The Afghan War of 1879-1880

Great Britain and Russia always squeezed Afghanistan over their strategic concerns in Central Asia. In 1877, Indian government dispatched three field forces - Peshawur Field Force under Lieutenant General Sir Samuel Browne; Kurram Valley Field Force under Major General Sir Frederick Roberts; and Candahar Field Force under Lieutenant General Sir Donald Stewart to invade Afghanistan along Khyber, Kurram, and Bolan avenues. Startled by initial victories gained by Peshawur Field Force at Ali Musjid and by Kurram Valley Field Force at Peiwar Kotal, Shere Ali, the Amir of Afghanistan fled Cabul and never returned. British installed Yakub Khan as new Amir; signed Treaty of Gundamak with him; wrested control of Khyber Pass and Kurram Valley and placed a diplomatic mission in Cabul under Sir Louis Cavagnari to direct foreign affairs of Afghanistan. In September 1879, Afghan troops revolted; ransacked the British Residency and massacred all its members including Cavagnari. British returned to Afghanistan to punish the murderers of Cavagnari. Kurram Valley Field Force marched upon Cabul. Amir Yakub Khan was arrested and deported to India. Force occupied Cabul and was besieged by Afghan forces in December 1879. Thereafter, in a series of battles and skirmishes Afghan army and irregular bands of tribals were defeated. In July 1880, Sirdar Abdur Rahman was installed as Amir. As British were contemplating to return to India, news of defeat of Brigadier General Burrows' force at Maiwand and siege of Candahar by Afghans under rebel Sirdar Ayub Khan was received. A 10,000-strong Cabul-Candahar Force was hastily assembled under Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Roberts to relieve Candahar. The Forcecovered 300 miles in twenty days under most inhospitable conditions to reach Candahar. Howard Hensman, a journalist, traveled with Kurram Valley Field Force, when it moved out of Ali Kheyl to avenge the massacre of British Mission in Cabul. He witnessed most of the battles that were fought by the Force during its fateful tenure in Afghanistan. Hensman describes these events with great acumen, accuracy, and flair. The book is a first-hand account of Afghan War by an "embedded journalist." This book was first published in 1881