The British had by military and monetary assistance helped Shere Ali on to the throne of Afghanistan in 1869, and, naturally, took umbrage at the overtures made to Russia—the refusal to accept a British Resident at Cabul, the honoured reception of a Russian envoy, and finally the signing of a treaty which placed the Ameer of Afghanistan under the guardianship of Russia. A mission was consequently sent to Cabul, but it was stopped at Ali Musjid, at the entrance to the Khyber Pass, by threats of attack if it dared to proceed any farther. Sir Nevill Chamberlain, therefore, thought it prudent to return to Peshawar, and on November 21st, 1878, war was declared. Afghanistan was then invaded, and the Ameer declared a Jehad, or holy war, against the British.

Ali Musjid.—The same day the fort of Ali Musjid, armed with 22 guns, was attacked, and the enemy abandoned it after some smart fighting. The column under General Sir S. Browne then pushed on to Jellalabad, having lost in the attack 2 officers and 35 men killed.

The troops engaged at Ali Musjid, on November 21st, 1878, were the 17th, 51st; 4th Batt. 60th; 81st; four Batteries of Artillery; 10th Hussars, and the following native regiments: 1st Sikhs; 4th Goorkas; 6th, 14th, 20th, 27th, and 45th Bengal Infantry; Bengal Sappers and Miners and 11th Bengal Lancers.

Peiwar Kotal.—Major-General (later Field-Marshal Lord) Frederick Roberts, V.C., with the Kurram Field Force, crossed the Thall the same day as General Browne had captured Ali Musjid, and advancing up the Kurram Valley garrisoned Fort Azim, and then proceeded to attack Peiwar Kotal; but finding it too strong to assault in front, General Roberts decided upon a daring march of 10 miles in order to turn the Afghan position, and this he carried out in a masterly and successful manner while the heavy snowstorms made the intense cold less endurable. The attack was successfully delivered, the Afghan defence turned, and then Brigadier-General Cobbe hammered away at the enemy's front with his artillery while Roberts advanced against the main body; and after a contest which fiercely raged for seven hours, the Afghans made off, leaving their tents standing and the whole of their baggage; 6 field and 11 mountain guns were captured, and so distressed was Shere Ali with the defeat that he fled to Balkh, where he died while awaiting permission to make an asylum in Russia. The British losses were: 2 officers killed, and General Cobbe wounded; 90 European and Indian soldiers killed or wounded. In this battle Major J. Cook, of the Bengal Staff Corps, gained the Victoria Cross by charging the enemy and rescuing Major Galbraith, who was attacked by an Afghan. During the operations at Cabul this gallant officer was killed.

The troops engaged were the 8th and 72nd, a squadron 10th Hussars, and the following native regiments: 2nd and 5th Punjab Infantry; 5th Goorkas; 23rd and 29th Bengal Infantry, and 12th Bengal Cavalry.

Charasia.—On the death of Shere Ali, his son Yakoub Khan, who had been imprisoned by his father, ascended the throne, and, recognising the futility of the contest, agreed by the treaty of Gandamak to vest the control of his country in the Indian Government, to allow a British Resident at Cabul, and to accept a subsidy of six lakhs of rupees while the Khyber Pass was to be controlled by us, and the Kurram, Pishi, and Sibi Passes were to be attached to the Indian Empire. On June 17th, 1879, Sir Louis Cavagnari set out with his secretary, Mr. Jenkins, and Dr. Kelly, and an escort of 25 cavalry and 50 infantry of the Guides under Lieutenant Hamilton. Cabul was reached on July 24th, and on the night of September 2nd the Residency was attacked, and after a gallant defence Sir Louis and his officers and almost all the escort were murdered. This outrage necessitated prompt action, and General Roberts hurried up from Simla. Pushing past Peiwar Kotal, the Shaturgardan Pass was occupied before the enemy could reach it. At Kushi the Ameer rode into camp and said that he had been dethroned by his rebellious troops. No one believed him. Pressing as rapidly as possible on to Cabul, Sir Frederick Roberts found that the Afghan army occupied a very strong position at Charasia. On October 6th he stormed the place, and after a determined defence the Afghans fled towards Cabul in great confusion, leaving behind them 20 guns and 2 standards. Next day the British army marched on Cabul, and entered with the band of the 67th playing at its head; by October 8th General Roberts was occupying the fortified cantonments of Sherpur, in which he found 73 guns. The British losses were 20 killed and 70 wounded.

The regiments engaged were the 67th, 72nd, and 92nd; one battery Royal Horse Artillery; one battery Royal Field Artillery; two Mountain Batteries, and 9th Lancers. Native regiments: 5th Goorkas; 5th Punjab Infantry; 5th Punjab Cavalry; 12th Bengal Cavalry; 14th Bengal Lancers; Bengal Sappers and Miners.

Cabul.—Once inside the city the army was practically shut in, for the whole country was hostile to the British. Colonel Sir Hugh Gough, V.C., relieved the Shaturgardan garrison, and the lines of communication were directed to Gandamak and the Khyber. Throughout December General Roberts was kept busy with continual fighting; during this time, in an engagement with the Kohistanee on December 11th, the 9th Lancers suffered severely, and for rescuing some of the unfortunate troopers who had fallen into a deep ditch the Rev. J. W. Adams was awarded the V.C. Standing up to his waist in water, and under a heavy fire, he stuck to his task until the Afghans were within a stone's throw of him. On this unfortunate day three guns had to be spiked and abandoned. After this affair the Afghans made direct for Cabul, but were checked on their advance on Sherpur by the steady conduct of the 72nd Highlanders. On the 14th the Asmai heights were occupied by the enemy, but after a determined fight they were driven off; almost immediately, however, a force of over 15,000 Afghans, led by Moollahs shouting "Allah Ya Allah!" dashed with reckless impetuosity upon the place, and, despite the utmost gallantry on the part of the British troops, a portion of the position and a couple of guns had to be abandoned. Then the increasing number of the enemy compelled the concentration of the army within the cantonments of Sherpur, which were fortified to resist siege, and by the intuition of Sir Frederick Roberts had been well provisioned to sustain the defenders.

