s. General Macpherson moved out against them, and
another battle took place at Charasia, and after some very severe
fighting the enemy were scattered.

Sir Donald Stewart's march had been uneventful as far as Shahjui, the
limit of the Candahar province. Here the Teraki country begins, and the
Mollahs had been actively preaching a holy war, and had collected
several thousand men. As we advanced the villages were deserted. Upon
arriving at Ahmed Khel, the enemy were found to have taken up a position
in front. Our baggage stretched far in the rear, and it was
all-important to prevent the column being outflanked. General Stewart
therefore determined to attack at once. The two batteries of artillery
opened fire upon the enemy, who numbered from 12,000 to 15,000, and who,
at a signal, rushed headlong down from their position, and charged upon
General Stewart's force.

This charge was executed by some 3000 or 4000 Ghazees, as they were
called--that is to say, fanatics sworn to give their lives to carry out
their object of exterminating the hated infidel. These men were armed,
some with rifles and matchlocks, some with heavy swords, knives, and
pistols, others with pikes made of bayonets or pieces of sharpened iron
fastened upon long sticks. Some were on foot; some on horseback. So
sudden and unexpected was the attack, so swiftly did they cross the four
or five hundred yards of intervening ground, that they came upon the
British before preparations could be made for their reception.

Cavalry were moving in front of the infantry, and these, before they
could be got into line for a charge, were surrounded by the enemy. In
an instant they were lost to sight in the cloud of dust and smoke caused
by the battle; and in the confusion a troop charged to the right in rear
of our infantry line, and burst into the 19th Punjaub Native Infantry,
in rear of the General and his staff. All was for a moment confusion.
The ammunition mules were stampeded, riderless horses dashed hither and
thither, and behind the cavalry came in the Ghazees with a furious rush,
and a hand-to-hand fight took place.

So impetuous were they, that on the left they swept round in the rear of
our infantry; and the results would have been most terrible, had not
Colonel Lister, V.C., commanding the 3rd Ghurkas, formed his men rapidly
into company squares, and poured a tremendous fire into the fanatics.
All along the line the attack raged, and so hurriedly