Hello and welcome to the age of Victoria podcast. My name's Chris Fernandez Ban. Let's get on with the show. Hi, everyone. I'm recording this episode whilst trying to sort out selling my house. And dealing with the divorce, which is why it wasn't out in June. But having that bit of extra time means that this is now out on the first of July, and Fingers crossed, that means I can now move us back into the old cycle of releasing
episodes on the first of every month. In difficult times like this, the podcast is a great escape for me and and I truly appreciate the support of the patrons to help me through. I'm therefore delighted to welcome new patron, Matt Anderson as a lovable Chimney sweep. Over the years, I've been overhaul my scripts, into fully footnote transcripts, that would meet academic research paper standards, including citation requirements, I plan to convert them into Pdf
and put them on the website. To help realize my dream an improved accessibility, Working backwards, I have gone all the way back episode 32. It has been slow going, and I'm still committed to it. However, Apple podcasts. Now automatically produce a transcript for each episode. So all my episodes on Apple podcasts now have a full transcript. You can just read them at your leisure. They won't include the full citations or sources, but from an accessibility point of view, and they are brilliant.
If you have ever missed something I said, or wondered about a place name, it's right there for you. I will. Nevertheless continue my work on the fully cited scripts so that they're available on the website. Today, We are continuing the episodes on the invasion of Afghanistan. If you haven't listened to episodes 54, 55 and 56 yet. Please start with them before listening to this or you will be completely lost. Still here. Excellent. Have you ever looked at a map and
thought I'd like to visit there. You are gripped with enthusiasm? And rush off to plan a trip. Only there's times and dates, the best weather, the cost, which bags to pack travel insurance, guide books, comfortable shoes, airport land, taxis, booking a kennel for the dog, telling the Milk, your wife is away for 2 weeks. Before you know it, you are shaking your head, and saying it is like planning and invasion. Nick except of course, eu are just a little busy.
Scale it up to cover over 30000 men and twice that many ox and carts, then try them get them through the mountains, and you have a sense of the enormous challenge facing the British when they invaded a Afghanistan for the first time. If few packing lists didn't even begin to cover it. If you listen to the last episodes, you will of course know why the British had decided to send an army into difficult hostile terrain, to fight an enemy, they didn't truly understand.
But if you didn't, you just need to remember that the British didn't have a good reason, so we're coming up with some bad ones. The first, Anglo afghan war is remembered, as 1 of the great military disasters in history, it is also a master class bad political decision making and poor planning It is also a bit difficult to categorize in the usual easy frameworks. The people in of view Victorian in history.
Typically, many people, including a longer historians will be using easy labels like colonialism, Or imperial or orient or racism. The first anglo Afghan war didn't have just 1 of those or all of them it had a mix depending on who you were and where you sat at the time. Afghanistan was never intended to be a province. Or place the British settled.
It was therefore not next exercising colonialism, conquering it, was clearly violent and imperialist in as much as it related to Empire, and there wasn't an intention that the British would rule via a client king. The main po political
goal was to install a friendly king. Create a buffer zone, that protected the Indian borders, unlike a client king, which didn't really care what the new Afghan king actually did as long as it was anti Russian, nor with Afghanistan of much interest to the orient who are much more focused on bringing what they perceived as civilization to India or studying ancient Indian culture, They assumed inherent superiority of the white man was a
given. But again, there was no desire to create a white ruling class over the native peoples in a Afghanistan in the way that was being done in India. Nevertheless, a former of orient. Is in incapable. It can be a tricky word and concept to define, and its most basic. It comes from the old word of orient, meaning lands of the east as opposed to oc, meaning lands of the west.
Or the, means the interest in and study of cultures in the orient region, so far, so neutral except, In history terms, it can also mean the attitudes towards the orient regions and a way of other the entire of China, Japan, India, the further stretches of the Middle East and the Hindu C, In this form, orient includes both racial and cultural claims of superiority by the oc. It can be called the western gaze on the Orient world. Incidentally, the process works the other way too.
As we've seen throughout the podcast, there are no impartial observers with an objective truth. Everything is done, through the subjective gaze of the observer culture and life experiences when we get to the opium war for instance, you will see the Chinese imperial worldview was just as obsessed with its own perceived racial superiority, over non Chinese peoples.
