Affairs of State | Page 9

road and
bridge to the Cabul gate were intact. He obtained trustworthy
information that up to a recent date, while all the other gates had been
built up, the Cabul gate had not been so dealt with. As he watched, a
horseman was seen to enter by it. This was conclusive. The ground
within 400 yards of the gate offered good artillery positions. Thomson
therefore reported that although the operation was full of risk, and
success if attained must cost dear, yet in the absence of a less hazardous
method of reduction there offered a fair chance of success in an attempt
to blow open the Cabul gate, and then carry the place by a coup de
main. Keane was precluded from the alternative of masking the place
and continuing his advance by the all but total exhaustion of his
supplies, which the capture of Ghuznee would replenish, and he
therefore resolved on an assault by the Cabul gate.
During the 21st July the army circled round the place, and camped to
the north of it on the Cabul road. The following day was spent in
preparations, and in defeating an attack made on the Shah's contingent
by several thousand Ghilzai tribesmen of the adjacent hill country. In
the gusty darkness of the early morning of the 23d the field artillery
was placed in battery on the heights opposite the northern face of the
fortress. The 13th regiment was extended in skirmishing order in the
gardens under the wall of this face, and a detachment of sepoys was
detailed to make a false attack on the eastern face. Near the centre of
the northern face was the Cabul gate, in front of which lay waiting for
the signal, a storming party consisting of the light companies of the
four European regiments, under command of Colonel Dennie of the
13th. The main column consisted of two European regiments and the
support of a third, the whole commanded by Brigadier Sale; the native
regiments constituted the reserve. All those dispositions were
completed by three A.M., and, favoured by the noise of the wind and
the darkness, without alarming the garrison.
Punctually at this hour the little party of engineers charged with the
task of blowing in the gate started forward on the hazardous errand.
Captain Peat of the Bombay Engineers was in command. Durand, a

young lieutenant of Bengal Engineers, who was later to attain high
distinction, was entrusted with the service of heading the explosion
party. The latter, leading the party, had advanced unmolested to within
150 yards of the works, when a challenge, a shot and a shout gave
intimation of his detection. A musketry fire was promptly opened by
the garrison from the battlements, and blue lights illuminated the
approach to the gate, but in the fortunate absence of fire from the lower
works the bridge was safely crossed, and Peat with his handful of
linesmen halted in a sallyport to cover the explosion operation. Durand
advanced to the gate, his sappers piled their powder bags against it and
withdrew; Durand and his sergeant uncoiled the hose, ignited the
quick-match under a rain from the battlements of bullets and
miscellaneous missiles, and then retired to cover out of reach of the
explosion.
At the sound of the first shot from the battlements, Keane's cannon had
opened their fire. The skirmishers in the gardens engaged in a brisk
fusillade. The rattle of Hay's musketry was heard from the east. The
garrison was alert in its reply. The northern ramparts became a sheet of
flame, and everywhere the cannonade and musketry fire waxed in noise
and volume. Suddenly, as the day was beginning to dawn, a dull, heavy
sound was heard by the head of the waiting column, scarce audible
elsewhere because of the boisterous wind and the din of the firing. A
pillar of black smoke shot up from where had been the Afghan gate,
now shattered by the 300 pounds of gunpowder which Durand had
exploded against it. The signal to the storming party was to be the
'advance' sounded by the bugler who accompanied Peat. But the bugler
had been shot through the head. Durand could not find Peat. Going
back through the bullets to the nearest party of infantry, he experienced
some delay, but at last the column was apprised that all was right, the
'advance' was sounded, Dennie and his stormers sped forward, and Sale
followed at the head of the main column.
After a temporary check to the latter, because of a misconception, it
pushed on in close support of Dennie. That gallant soldier and his
gallant followers had rushed into the smoking and gloomy archway to
find themselves met hand to hand by the Afghan defenders, who had
recovered from their surprise. Nothing could be