Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/421

Wade government to depose Amir Dost Muhammad Khan from the throne of Afghanistan, and to replace him by the exiled shah, Shuja-ul-Mulk, gave Wade the opportunity of his life. The main advance of the invading army on Kabul was to be made through the Bolan Pass, and thence through Southern Afghanistan; but it was decided to make a converging attack through the Punjab and the Khaibar Pass. This subsidiary movement was entrusted to Wade, who was promoted to major on 28 June 1838, and was give the local rank of lieutenant-colonel, 'while serving beyond the Indus,' on 29 Sept. of the same year. Arriving at Peshawar, his base of operations in March 1839, he set to work with the utmost energy at his double task of collecting and organising an army, and of negotiating with various sections of the Afridi inhabitants of the Khaibar region, whom it was desired to propitiate. Wade was assisted by a small but very capable staff of eleven officers, of whom the most distinguished were Lieutenant Frederick Mackeson [q. v.], Dr. Percival Barton Lord [q. v.] and Lieutenant Joseph Davey Cunningham [q. v.] He first attempted to win over the Afridis, but, though partially successful, he eventually found it impossible to satisfy the greed of all parties, and was obliged to essay a passage of the Khaibar Pass by force of arms. His troops were most unpromising as regards discipline, though individually of good fighting material. They consisted of five thousand Punjabi Muhammadans from Ranjit Singh's regular army, of about four thousand untrustworthy Afghan levies, and of 380 of the company's regular troops.

The object of Wade's operations being to aid the advance of the army of the Indus by compelling Dost Muhammad Khan to divide his forces, it was necessary to penetrate the Khaibar Pass as early as possible. In consequence he attacked fort Ali Masjic on 22 July 1839, but little over four months from the day on which the formation of his force was begun. The fall of Ghazni compelled Dost Muhammad Khan to recall his son Muhammad Akbar Khan from Jalalabad, and thus deprive the Afridis of Afghan assistance. Notwithstanding the numerical superiority of the enemy, Wade captured Ali Masjid after four days' fighting; and, distributing his Afghan levies in positions commanding the road to Kabul, he continued his march to the Afghan capital, which he shortly afterwards entered unopposed at the head of the Sikh contingent. For his brilliant services on this occasion Wade was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, receiving also the honour of knighthood, the companionship of the Bath, and the first class of the Durani order.

It was stated by Lord Auckland in an official despatch that 'it was not upon record that the celebrated Khaibar Pass had ever previously been forced.'

After the fall of Kabul and the flight of Dost Muhammad Khan, Wade returned to resume his political duties in India, and on 31 March 1840 he was appointed resident at Indore. He held this important office until his retirement from the service on 1 May 1844. During his service in Malwa Wade, among other achievements, effected the settlement of the Bhil tribes, who at that period gave much trouble: and it may be remarked that throughout his long political employment he was uniformly successful in dealing by peaceful methods with most turbulent races.

It is worthy of record that, at the time of his leaving India, Wade had served continuous; in that country from 1809, a longer period than any of his contemporaries, with the sole exception of Lord Metcalfe. Wade married, in August 1845, Jane Selina, daughter of Captain Thomas Nicholl of the Bengal horse artillery, an officer who was distinguished by his gallant services in Afghanistan, and who fell in action during the disastrous retreat of General Elphinstone's army from Kabul.

Wade, who had been promoted to the rank of colonel on 28 Nov. 1854, died on 21 Oct. 1861, leaving an only son, Claude FitzRoy Wade, barrister of the Middle Temple and associate of the north-eastern circuit. [Kaye's History of the War in Afghanistan; Parliamentary Papers and Official Gazettes; manuscript records of Sir Claude Wade.]

 WADE, GEORGE (1673–1748), field-marshal, born in 1673, is said to have been third son of Jerome Wade of Kilavally, Westmeath, whose father, William Wade, major of dragoons in Cromwell's army, married a daughter of Henry Stonestreet, rector of South Heighton, Sussex. George was appointed ensign to Captain Richard Trevanion's company in the Earl of Bath's regiment (10th foot) on 26 Dec. 1690. There was a tradition in the Wade family that the future field-marshal served at the battle of Aughrim. This is most improbably, as Lord Bath's regiment was in the Channel Islands in July 1691, whence it was sent to Flanders the same year. In August 1692 Wade served with his regiment at Steinkirk, and was promoted to lieutenant on 10 Feb. 1692-3. On 19 April 1694 he was promoted to 