Orient often turns the orient into the exotic the savage, the wild, the dangerous, the inferior, much of the Romans once viewed the germanic tribes, as the barbaric outsider, who will wall I brave yet also at the same time, un and shaped by their environment, there were elements of this kind of orient in the British view of Afghanistan consider the comment of Scottish Envoy, mount stark El stone from his 18 o 8 visit to Afghanistan, quote, to sum up the character the afghan in a few words,
their vice are revenge, envy, average, capacity and ob. On the other hand, they are fond of liberty, faithful to their friends climbed to their dependence hospitable, brave, hardy, frugal, labor, and prudent. They are less disposed than the nations in their neighborhood to fa in ent and d. Just after the first pan war in 18 51, so John K wrote 2 volume history of the war, and said, quote, the physical character of the country had stamped itself on the mall confirmation of its inhabitants.
Brave, independent, but of a turbulent, predictive character. That very existence seem to depend, upon a succession of internal feud end quote. Then compare those quotes to some quotes from Roman rite tac about the Germans, which I've cherry pitt from his longer piece ko For B sake. Quote, who would like have been likely to leave Asia minor, North Africa to go to Germany with its forbid landscapes an unpleasant climate a country that is thank to ti and dismal to behold for anyone who was not
born in bread there. The appearance of the country, differs considerably in different parts, but in general, it is covered either by b forest or by bowel swamps. The peoples of Germany have never contaminated themselves by inter marriage with foreigners, but remain a pure blood, distinct and unlike any other nation. 1 result of this is that their physical characteristics in so insofar as 1 can generalize about such a large population. Are always the
same. Fierce looking blue eyes, reddish hair, and big frames, which however, can exert their strength only by means of a violent effort. No nation indulge more freely and feast and entertaining the New Germans It is accounted as sin to turn away a man from your door, many noble youths. If the land of their birth is stag, in a long period of peace and activity, deliberately seek out other tribes, which have some war in hand for the germans have no taste for peace.
Renown is more easily 1 among the pounds and a large body of retainer cannot be kept together, except by means of violence and war. They always making demands on the generosity of their chief asking for a coveted war horse or spear stained with the blood of a defeated enemy, their meals, for which plentiful if home fair is provided,
counting in lieu of pay. The weather oil for this open handed us comes from war and p. A German is not so easily prevailed upon to plow the land and weight patiently for harvest as to challenge a foe and earn wounds for his reward, he thinks it tame and spirit to accumulate slowly by the sweat of his brow what can be got quickly by the loss of a blood. We're not engaged in warfare.
They spend a certain amount of time in hunting but much more in idle on, thinking nothing else that's sleeping and eating. For the bold and most war like men, have no regular employment. The Cow house home and fields being left to the women, old men and weak of the family. In thus do away their time, they show a strange inconsistency. At 1 in the same time, loving ind and hating peace quote. Notice the similarities, the land is presented as wild, it is beyond the bounds of
civilization. It is less desirable and produces hardy, war like people. They are presented as simpler, individualistic, hospital want guests and brave, Yet, they are also un ent, coming together not for the common good of the civilized nation but to enjoy war, violence and p. To live in the boundaries of Empire is to be civilized on this view to work and collective good of the nation to produce honest citizens who grant the state the monopoly violence
and treasure equality before the law. That means those outside are fully other It is a process that has happened across a range of history, the Romans, the Chinese, the persians, the Egyptians, the Us, the French, the Spanish all had empires, and those outside, were to be presented as the barbarian, the heath, the savage, the frontier, it is also part of a mindset that challenges directly the post Christian post enlightenment world that underpins most of western
civilization. The ideal motivation of the savage is in sharp contrast to the idea that rationality, a equality before the law and individual liberties in a free society of the supreme virtue the ideal realization or indeed existence of a war like frontier society is not seen as a aggression or a departure morality, rather it makes this soc democratic claim that violence itself is inherently virtuous, but bravery, proficiency at war, taking a physical route to evolve conflict
is inherently more virtuous and more more than talking or protecting the week, Is not a simplistic I can ignore what his moral because I am stronger claim. It is closer to the idea that mercy and pity. Are inherently immoral and at strength on a violent conquest armor a clash of arms bringing resolution after a face to face battle with
a bow. Here's a long tradition in human history, across various cultures, the at claimed to the mel that right and wrong is only in questioned between equal power on the strong, do what they can and the weak suffer what they must. Victorian were frequently torn between ad admire the virtue of what was considered the savage frontier, like the bravery, the tough, the decisive aggression, also understanding that these virtue were often linked to law, oppression or instability.
