under
Major Hammond, and a party of the 92nd, under Major Hay.

Baker now paused to allow of the Infantry's ammunition being
replenished, and then advanced along the ridge towards the pass, which
he reached in time to help the Cavalry who were engaged with the
enemy's rear guard at the river; the latter were driven off and forced
to retreat; but by this time the growing darkness made further pursuit
impossible. We were therefore compelled to rest satisfied with holding
the ground in advance by piquets and occupying both ends of the
_sang-i-nawishta_ defile, where the troops bivouacked for the night. I
was able to supply them with food from Charasia, and they were made as
comfortable as they could be under the circumstances.

While the fighting was taking place on the heights in front of
Charasia, the hills on both flanks of my camp were crowded with the
enemy, anxiously watching the result; they did not approach within the
Cavalry patrols, but one party caused so much annoyance to a picquet
by firing into it that it became necessary to dislodge it, a service
which was performed in a very daring manner by a few of the 92nd,
under Lieutenant Grant and Colour-Sergeant Hector Macdonald, the same
non-commissioned officer who had a few days before so distinguished
himself in the Hazardarakht defile.

Our casualties were wonderfully few, only 18 killed and 70 wounded,[3]
while the enemy left 300 dead behind them, and as they succeeded in
carrying numbers of their killed and wounded off the field, their loss
must have been heavy. I subsequently ascertained that we had opposed
to us, besides thirteen Regular regiments, between eight and ten
thousand Afghans. Ghilzais from Tezin and Hisarak had hurried up in
large numbers to join the enemy, but, luckily for us, arrived too
late. Of these some returned to their homes when they found the Afghan
army had been beaten, but the greater number waited about Kabul to
assist in any further stand that might be made by the Regular troops.

The heliograph, worked by Captain Stratton, of the 22nd Foot, had been
of the greatest use during the day, and kept me fully informed of all
details. The last message as the sun was sinking behind the hills,
confirming my own observations, was a most satisfactory one, to the
effect that the whole of the enemy's position was in our possession,
and that our victory was complete.

Throughout the day my friend (!) the Amir, surrounded by his Sirdars,
rem