7, p. cxii.

202   “
completely choked”:
Lady Sale,
A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan, 1841–2
, p. 240.

203   “
When … Allah”:
Journal of the Foklore Institute
, June 1967.

204   
Despite … to die”:
All quotes in this paragraph are from Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 146.

205   “
the general … left”:
H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p. 267.

206   “
the ladies … to him”:
Lawrence,
Forty-Three Years in India
, p. 157.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

207   “
When … dogs”:
Quoted in Lady Sale,
A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan, 1841–2
, p. 269.

207   “
become … wood … so … musket”:
This quote, as well as all others in this chapter attributed to Sergeant Major Lissant, comes from his account in the
Army Quarterly,
October 1928.

209   “
to form … front”:
H. Mackenzie,
Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life
, p. 269.

209   “
raw … blood”:
J. H. Stocqueler,
Memorials of Affghanistan
[
sic
], appendix 7, “Narrative of the Events in Kabul by a Quondam Captive,” p. xcvi.

211   “
dogs”:
Sale,
A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan
, p. 271.

212   “
that he … them … he … valley”:
Ibid., p. 270.

213   “
commenced … attended to”:
Manuscript letter from Captain J. A. Souter to his wife.

214   “
followed … saddlebow”:
Dr. Brydon’s account printed for private circulation.

214   “
I saw … stones”:
Brydon’s letter to his brother, 20 January 1842,
Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research
, vol. 51, 1973.

214   “
[I] stretched … could … suddenly … of it”:
Dr. Brydon’s account printed for private circulation.

215   “
a holy … infidels … slay … Jalalabad”:
Reverend G. R. Gleig,
Sales’s Brigade in Afghanistan
, p. 133.

215   “
Everything … passes”:
Quoted in ibid., p. 134.

215   “
as peremptory … army”:
Ibid., p. 135.

216   “
with … throat”:
P. Macrory,
Kabul Catastrophe
, p. 236.

216   “
suddenly … speck”:
E. Teer,
The Siege of Jellalabad
, p. 17.

216   “
leaning … stranger … not a soul … messenger … who … army”:
Reverend Gleig,
Sales’s Brigade in Afghanistan
, pp. 137–38.

216   “
his first … annihilated”:
Quoted in D. S. Richards,
The Savage Frontier
, p. 145.

217   “
not a.… appeared … from time … wanderer”:
Reverend Gleig,
Sales’s Brigade in Afghanistan
, p. 140.

217   “
a dirge … soldiers”:
Major General Sir T. Seaton,
From Cadet to Colonel
, p. 214.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

220   “
sometimes … behind”:
J. S. Cumming,
A Six Years’ Diary
, p. 170.

220   
At the end … closed”:
All quotes in this paragraph are from J. A. Norris,
The First Afghan War
, pp. 382–83 or Sir J. W. Kaye,
History of the War in Afghanistan
, vol. 3, p. 14.

221   “
far … life … the universal … religious … in what … country”:
Auckland to Macnaghten, 4 December 1841, AUCK 37706, folios 202–3.

222   “
Poor Macnaghten … treachery”:
Quoted in M. Fowler,
Below the Peacock Fan
, p. 83.

222   “
this calamity … as … painful”:
Auckland to Lyall, 23 January 1842, AUCK 37707, folio 118.

222   “
My present … events”:
Auckland to Fitzgerald, 23 January 1842, AUCK 37707, folio 123.

222   “
vile … astonishing … government”:
Quoted in D. Crane,
Men of War
, p. 179.

222   “
a faithless … assassination”:
Proclamation of 31 January 1842, Norris,
The First Afghan War
, pp. 387–88.

222   “
to re-enter … described”:
Colvin to Clerk, 31 January 1842, AUCK 37707, folio 134.

223   “
horror … happened … irretrievable … the tone … Kabul”:
18 February 1842, AUCK 37707, folios 187–88.

223   “
the disastrous … troops”:
Ellenborough to Peel, 21 February 1842, ELLEN PRO 30.12.89.

223   “
greatly depressed”:
Auckland to Hobhouse, 1 February 1842, AUCK 37707, folio 188.

223   “
rested … placed”:
Quoted in Kaye,
History
, vol. 3, p. 192.

224   “
there must … both”:
Quoted in Norris,
The First Afghan War
, p. 395.

224   “
a tissue … Britain”:
Captain H. Tuckett, quoted in J. Cunningham,
The Last Man
, p. 125.

224   “
Our enemies … degradation”:
Wellington to Ellenborough, 31 March 1842, Norris,
The First Afghan War
, pp. 397–98.

224   “
We shall … retribution”:
Peel to Ellenborough, 6 April 1842, ELLEN PRO 30.12.37.

225   “
this is … infidels”:
Quoted in M. E. Yapp, “Revolutions of 1841–2 in Afghanistan,”
Bulletin of the London School of Oriental Studies
, vol. 27, no. 2, 1964, p. 356.

226   “
Fancy … do it”:
Quoted in Cumming,
A Six Years’ Diary
, p. 185.

226   “
sinking Islam”:
Quoted in Yapp, “Revolutions of 1841–2 in Afghanistan,” p. 353.