They were torn in between ad admire what we considered manly virtue, and dis despise frontier cultures that they considered heath and primitive. Many afghan chiefs would after all have found debates throughout legality or whether the violence was wrong, rather laughable and would have quite willingly fallen into
the decisive battle might making right camp. If they could rob a trader Caravan, raid into India, or intimidate the British into paying tribute to pac the frontier, they would cheerful do so and expect the same in return, in places with no strong written legal code, then the more captain Jak spa approach he sway out here, There's only what a man
can do and what he can't do. As victorian society became more structured, legal and conform, the attraction of the frontier, the desert, the mountains came stronger for many adventurers, None of this matters to the podcast host and listener, who can rum over philosophy at leisure and look at how it affected human behavior in history, we have no skin in the game. The Victorian in India
did have skin in the game. Asking how to judge a more conflict and honor based society that is right on the border of your doorstep. Is not just a philosophical issue. It is a national security issue. Victorian governor might need to understand why a society with operating a certain way to help in plan, but then he had to take practical steps. At the top of any list of practical technicalities was the burning question, should we invade them before they invade
us. Yeah. And, we're not going to be able to invade India on the scale of the mongols invading India or the hun storming into the Roman Empire, any invasion they made would be limited to the border regions, and include a lot of robbing of caravan vans and frontier villages. What we might call today low intensity warfare. Fears of a Russian invasion were in many ways, not as great as a lot of popular writing, on the so called great game would have
you believe. Even in the early nineteenth century, intelligence officers were prone to exaggeration and paranoia. Some have historians have argued the real fear the British had of the Russians was a European war, which had loom ever present since the Napoleonic wars. On that view, the British feared war in Europe, diverting their attention, allowing Russian expansion into India or an afghan border incur,
provoking a rebellion in India. It is always hard asking what caused the war because it is typically complicated, people like to point at a single person or single reason, for instance, Hitler or Putin.
They don't like Well, there were a whole lot of trends in historical forces that pushed pre war Germany towards a receptive, for becoming a fascist state or than allowed a corrupt, k warm to seize control of the Russian state and then try to rob Ukraine on a massive scale that went catastrophic wrong for him, which bio into an increasingly
lengthy war of aggression. In general, the whole first anglo afghan war can be viewed as a piece of misguided real po with war being used as a continuation of policy by other means, almost napoleonic in a way. War is the tool to bring out a political outcome. Seen in that light, it becomes a highly political
but also highly personal war. 1, driven by the Governor General of India and the chief Be, combined with those elements of orient and imperial, the idea to bring peace to the frontier dispatch to pac the savages beyond, to protect civilization from the Barbarian invasion combined, with the view of stopping other imperial powers from sweeping in yet run by a semi independent governor general using the vast resources of an Empire created by a private trading company.
Of course, if you happen to be 1 of those others, labeled on savage, your view of all of this was very very different. Neither the German tribes, nor the afghan, thought of themselves as dangerous savages who threatened the civilized land, Both might well have a lot of conflict or tribal and warriors, but that didn't mean they didn't have a civilization and culture of their own. As I mentioned last episode, Afghanistan has a very old culture. 1 had a long standing international roots.
And was well integrated into the world of the Muslim Empires. The British were of a strange group of alien invaders, that the afghan cans were completely blindsided by and who were technologically superior. The afghan knew about India, the British, the Russians, the Ky part, and Christianity. They had fortresses, musk, swords, and J z, the infamous long bound musk. As the international movie firearms database says quote, At is a type of long bowel, muzzle loading musk made in Afghanistan.
It is often incorrectly used as a blanket term for the various muzzle loading long guns from the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and India. Since Ge ale were made to order by the individual Craftsman, They were not standardized, having either match lock or flint lock mechanisms and often using brown bass, Flint lock musk lock work and sometimes having rifle barrels, but are typically identified by their
unusual horn shaped stock. They were similar to American Frontier era hunting rifles but were typically heavier and larger with caliber in the 0.5 to 0.75 range, and we used in a similar role to modern sniper rifles. They're heavyweight and long bowel, led to a much greater effective range than the standard infantry markets.
