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 ginning of March the enemy, twelve thousand strong, having approached Kandahar, Nott marched out on the 7th with a strong column, drove them across the Tarnak and Argand-áb rivers, and dispersed them, his want of cavalry alone saving the main body from destruction. But when Nott was some thirty miles from Kandahar the enemy made a flank march with a strong detachment upon Kandahar. Endeavouring to storm the city, they obtained possession of one of the gates; but they were repulsed with great loss by the troops in garrison, under Major Lane, on 11 March 1842.

On 15 March Colonel Palmer was compelled to make terms at Ghazni. Treachery followed, and, while many of his force were killed and many sepoys made slaves, he and some of the officers were eventually carried off by the Afghans as prisoners to Bamian. On 22 March Major-general (afterwards Sir) Richard England [q. v.] arrived with reinforcements at Quetta. He moved from Quetta on the 28th, and, meeting with a reverse at Haikalzai, had to fall back again on Quetta. Nott was deeply concerned for the loss of Ghazni and the repulse of General England. But he was without money to pay his troops—four months' arrears of pay were due—and he was destitute of medicine and ammunition. Consequently he could not move. He sent stringent orders to England to bring his force at once to Kandahar by the Kojak Pass, and he sent a brigade of infantry, with horse artillery and cavalry, to the northern end of the pass, to insure the safety of the pass. England joined him in Kandahar early in May. Lord Ellenborough [see ], the new governor-general, who had arrived in February, was at first in favour of a policy of retreat. He appointed Pollock to the chief command of the army in Afghanistan, and directed him to relieve Sale at Jalalabad. At the same time he corresponded freely with Nott, whom he allowed to maintain his position.

While a large force had been despatched by Nott to withdraw the garrison of Kalát-i-Ghilzai, Akhtar Khan, the Zamín Dáwar chief, assembled three thousand men and joined the force under Safter Jang and Atta Mohammed on the right bank of the Argand-áb. Nott moved out with a part of his force, leaving General England to protect Kandahar. He found the enemy on 29 May in possession of the Baba Wali Pass and the roads leading to the camp. He attacked them vigorously, carried all their positions in gallant style, and drove them in confusion and with great loss across the Argand-áb river. The governor-general, in an official despatch dated 25 June 1842, sent him hearty congratulations.

On 22 July Nott received from the governor-general orders to withdraw from Afghanistan, with the permission to do so either by the Quetta route or round by Ghazni, Kabul, and Jalalabad. Nott did not hesitate. He determined to march with a small, compact, and well-tried force upon Ghazni and Kabul, and to send General England back to India by Quetta and Sakhar. General Pollock at once communicated with Nott, and it was arranged that they should meet at Kabul. On learning Nott's decision, Lord Ellenborough threw himself into the forward movement, and did all he could to assist it. He directed Nott to bring away from Ghazni the club and mace of Mahmúd of Ghazni and the gates of the temple of Somnát.

By the end of July Nott had completed his preparations. He transferred the Sind command to General England, and saw him start with his column for India on 8 Aug. Nott then moved slowly away from Kandahar by short marches, as he desired to give General England a fair start while he was within reach. On 30 Aug., as Nott approached within forty miles of Ghazni, Shamsh-ud-dín, the Afghan governor, met him at Kárabágh, near Ghoain, with twelve thousand men. After a short but spirited contest Nott completely defeated the enemy, capturing their guns, tents, and ammunition, and dispersing them in every direction. Darkness alone prevented the complete destruction of the enemy's infantry. Shamsh-ud-dín fled to Ghazni.

On 5 Sept. Nott was before Ghazni, and during the night commenced the construction of batteries on the hill to the north-east; but at daylight on the 6th it was found that the Afghans had evacuated the city, the walls and gates of which, with its citadel, were destroyed so far as the means available and two days' time would permit. Between three and four hundred sepoys, who had been sold into slavery when Palmer capitulated in March, were recovered. Nott removed the gates of Somnát from the tomb of Sultan Mahmúd, but the club and shield could not be found. A general order dated 30 Sept. conveyed to Nott and his troops the thanks of the governor-general for their services.

Nott continued his march towards Kabul, and as he approached Beni-Badám and Maidán, he found Shamsh-ud-dín, Sultan Jan, and other Afghan chiefs, with an army of twelve thousand men, occupying a succession of strong mountain positions directly