Jellalabad; above the figure are the words, "Jellalabad, VII. April," and in the exergue, MDCCCXLII." Ribbon Rainbow pattern for both medals; no clasp. The Kelat-i-Ghilzie medal was also granted by Lord Ellenborough to the defenders of that place-silver. Obverse: A laurel wreath, encircling a shield, inscribed, "Kelat-i-Ghilzie," surmounted by a mural crown. Reverse: A trophy of arms, incribed "Invicta," with the date MDCCCXLII. underneath. Ribbon, rainbow pattern. For services at Ghuznee, Cabul, and Candahar, five distinct medals were distributed, all having on the obverse the head of the Queen, with the legend, "Victoria Vindex," but the inscription on the reverse varying as follows:

(1.) "Candahar," "Ghuznee," and "Cabul," 1842, under each other, given to those men who served during the whole campaign.

(2.) "Candahar," 1842, given to men who were engaged with the enemy from January 1st. to August 10th., 1842.

(3.) "Candahar" and "Ghuznee," given to men present at both places only.

(4.) "Ghuznee" and "Cabul," given to the troops who went with General Nott from Ghuznee to Cabul, 6th to 17th of September, 1842.

(5.) "Cabul," given to those who reached Cabul after September 16th, 1842; no clasps; ribbon, rainbow pattern. The reverse of these medals, excepting that for Ghuznee and Cabul, are alike in design, the names "Candahar," &c., being inscribed within a laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown, with the date 1842 below. The medal for Ghuznee and Cabul has the names inscribed within a double wreath of laurel, with the crown over, and in the exergue “1842." The obverse of this medal, and of that given for Cabul, has a laurel wreath surrounding the Queen's head. The authority for these medals to be worn by the Queen's troops was notified to the army in India, January 25th, 1843. The medal given for the campaigns of 1878, 1879, and 1880 is of silver. Obverse Head of the Queen, veiled and crowned, with the inscription, "Victoria Regina et Imperatrix." Reverse: An elephant bearing a mountain gun; in foreground a mounted British officer, cavalry with lances, following on the march; in the background,

mountains; above, the word, "Afghanistan," and the dates 1878, 1879, and 1880 in the exergue. Clasps inscribed "Ali Musjid," "Peiwar Kotal," "Charasia," "Kabul," "Ahmed Khel," and "Kandahar," were also granted, the greatest number worn with the medal being four. Ribbon, green centre with crimson borders.

For the march of General Roberts from Kabul to Candahar a bronze star was given, made from guns captured at Cabul. The star is of five points, suspended from an Imperial crown ; in the centre a monogram, composed of the letters "V. R. I.," surrounded by the words "Kabul to Kandahar," with the date 1880 underneath. Ribbon, rainbow pattern. On the reverse of the star is engraved the rank, name, and corps of the recipient.

THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR.

1839.

SHAH SOOJAH-OOL-MOOLK had been driven from the throne of Afghanistan, and his kingdom divided among several chiefs. A Persian army besieged Herat, on the Afghan frontier, and the court of Persia claimed an extensive portion of territory, which, lying between India and Persia, appeared to menace the safety of the British dominions in the East Indies. These circumstances, and the unprovoked attack made on a British ally, Runjeet Singh, by Dost Mahomed Khan, occasioned a tripartite treaty to be concluded between the British, Runjeet Singh, and Shah Soojah, for the purpose of effecting the restoration of the dethroned monarch, and a British force designated the "ARMY OF THE INDUS," was assembled to effect this object. In addition to the native corps, it comprised the 4th. and 16th. Dragoons, (the cavalry being commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Joseph Thackwell, G.C.B., then Major-General,) and the 2nd., 13th., and 17th. regiments of the regular army. The Bengal column was placed under Major-General Sir Willoughby Cotton, K.C.B., and the Bombay one under Major-General Willshire. General Sir Henry Fane was to have commanded the whole, but on

information being received in October, 1838, that the siege of Herat had been raised by the Persian monarch, who had marched therefrom towards his capital, the force was reduced, and the second Bengal division was left at Ferozepore. Lieutenant-General Sir John (afterwards Lord) Keane, was consequently appointed to the command.