They were used to fearsome some effect by Afghan snipers during the anglo afghan wars in the nineteenth century end, quote, the British were about to be invading a territory where the enemy was on very much, more advantageous home terrain using weapons that range them were more accurate, and were more suitable for the mountain ranges and river valleys, Weapons that are allowed for greater mobility and good act snipers similar to the American rifle
in the Us war of independence. If I had to pick a bad match up for the British Victorian army This would be high on the list. It also helps put pay to the persistent myth that the British only fought primitive armies, and only 1 because of their technological advantages. The only idea that all the enemies British fought armed with spears and mow down by machine guns is just
wrong. It did happen on their occasions, but in the main, the British Victorian army maintained its victories by better training, sustained aggression, logistics and more professional organization, combined with the ability to pour in immense imperial resources. During the Anglo Afghan outcome or, you will sadly see that many of these elements were completely lacking. Arthur w, the Duke of Wellington had a very strong view about any british invasion of Afghanistan.
He immediately grasped the key problem about holding the place, saying that any British invasion was foolish. He predicted that the British would easily crush the afghan army, that was made up of semi feudal tribal levi, but would then be unable to hold the country. He said the like of roads and the difficulties of the mountains would force the british out, and the Afghanistan was only really a country of rocks sand, deserts,
mountains and snow. His words should have echoed down the ages really to modern planners, Still, the events we are about to cover would probably have turned out very, very differently, if cons master logistics like Wellington, had been in charge. Instead, we are about to cover 1 of the most app series of military events in history and not just British history. The first anglo Afghan war stands out as a colossal military failure. 1 that was really self inflicted.
The strange thing is there is still immense debate about whether the British government had even authorized it. Or whether the responsibility lay with the board of trade and the Honorable East India company or the governor general in India The governor general in question, Lord Auckland was a curious mix of competent indecisive, and badly misinformed.
He was a career politician who had little interest in or understanding of Indian culture So William Mc norton, who was secretary to the governor general, as well as spy master and War hawk in chief, thought invasion would be easy. So the dismay of most informed officers, diplomats and spies, mc Norton was prepared to overthrow, a highly admired king Dos mohammed in favor of opportunistic coward and former king, Shah, Sc, and he expected the afghan outgoing people to
be happy about it. Mc Norton was Happy town, Auckland, the Dos Mohammed was unpopular king, ignoring the boar. From intelligence agent, Alexander burns to the country. That's agent tableau burns from last episode. Mc norton from also failed brief Auckland that the Seek King land ut singh and recently conquered Pe from Afghanistan So Dos Mohammed did have good reasons for currently demanding it back. Auckland
was kept ignorant of this. Although it wouldn't have taken too much for him to check nor Was Norton, the only intelligence officer, pushing his own angle to Auckland as with any great political or military disaster, failures by the intelligence community, or them pursuing their an agenda, are usually a huge part. Dear the soldiers having to do the marching, it was at least straightforward. March, then fight or die. Politics was for officers and their lords ships far away.
They had taken the queen shelling. And if the queen want them to fight up a mountain in Afghanistan, then that's what they did. Or alternatively, they've taken john companies pay are now needed to deliver. Or for many of the native Indian troops they'd had sworn oats on their salt and their blades, and so would fight for their honor. Our old friend, Sub Sit ram, was amongst the native troops on the March, and he had a thoroughly miserable time of it.
For the officers, it was going to be a huge amount of work It was what they had supposedly signed up for, an ambitious officer wants and needs of war to serve their country. And to make good use of their talents for the impoverished gentlemen who who'd gone to India to live on the cheap because they couldn't afford a commission in a fashionable regiment. It was just a path of the course. Enormous planning was needed for an invasion, deposed former king S Su.
Now the would be king of Afghanistan was bringing 6000 irregular soldiers to help the British put him on the throne. When we talk about irregular in this period It means any fighting force raised outside normal military structures. It doesn't necessarily mean bad. But in general, it mount anyone who fan a bit of raven and privilege in a big mob without much discipline.
Some irregular units were excellent, of course. And supplies armies have often recruited scouts, shock troops, and cavalry, on the wild lands outside their empires. In general though, it was un wise to rely on irregular troops in India and especially in Afghanistan.
