ch overlook the pass of Jugdulluck. The Afghans
attempted to oppose their invaders, but were driven back like sheep from
hill to hill by the soldiers of the 13th, many of them the raw recruits
whom Havelock had brought up from Calcutta the preceding year, and whom
five months of hard service at Jellalabad had turned into veterans.
Akbar Khan's last stand was made at Tzeen, a valley surrounded by hills;
but these were gallantly stormed, and the enemy, as before, driven from
crag to crag, fighting with all the fury of despair; but they were
ultimately put to flight, and two days afterwards General Pollock's
force was encamped at Cabul. One of the first results of this victory
was the rescue of Lady Sale and the other prisoners who had been carried
off by Akbar Khan.
Among the officers rescued with Lady Sale was Lieutenant Mein, of Her
Majesty's 13th Light Infantry, who had distinguished himself by his
gallantry in the retreat from Cabul, before he was taken prisoner.
Lieutenant Eyre gives us an account of him:--"Sir Robert Sale's
son-in-law, Lieutenant Sturt, had nearly cleared the defile, when he
received his wound, and would have been left on the ground to be hacked
to pieces by the Ghazees, who followed in the rear to complete the work
of slaughter, but for the generous intrepidity of Lieutenant Mein, of
Her Majesty's 13th Light Infantry, who, on learning what had befallen
him, went back to his succour, and stood by him for several minutes, at
the imminent risk of his own life, vainly entreating aid from the
passers-by. He was at length joined by Sergeant Deane of the sappers,
with whose assistance he dragged his friend on a quilt through the
remainder of the pass, when he succeeded in mounting him on a miserable
pony, and conducted him in safety to the camp, where the unfortunate
officer lingered till the next morning, and was the only man of the
whole force who received Christian burial. Lieutenant Mein was himself
suffering from a dangerous wound in the head, received in the previous
October." His heroic disregard of self, and fidelity to his friend in
the hour of danger, are well deserving of a record in the annals of
British valour and virtue. Besides the officers and ladies, 36
non-commissioned officers and men of the 44th Regiment were rescued,
making 105 in all, who, with Dr Brydon, formed all that remained of the
troops who left Cabul in 1841.
The British avenging army arrived at Cabul on the 15th o
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