phinstone, he was detained prisoner by Akbar Khan, who sent for him
under pretence of treating personally with him.

The enemy now approached Jellalabad, which was occupied by Sir Robert
Sale, who had maintained his position there since the day on which he
reached it. This gallant general had been engaged in several encounters
with the enemy, in which he had uniformly punished them. When the enemy
approached Jellalabad, Lady Sale, then a prisoner in the hands of the
Affghans, wrote a letter, exhorting lier husband to defend his position;
saying that she preferred death to dishonour. Sir Robert Sale refused,
when summoned, to abandon his post, and he was consequently besieged
by the enemy. Vigorous efforts were soon made to relieve the besieged
garrison. Lord Auckland was about to retire from the government of
India, and a new governor-general, Lord Ellenborough, had arrived at
Calcutta on the 18th of February. In the meantime Sir Jasper Nicholls,
who was commander-in-chief of the British forces in India, was urged by
Lord Auckland to push on to Peshawar as many troops as he could spare.
A body of 3500 men arrived at Peshawar on the 27th, but he having failed
to force the Khyber Pass, was compelled to remain passive until joined
by Major-general Pollock, who, when he arrived, took command of the
forces destined for the relief of Jellalabad. A portion of the forces
under his command consisted of Sikhs, the troop of the Maha Rajah Shere
Sing, ruler of the Punjaub, under General Abitabile. On the arrival
of Major-general Pollock at Peshawar, accounts were received from
Jellalabad, representing General Sale as in want of immediate succour.
Two brigades, consisting of 4,000 men, under the command of Colonel
Bolton, had not yet joined his forces; but General Pollock nevertheless
resolved to advance forthwith, having under his command about 8,000 men.
The task he had to perform was one of the most difficult nature. From
Jamrood, on the eastern side, the Khyber Pass extends for twenty-eight
miles towards Jellalabad; and the defiles had hitherto been considered
as impassable to an army if opposed by an enemy. The pass was defended
by the Khyberries; but, despite their opposition, his whole force
cleared it by the 14th of April; the first instance in history of an
army forcing its way through these dreaded defiles in face of an enemy.
The Sikh troops were left in possession of the pass, and on the morning
of the 16th of April the t