Chapter I: Front Matter

Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
file which includes the original maps.
See 55519-h.htm or 55519-h.zip:
(https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/55519/pg55519-images.html)
or
(https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55519/55519-h.zip)

Images of the original pages are available through
Internet Archive. See
https://archive.org/details/afghanwarof1879800hens

Transcriber’s note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face or
blackletter (=bold, blackletter=).

It is recommended that this text be viewed using a monospaced
font. Furthermore, there are a number of tables which will be
best rendered using ‘DejaVu Sans Mono’, which is downloadable
and free. If this is not an option, please consider using the
html version of this text.

Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for
details regarding the handling of any textual issues
encountered during its preparation.

THE AFGHAN WAR OF 1879-80,

Being a Complete Narrative of the Capture of Cabul, the Siege of Sherpur, the Battle of Ahmed Khel, the Brilliant March to Candahar, and the Defeat of Ayub Khan, with the Operations on the Helmund, and the Settlement with Abdur Rahman Khan.

by

HOWARD HENSMAN,

Special Correspondent of the _Pioneer_ (Allahabad), and the _Daily News_ (London).

With Maps.

Second Edition.

London: W. H. Allen & Co., 13, Waterloo Place, S.W. Publishers to the India Office. 1882. [All rights reserved.]

London: Printed by Woodfall and Kinder Milford Lane, Strand, W.C.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

=Dedicated=

TO

THE 72ND (DUKE OF ALBANY’S OWN)

AND

THE 92ND (GORDON) HIGHLANDERS,

IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE GENEROUS HOSPITALITY
RECEIVED AT THEIR HANDS

IN

=AFGHANISTAN.=

ADVERTISEMENT.

------------------

GENERAL SIR F. ROBERTS writes in regard to the letters now republished—

“Allow me to congratulate you most cordially on the admirable manner in which you have placed before the public the account of our march from Cabul, and the operations of 31st August and 1st September around Candahar. _Nothing could be more accurate or graphic._ I thought your description of the fight at Charasia was one that any soldier might have been proud of writing; but your recent letters are, if possible, even better.”