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560 posts on the river, and men and horses driven headlong into it. Vigorous attempts were made to rally, particularly by masses of cavalry, while a battery under cover of a garden wall was directed, it was supposed, by the Sirdar himself. In a very short time the foe was dislodged from every part of his position, his guns captured, his camp involved in flames, and Akbar Khan with his discomfited army in full retreat towards Lughman. The victory, in short, was complete, and only alloyed by the fall of Colonel Dennie, who had frequently distinguished himself in this disastrous war.

In the meantime, as soon as the first disasters at Cabul had become known to Government, all the troops that could be spared from the north of India were pushed forward into Affghanistan. Their rendezvous was at Peshawur, then belonging to the Sikhs, who were ready to afford them every assistance. Early in January, several regiments had been mustered there under Colonel Wyld; and this officer, with his brigade strengthened (numerically, at least) by some Sikh battalions, and the artillery attached to them, prepared to march through the Khyber Pass. But the Sikhs shrunk from the duty at the critical moment; camel-drivers and others deserted in vast numbers, a series of disastrous accidents, involving the loss of much baggage and treasure occurred, the Brigadier was himself wounded, and the whole party obliged to retreat with considerable loss.

Reinforcements, however, continued to arrive at Peshawur, and General Pollock, a gallant and clear-headed officer, was fortunately appointed to command all the troops west of the Indus. By the beginning of April his force amounted to about 8,000 men of all arms; and though this was scarcely adequate to the object of relieving the blockaded garrisons in Affghanistan, releasing the prisoners, and striking such a blow as might restore our military prestige, which had materially suffered by the late events, he determined to attempt the passage of the Khyber, without waiting for a further reinforcement of