nd fell back. But the Ghazis were
too close at hand, and two of the guns were lost.

Even now, had the cavalry charged upon the Afghans, time would have
been given to the broken infantry to form again into a solid mass,
and to draw off from the field in good order. But the cavalry
remained inactive. Both these regiments had a record of good
service in the field; but their conduct, on this occasion, was
little short of disgraceful.

Among the infantry all order was lost and, mixed up in a confused
mass, hemmed in on all sides by the enemy, they fell back--each man
fighting for himself--upon the village behind. Here, in the walled
enclosures, the 66th and the Grenadiers rallied, and fought nobly.
Each house was used as a fortress, and only carried after a
desperate struggle. Here Colonel Galbraith, and nine other officers
of the 66th were killed; and the greater portion of the regiment
shared their fate.

Some bodies of the troops--entirely cut off from the rest, in their
retreat--stood their ground in the open, and fought desperately to
the end; surrounding themselves, ere they died, with a ring of
slaughtered enemies. So desperate was the defense in some cases
that--outnumbering them fifty to one--the enemy never dared to come
to close quarters with the gallant band; which kept up a rain of
fire on them, till the last man had fallen. So long and stoutly was
the village defended, that the great majority of the broken
fugitives had time to pass out behind.

General Burrows--who had done his best to stem the rout--drew off
the shattered remains; and fell back with them, in fair order.

Will Gale's company was in the right flank of the regiment and,
therefore, farthest from the point where the line was broken by the
rush of the native troops. Seeing what was taking place, the
captain formed his men into company square; and fell back to the
village, in fair order. The company then threw itself into a house,
with a walled garden, to the right of the village; and its steady
fire, in no slight degree, helped to keep back the Afghans, and
cover the retreat. This they did, until General Burrows himself
rode up, and ordered them to fall in.

"Your company has done good service, sir," he said to Captain
Fletcher; "and it is for you, now, to cover the retreat."

Slowly and in good order the company fell back and, joining the
troops who still retained their formation, retired slowly; facing
about, and pouring volley after v