Many, if that most, were transparent only there for money all opportunities to rape and pill, and we're pretty open about their willingness to switch sides to the highest bidder Cha Troops were all armed by the British and British officers were put in charge. I can't imagine the difficulties. Of leading this kind of troop into battle. Constantly unsure if your men were following you or about to dessert or shoot in the back and go over
to the side. The difficulties are relying on translators to relay orders were large enough just on their own. The British didn't get many of the excellent seek troops or bandit sing so would rely on the company armies supported by a very limited number of Queen's regiments. As Kip might have said, It was going to be down to pour bloody Tommy Atkins in red coat and musk to do the marching and the dying. Or blue coats or black or dark rifle green depending on the order of battle at the
time. The Victorian army was a riot of color. And not all of it was read. The invasion was initially planned for 10000 british petition Indian troops supported by 30000 camels, plus oxen, horses, how says, mortar, horse artillery, pioneers, miners and sap, foot artillery, siege artillery, and camel artillery, plus black carts, and even barges for river travel, can you imagine trying to plan how to get that locked to go down a road or cross a bridge?
Just finding night the camels was a nightmare, and Bombay comm division, particularly struggled, trying to produce 3000 odd camels at short notice, a captain Hugh wrote in his account of the initial difficulties, The deputy comm general had represented that it was necessary to remain at She for about 20 days to enable the comm area to obtain the greatest possible quantity of supplies for
all the troops. While halting at this place, the troops would not consume their stock of supplies, but procure their grain, etcetera, from the city, where a large quantity had been collected, and more was procure for the rear columns, bombay troops, etcetera. On the arrival of an expected con with wheat graham, etcetera, coming from malta, etcetera. The Bengal comm were to supply the bombay troops, not only with grain, but with camels, Before the resolution to move on immediately was
known. The deputy comm general had detached 4000 camels to bring up from the rear grain, etcetera. He was also led to expect 10 days supplies would be ready at data, 10 marches in advance, and 20 days supplies at Ke, 18 marches in advance. While Can was 32 marches is distant from She poor, so that including halt etcetera. 45 or 50 days supplies were required for the troops up, to Ka.
And as we marched with carriage 4 and with only a mouth supplies from Fe poor, more carriage was required to than could be procured at the time, both for the Bengal and Bombay columns, as well as for the sc force. With such huge challenges ahead. You would think that the early Victorian army would assemble its a team, Or at least up and coming officers and channels, who would later become legends, you would think wrong, gentle listener.
A previous invasion to help defend the city hu against persons was abandoned when the siege ended early. Embarrassing need for the governor general, the successful defense. Was in large part due to a British, turned adventure spy El Pot. The royal navy had done its part by applying pressure on the persians, and the up coming star lord Palmer was twisting the arms and Russian diplomats, Russian invasion invasion plant was suddenly gone. The large British fourth being assembled was stood
down. And reduced to a much smaller expedition force, the nominated commander over of the invasion force Su Harry Fe, commander of armed forces in India, refused to take further part in the venture, arguing, that with the Russian backed person siege of her over, there was no longer a justification for any invasion of a Afghanistan, and besides he was much too senior to lead a much smaller force, thereby leaving the command to other more junior
men. At this point, any illegitimate justification for the invasion had really been blown out of the water. The Russian backed person invasion had been turned back, and thanks to Lord Palmer. The Russians would not likely. To be able to produce an invasion force of their own anytime soon. Any raids by afghan could probably simply be paid off or turned back. From this point on, it was an entirely un enforced political disaster
that triggered an even worse military 1. The British were about to mount an unnecessary invasion with little, political payoff in the off and bum the technicalities extremely badly. The 2 generals, willing to take command of them reduced invasion force were absolute c tier. Fine, but not in the list of all time greats. The first, Napoleonic war veteran are John Keen was at least competent
if rather long in tooth. The second, general sir willoughby be cotton was a general who didn't believe in reconnaissance patrols, Keane was in command of the main force from Bombay with cotton commanding the Bang contingent. Yet the whole expedition.
Effectively fell on the overall command of William Mc norton, a natural desk jo, Mc norton had never visited our Afghanistan and was more focused on politics, the military technicalities, the Junior officers were not in the right mindset either in the main, They acted, like they were going on a gentleman's campaign against the seventeenth century French, most traveled with the elaborate grooming kits. Including soaps, perfume,
and silver hair brushes. At least 2 camels were used for nothing more, and home regiment cigar supplies, a lancer of regiment, even brought their fox sounds for hunting not that you can blame officers for wanting some comfort, especially when you read a contemporary account from a junior officer, from 18 40 about the campaign, quote. The European troops of our army had no rum from the time we left Ka till a supply came from India after the campaign.