The plan of operations was thus arranged :-Major-General Sir Willoughby Cotton was to march near Scinde, through the Bolan Pass to Candahar, and proceed thence to Ghuznee and Cabool. The Bombay division of the army commenced its march from the mouth of the Indus, through the country occupied by the Ameers of Scinde, who, refusing permission for the troops to pass through their territory, a passage had to be effected by force. Hyderabad, the capital, was captured; Kurachee was occupied; and the Ameers were brought to submission early in February, 1839. The army then continued its march, passed the Indus on a bridge of boats near the fortress of Bukkur, which had been delivered up as a place of arms during the war in Afghanistan), and entered upon regions never before traversed by British troops, but which are interesting from their association with the operations and reverses of Alexander the Great.

Advancing from Shikarpore the troops arrived in the middle of March, at Dadur, situated a few miles from the Bolan Pass, through which they marched between mountains covered with snow. In these wild regions bands of Beloochees lurked to avail themselves of every opportunity to follow their predatory habits, and they murdered several camp followers, and plundered some baggage. Issuing from this gloomy defile of more than fifty miles in length, the army entered the Dushibe-doulut, or the unhappy desert, and halted a short time at Quettah, situated in the centre of the valley of Shawl, of which it is the capital. Supplies of provisions could not be procured in these sterile regions; the issue of grain for the horses ceased, the soldiers were placed upon half rations, the native followers upon quarter, and several men, who were searching for forage at a distance from the camp, were sacrificed by the natives, who availed themselves of every opportunity of destroying small parties.

All these hardships were borne with fortitude, and in the early part of April the army commenced its march through the vale of Shawl; it descended the picturesque height of Kotul into the valley of Koochlak; forded rivers; and passed the height of Kozak, where the men had to drag the artillery over the precipice with ropes. Surmounting every obstacle with patient perseverance, the troops continued to press forward; the rulers of Afghanistan, struck with dismay, fled from the capital, leaving the country to the Sovereign whom the British were advancing to restore. As the army proceeded on its way, various classes of individuals tendered their submission, and on the 27th. of April it arrived at Candahar, the capital of western Afghanistan, where provisions and repose were obtained. The tents were pitched in the grassy meadows, among enclosures covered with crops of grain. The watery exhalations from the low grounds however proved injurious to the health of the men, and the great heat experienced in the tents, with a saline impregnation in the water, augmented the number of the sick.

BREAKING up from Candahar on the 27th. of June, to reduce the remainder of the Shah's dominions to obedience, the army advanced along a valley of dismal sterility to the Turnuk river; then proceeding up the right bank, traversed the country of the Western Ghilzees, and arrived on the 21st. of July before Ghuznee, a strong fortress garrisoned by three thousand Afghans under Prince Mahomed Hyder Khan, who were well provided with stores and had determined on a desperate defence, having blocked up every gate with masonry excepting one. Not having a battering train of sufficient power to proceed by the regular method of breaching the walls, LieutenantGeneral Sir John Keane resolved to storm the place without delay, and a reconnoissance was made on the 21st. of July, when it was determined to blow open the gate, and accordingly

during the night of the 22nd. of July a quantity of gunpowder was secretly brought to the one not blocked up with masonry, which was to be destroyed by an explosion before daylight on the following morning.

To the 13th. Foot was assigned the duty of covering the operations, in blowing open the gate, and they paraded at two o'clock, a.m. Three hundred pounds of gunpowder (in twelve sand-bags) were used for this purpose. The regiment proceeded in advance of the storming party to the causeway of the gate under cover of the darkness of the night, and the fire of the batteries of the assailants, six men of the leading company being told off to assist in carrying the powder-bags. On reaching the causeway, the 13th. extended in light order along the ditch, and by their fire distracted the enemy's attention from the gate. After the explosion a company of the regiment, under Lieutenant Jennings, moved up with the engineer officer to ascertain if the operation had been attended with success; on which the light company of the 2nd. (or Queen's Royal,) No. 9 company of the 13th., under Captain Vigors, the light companies of the 17th, and of the Bengal European Regiment, which had been named to form the advance of the storming column, immediately pressed forward under the command of Brigadier Dennie, and despite a heavy fire gained an entrance into the fort. These were quickly followed by the main storming column under Brigadier Sale, (who was severely wounded on this occasion,) which consisted of the 2nd. Queens, under Major Carruthers, and the Bengal European Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Orchard; to these succeeded the 13th. Light Infantry, under Major Fraser, as they collected from the duty of skirmishing, with which they were directed to commence, and the 17th., under Lieutenant-Colonel Croker. The whole were soon established in possession of the fort.

After this the garrison rushed some to the citadel and others to the houses, from which they kept up an annoying fire, when the 13th. and 17th. regiments were directed against the former, which unexpectedly was found evacuated. Large supplies of grain, ammunition of all kinds, and several guns with about two thousand horses, fell into the hands of the