mander to the Mohmund hill force, the
troops under General Lockhart learned the history of the operations
of that force, of which they had hitherto been in complete
ignorance. On the 28th of August the force was concentrated. It
consisted of the troops which, under Sir Bindon Blood, had just
pacified the Upper Swat Valley; with a brigade, under Brigadier
General Jeffreys and General Wodehouse, mobilized near Malakand. On
the 6th of September orders were issued to march to Banjour,
through the Mohmund country to Shabkadr, near Peshawar, and operate
with a force under Major General Ellis. A force had already been
despatched, under General Wodehouse, to seize the bridge over the
Panjkora. This was successfully accomplished, the force arriving
just in time, as a large body of the enemy came up only a few hours
later.

General Meiklejohn was in command of the line of communication, and
the 2nd and 3rd Brigades crossed the Panjkora without opposition.
On the 13th of September the Rambuck Pass was reconnoitred, and the
two brigades arrived at Nawagai. General Jeffreys encamped near the
foot of the Ramjak Pass; and part of his force was detached, to
prepare the road for the passage of the expedition, and to bivouac
there for the night. The road was partially made, and the brigade
would have passed over but, about eight o'clock in the evening, the
camp at the foot of the pass was suddenly attacked. All lights were
at once extinguished, and the men fell in rapidly; the trenches
opening fire on the unseen enemy, who moved gradually round to the
other side of the camp. It was pitch dark, for the moon had not yet
risen; and the enemy poured in a murderous fire, but did not
attempt to rush the camp. The troops were firing almost at random
for, in spite of star shells being fired, very few of the enemy
could be made out.

The fire was hottest from the side occupied by the 38th Dogras, who
determined to make a sortie, for the purpose of clearing the enemy
away from that flank. In spite of the fact that the ground was
swept by bullets, several volunteered for the sortie. The fire,
however, was too hot. Captain Tomkins and Lieutenant Bailey fell,
almost the instant they rose to their feet. Lieutenant Harrington
received a mortal wound, and several men were also killed and
wounded, and the sortie was given up.

All night a heavy fire was kept up by the enemy, but they moved off
in the morning. The camp presented a sad sight, when day