On January 13, 1842, the sole survivor of a 16,000-strong Anglo-Indian expeditionary force reaches the British sentry post at Jalalabad, Afghanistan—a British army doctor, who had survived a massacre during the retreat from Kabul.
He recounted the horrific massacre in the Khyber Pass, where the defeated Anglo-Indian troops and their camp followers were given no mercy by the Afghans.
In the 19th century, Britain aimed to safeguard its Indian colonial interests from Russia, leading to efforts to assert control in Afghanistan by attempting to replace Emir Dost Mohammad with a previous emir known for favorable sentiments towards the British. This overt interference in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs provoked the first Anglo-Afghan War, beginning in 1839.
Dost Mohammad capitulated to British forces in 1840 after the Anglo-Indian army seized Kabul. However, an Afghan uprising in Kabul forced the British to withdraw. This withdrawal commenced on January 6, 1842, but adverse weather hampered the army’s progress.
The column faced assaults from hordes of Afghans led by Mohammad’s son; those who survived the initial attack were later slaughtered by Afghan soldiers. Ultimately, 4,500 soldiers and 12,000 camp followers lost their lives, leaving only Dr. William Bryden to survive and narrate the events of this military catastrophe.
In retaliation, another British contingent invaded Kabul in 1843, setting part of the city ablaze. That same year, the conflict concluded, and in 1857, Emir Dost Mohammad, who had been restored to power in 1843, signed an alliance with the British.
The Second Anglo-Afghan War commenced in 1878, culminating two years later with Britain gaining control over Afghanistan’s foreign affairs.
by Jeff Millins
