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provisions were not to be procured, and where on every side the troops
were assailed by the fierce Beloochees, who attacked foraging parties
and camp followers, and plundered the baggage left in the rear. Early in
April, the troops marched through the vale of Shawl, forded many
rivers, and passed the heights of Kozak, over which the artillery was
dragged by the men with ropes, till at length, surmounting all
difficulties, the army reached Candahar on the 27th of April 1839.
On the 27th of June the march was resumed, but it was necessary to
leave a strong garrison at Candahar, and, strange to say, probably
owing to the difficulties of transport, the siege-guns which had been
dragged with so much toil through the passes were left behind, while
supplies were so short that the army had to proceed on half rations.
CAPTURE OF GHUZNEE--23RD JULY.
On the 21st of July the army arrived before the famous fortress of
Ghuznee, which was considered impregnable by the Afghans.
The city of Ghuznee lies between Candahar and Cabul, about 230 miles
distant from the former, and 90 from the latter place. It stands on the
extreme points of a range of hills, which slope upwards and command
the north-east angle of the Balla Hissar. As the British advanced on it,
and observed its strong fortifications rising up before them on the side
of a hill, they saw that the place could not be reduced by artillery for
want of the siege-guns left at Candahar, and at the same time a high
wall with a wet ditch in front made operations with scaling-ladders or
mining equally impossible.
It was discovered, however, by Captain Thomson, who made an
inspection under heavy fire from the walls, that though the gates had
been built up the Cabul gate still existed, and he reported that this one,
though at great risk, could be blown up, and so an attempt to take the
place by storm could be made. The want of supplies made it absolutely
necessary to take the place, and therefore Sir John Keane gladly
accepted Captain Thomson's proposal.

The morning of the 23rd of July, just before daybreak, was the time
fixed for the assault. The regiments told off for the service were the 2nd,
13th, and 17th (Queen's), and the Company's European regiment, under
Major Carruthers, Lieutenant-Colonel Orchard, Colonel Croker, and
Major Tronson. The advance consisted of the light companies of these
four regiments. The night and morning were unusually stormy. The
advance was placed under the command of Colonel Dennie of the 13th
Light Infantry, and the main column under Brigadier Sale. The
explosion party was directed by Captain Thomson, who had under him
Lieutenants Durand and Macleod of the Bengal, and Captain Peat of
the Bombay corps. Under cover of the darkness, the noise the men
might make being overpowered by the roaring of the wind, the
storming column advanced along the Cabul road, while the engineers
carried up their powder-bags to the gate. Meantime the General filled
the gardens near the city walls with the sepoys, who kept up a sharp fire
on the wall, while the light batteries opened hotly upon the works.
This demonstration fixed the attention of the enemy, and called forth a
responsive fire. Suddenly a row of blue lights appeared along the walls,
illuminating the place, and showing that the Afghans were manning
them in expectation of an escalade. All this time the British engineers
were quietly piling their powder-bags at the Cabul gate. It was a work
that required great courage, and it was done well; but at first the
powder failed to ignite, and Lieutenant Durand was obliged to scrape
the hose with his finger-nails. Again the port-fire was applied. The
powder exploded. The noise of the explosion was almost overpowered
by the roaring of the guns and the rushing of the wind. Still, many an
Afghan trembled at the ominous sound. Mighty indeed was the effect.
Down with a crash came heavy masses of masonry and shivered beams
in awful ruin and confusion. Now occurred a slight delay. It had been
agreed that the signal for the storming party should be the bugle-call
"Advance," but the bugler had fallen, and so Durand had to rush back
to the nearest party he could find. At length the signal was given. The
advance was sounded. Colonel Dennie at the head of his brave band
rushed forward through the breach, amid clouds of smoke and dust, and
soon the bayonets of his light companies were crossing the swords of
the enemy, who had rushed down to the point of attack. A few

moments of darkness and confusion, and then the foremost soldiers
caught a glimpse of the morning sky, and pushing gallantly on, were
soon established in the