Owing to eating the fat humber mutton, which is rich and drinking the water of the country possessing an period quality, they suffered much from bowel complaints. Whatever may be the opinion of the abs societies, all sound medical men declare the sudden deprivation of spirits to be furious. End quote.
That's right. The soldiers old friend dysentery was going to be coming along for the ride, plus l and fleas, which were have quickly infested the uniforms and bedding, add in a heavy load, musk kits, tight stocks around the neck, and poor quality boots and you can see why this was going to be a rough campaign, especially as the booze ran out. Jokes about where's the rum on side the men usually expected to be issued beer and preferably rum. Not having rum or beer was potentially dangerous.
Since it meant more reliance on local water supplies, regiment surgeons and senior officers, did their best to obtain un contaminated water, but it was still hard. Vinegar could be used as a disinfectant, and the habit of boiling water for tea helped a lot, still, lack of alcohol meant more sickness from water but fewer injuries from drinking heavily.
Disease has historically always been the biggest killer on campaign, and the victorian paid increasing attention to keeping troops healthy as the decades passed. There were no airways waste, support this campaign though. So it was a classic, old school, march hard, fight hard, March again campaign to when small ski in kiln on route, which in turn, meant supply routes were long, thin and vulnerable. Suddenly, the officer's obsession with soap makes a lot more sense.
1 of the most vital things are soldier can do, is care for his feet and being able to wash them with soap and wear clean socks is as important as keeping his weapon clean, the weapon lets him fight with the feet get him to the battle. So John Keane was a veteran soldier of the Napoleonic wars, had commanded a brigade at the battle of New Orleans in the Usa, and then being made Governor Jamaica, he was physically brave a keen sports, friend of the Duke of Wellington
and eventually promoted to commander in chief. Of the army of Bombay. He was known to be bad tempered, and the common soldiers mostly disliked him he knew that the enemy would expect him to try to force the tribe pass. That would require permission to cross the seek kingdom around its sing And was happy to cheer the British from the sidelines, but no way in hell would he allow a full size,
honorable East India company to march through. So the invasion had to take a long swing round through the desert route instead, longer marches, but it needs be limp river barges could be used for some sections, and it might surprise the enemy a little, In total, the troops would need to cover more than 1200 kilometers on foot, carrying 60 pound packs, ammunition, and musk kits, plus great coats for winter in the mountains, stocks for their necks and rough red coats or blue coats, with surge,
trousers, clearly the dangers of exhaustion and heat stroke in the desert were high. It is astonishing to think the bulk of soldiers would have been paid less, the many farmers, shepherd, or un laborers. The common ranks or for the desperate the hopeless, those fleeing from worse or those ambitious few who wanted to become a sergeant or even the Gi height to company sergeant major or perhaps climb to the legendary position of regiment sergeant major.
Since Afghanistan was really dominated by mountains, valleys and rivers were the key and would shape the military approaches Additional reserves were set on the borders, and the total effort involved at least 40000 men across various roles. That's roughly equal to 2 French call in the Napoleonic wars, and the fighting strength was far less. In the end, There were only 1000 European fighting troops back by 14000 Indian sea boy troops,
employed by the honorable East India company. The invasion planning and command might have been British, but the fighting force, was Indian. The army was too un wield to move as 1 after a sham attempt to assemble the army in November 18 38 the beijing kicked off in December 18 38. The keane moving off first.
General Cotton set out with a smaller force, and was acquired to travel along the river during January 18 39 through the unfriendly border of Cindy and then link up with keen agent top burns, it made desperate efforts to get to send here me, to agree to grant safe passage cotton oath that the territory became even more unfriendly.
When cotton decided to mount an illegal invasion of the Cindy Capital, which was in the opposite direction from Afghanistan, Mc norton wrote increasingly desperate orders to try to get cotton back into line just in the nick of time, some of the more junior generals, and B were either abrasive to their generals, des, or deeply worried about the lack of military discipline and disorder. Mc norton and cotton soon came
to lower each other. That that was nothing compared to the utter hatred, but Norton had for double burns. This crucial split between the head of political coin intelligence and the leading field agent was a disaster in its own right and only got worse when burns received a knight which sparked Mc norton to new heights of jealousy. Top burns trying to warn Mc norton that no 1 wanted the S su bank on the throne.
He wasn't seen as the loan for once and future king over the water and that the Afghan were not happy to see said disposed ex king back with an army of In downs during his fighting against. Faithful, Mc norton either brushed it off or patron double burns rather than heed his warnings, at least the expedition contained some more junior officers who would serve well, and a couple who would indeed become legends.
