Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/557

Rh of cavalry, saved the fugitives, scarcely one of whom would have returned otherwise. Lieutenant Walker, while charging with Lieutenant Hardyman, received a mortal wound. Colonel Oliver, Captain Macintosh, and Lieutenant Laing were also left dead on the field. The 37th Native Infantry behaved bravely throughout the day, and were among the last to leave the hill. One company returned with a naik and two privates only.

On this fatal day, the loss both of men and officers was immense; and the spirit of the army was completely broken, for the troops no longer had any confidence in the ability of their commanders, or their judicious leading in the field. The proposal of removing to the Bala Hissar was renewed, but again rejected; and a series of negotiations then took place between the Envoy and the Affghan chiefs from this period till the 11th of December, when Sir William Macnaghten had an interview with a number of them, among whom the Khans Osman and Akbar took the lead. Their deportment was courteous; and it was finally agreed that the British should evacuate all Affghanistan on being not only allowed to retire unmolested, but furnished with provisions, and the means of transport. Shah Sujah was to be granted a pension, with the option of remaining at Cabul, or accompanying the retreating army.

In pursuance of this treaty, the force in the Bala Hissar was removed on the 13th and 14th to the cantonment; not, however, without annoyance from the Affghans. Yielding to successive demands, the adjacent forts hitherto maintained were evacuated, and several English officers delivered as hostages. Yet the promised supplies indispensable to the march of the army were still, on various pretexts, withheld; and it became evident that, seeing the weak and desponding state of the invaders, the barbarians had determined to treat them as entirely in their power.

Under these circumstances, Akbar formed the scheme