The Afghan War Of 1879-80

The interest aroused by the massacre of our ill-fated Embassy to the Amir Yakub Khan the subsequent capture of Cabul and the hard-won successes of our armies during the occupation of the city can scarcely yet have passed away; and I have therefore ventured to republish the series of letters which as a special correspondent I wrote in the field. They are a simple diary of the war; and though in this form they may lack conciseness they have at least the merit of such accuracy as an eye-witness can alone hope to attain. It was my good-fortune to be the only special correspondent with the gallant little army which moved out of Ali Kheyl in September 1879. The Government of India had notified that non-combatant correspondents would not be allowed to join the force the history of whose achievements was to be left to regimental officers who might in their spare hours supply information carefully vis to such newspapers as chose to accept it. So carelessly was this strange order issued that Sir Frederick Roberts never received official intimation of its existence and he welcomed me at Ali Kheyl on the eve of his departure for Kushi as I am sure he would have welcomed any other correspondent who had chosen to cross the frontier and push on without escort and with their own baggage animals. I make this explanation in justice to General Roberts upon whom the responsibility of excluding correspondents has been falsely thrown. Regarding the letters now republished Mr. Frederick Harrison in the Fortnightly Review has been good enough to describe them as admirably written with very great precision and knowledge. While not sympathizing in the least with Mr. Harrisons criticism of Sir Frederick Robertss punishment of Cabul in support of which criticism he mainly relied upon my letters I am grateful for his estimate of my work. I can scarcely hope that all my critics will be equally generous.