Perhaps most notable was General Cotton aid the camp, Henry h, a man who would become an absolute legend to the Victorian. Famous for his exploits, and even a notable presence in Harry Fl books. He still has his statue trafalgar Square, and not many generals get to keep a p in a plumb spot like
that 1. It is interesting to think that in an army there was very march an old school waterloo style fighting force, the modern Victorian officers, were learning their trade, and we transform it, hair flock, was already a veteran of the Anglo Be Wars and had experienced his religious awakening that would be so characteristic over the many Victorian religious preceding officers.
He was frequently ignored and passed over despite his obvious talents including his gift for languages including persian and Hindu as it was called, but was is actually a hindu dialect, from the Northern regions. He was left a junior lieutenant for years. Tell in a stroke of luck, a senior officer who knew him with appointed commander chief as Colonel sale. He was considered exe.
He finally made Captain at the old age of 43, not exactly the military career dreams are made of, being a butter bar as the Americans call it for over 13 years, and then a lieutenant for another 3 and a half was slow even by the Honorable East India company standards but not unheard of. Luckily, he was plucked from further obscurity by General Cotton for the aid to camp post, on the way to Afghanistan.
The crossing of the river after getting the army moving was hard work for the military engineers and already put pressure on supplies. Once over, reality dawned, there was a huge salt marsh and desert cross Lots of unfriendly or downright hostile locals and very inadequate supplies. It was gh for the troops, and worst for the baggage animals. At the other side of the Hell mark the desert, cotton swung force towards the first big objective, the Bull pass in March 18 39, going had been
incredibly slow. This was the other great strategic gateway into and out of our afghanistan it was and remains a formidable piece of terrain. A british officer visiting again in 18 41, described it vividly, quote. The road through this past leads with few and rare exceptions. Along what is the bed of a mountain in torrent. When filled by the melting of the snows or heavy rains and is composed of loose shin gravel, that rec resides from under your feet and is very difficult for
draft. Camels get on well. It is infested by the cock who live by Robbery, and the hills sometimes close in upon the road, which is filled up by the bed of the stream running through Rocky chasm, upwards of a hundred feet high from the top of which the robbers are sail the travelers with stones. And were they as bold as they are cruel and p, they might hold the place against all come.
Many spots were pointed out to me by the guides I had with me as signaled by acts of violence, several European officers having lost their baggage during our occupation of the country. Should there be rain in the higher parts of the mountains, the stream at times comes down in an almost perpendicular volume without
warning and sweeping all before it. As a friend of mine experienced, when he saw a party of men, horses and camels, and all his property borne down by it when himself and some few men with him escaped by climbing up the nearly perpendicular side of the hill. About 37 men were washed away upon that occasion. End quote. The phrase the army would have used was to force the pass, but that makes it sound easy. What it actually meant as men having a long running battle
on difficult to terrain. The past is over 5800 feet of sea level So already troops for climbing a lot. It is an absolutely desolate place. It was over 70 miles long, and so narrow in places that it was single farm only. Temperatures soared in heated rock walls to a hundred and 19 degrees fahrenheit, or 48 degrees cent grade. Animals died like flies and many troops died of heated Exhaustion.
Rather than being a single battle, the battle of Bo pass with actually a number of small actions as Cotton and his men held running ski, then Marches broke bushes, and then marched again. Sub c and Ram simply described it as absolute hell. Cotton and his army reached Quarter, where his orders would to wait for Kings force to arrive. Unfortunately, things fray further as the 2 armies try to link up with food supplies for baggage, animals,
running out. The morris astute officers realized that they had wasted months getting here. So the heat was rising and they would be doing the fiercest fighting in the sear summer sun. In the meantime,
food supplies ran low. Rations were cut in half, then in a quarter, a month later, keen find arrived and immediately realized that a good part of his army was starving to death, he gave immediate orders to march the next day, hoping If they could push on deeper into Afghanistan, they might find more food.
They still had a hundred and 47 miles to go, to each can and cotton had baffling failed to send any scouts out during the whole month he that still, so no 1 had the nearby passes or terrain, which meant pushing on blind. Next time, we will follow the army into our afghanistan copper as it writes its first battles and tries to turn things around. So it could put the unwanted shower su on the phone. Okay. Thanks for listening everyone. If you want to get in touch.
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