At 6 o'clock on the morning of December 23rd, 1879, just before the day broke, 30,000 Afghans flung themselves at the British defences, and maintained the assault until 1 o'clock, then realising that further efforts were fruitless, and suffering from heavy losses, they began to retire, when the cavalry sallied forth and put them to rout. In this defence 2 officers and 8 men were killed, and 5 officers—including Colonel Gough—and 41 men wounded. It is estimated that the Afghans had 3,000 men placed hors de combat. During the night the enemy melted away, and when General Gough arrived with reinforcements not an Afghan was to be seen. Cabul was then reoccupied.

The regiments engaged were the 9th, 67th; 72nd Seaforth Highlanders; 92nd Gordon Highlanders; 9th Lancers. Native regiments: 2nd, 4th, and 5th Goorkas; 5th Punjab Infantry; 23rd and 28th Bengal Infantry; 12th Bengal Cavalry, and 14th Bengal Lancers; 5th Punjab Cavalry; two batteries Punjab Artillery, and Bengal Sappers and Miners.

Ahmed Khel.—General Sir Donald Stewart set out from Kandahar in April 1880 to occupy Ghuznee, and to open up communication with General Roberts at Cabul. On April 19th he met the enemy, 15,000 strong, at Ahmed Khel, 23 miles south of Ghuznee. There a mad charge of 4,000 Ghazis threatened to exterminate Stewart's little force, but standing firm they withstood the shock of the fanatics, who as they rushed at the rallying squares of Britisher, Sikh, Punjabis, and Bengalese, were mowed down by their steady fire. In this conflict, lasting only one hour, 1,000 Ghazis were killed, but of the British force only 17 were killed, and 6 officers with 120 men wounded. Marching on to Ghuznee, they reached the city on the 20th. Sir Donald Stewart then assumed command at Cabul, and Abdul Rahman was recognised as Ameer.

The regiments engaged at Ahmed Khel were 59th; 2nd 60th Rifles, and a battery of artillery; native regiments; 2nd Sikhs; 15th, 19th, and 25th Bengal Infantry; 19th Bengal Lancers, and 1st Punjab Cavalry.

March to "Kandahar."—When Abdul Rahman, who had been living in Russian Turkestan, returned to Cabul, and his authority appeared to be established, the British army was ordered back to India. They were, however, delayed by the determination of Ayoub Khan, a younger brother of the deposed Ameer, to make a bid for the Ameership, and he set out with the object of seizing Candahar, which had been left in the command of General Primrose with a garrison of about 3,000 men, including the 7th Fusiliers, the 66th, and a number of native troops. To check the advance of the Afghans, about 2,000 men were sent out with 6 guns under General Burrowes as far as the Helmund, but encountering an enormous army at Maiwand he assumed the defensive in a bad position, and the Ghazis drove the British troops from the field with the loss of the colours of the 66th and 2 guns. Thirteen hundred of the British force lay dead on the field. The remnants of that unfortunate army got back to Candahar after suffering great privations, and General Primrose concentrated his troops in the citadel, where they were hemmed in by the enemy, and from August 11th to the 31st waited for relief.

General Sir Frederick Roberts then offered to march on Candahar, and with 10,000 men and 8,000 camp followers set out on August 8th to march over 300 miles through a mountainous and hostile country. His army consisted of the 2nd 60th Rifles; 72nd and 92nd Highlanders; 9th Lancers; three Batteries of Artillery; 2nd, 4th, and 5th Goorkas; 2nd and 3rd Sikh Infantry; 15th Sikhs; 24th and 25th Punjab Infantry; 23rd Pioneers; 3rd Bengal and 3rd Punjab Cavalry, and Central India Horse, formed into three brigades under Brigadiers Baker, Macgregor, and Macpherson. Ghuznee was reached on August 15th; on the 23rd Kelat-i-Ghilzie was relieved, and after a rest the force marched on to Candahar, and by August 27th was in communication with General Primrose. In face of the relieving force Ayoub Khan withdrew to the hills, and General Roberts entered Candahar on the 31st.

Battle of "Kandahar."—Wasting no time, he made a reconnaissance, and driving the enemy at the point of the bayonet from several of their positions, proceeded next morning to give battle to Ayoub. The village of Gundi was carried by the 92nd Highlanders and the 2nd Goorkas; the 3rd Sikhs and the 5th Goorkas, working round the end of the Pie Paimal, carried several villages, and despite the tigerish fighting of the Ghazis the village of Pie Paimal was taken at noon, and then the final stand was made by the enemy; but they could not withstand the charge of the 92nd Highlanders and Goorkas, and four hours after the battle commenced the Afghans were in full flight, leaving behind them 31 guns including the 2 Royal Horse Artillery 9-pounders taken at Maiwand. In front of one of their tents lay the bleeding body of Lieutenant Maclaine of the Royal Horse Artillery, who, taken prisoner at Maiwand, had been reserved for the indignity of having his throat cut when his foes were beaten and release seemed imminent. The 72nd Highlanders suffered most severely in the battle of "Kandahar," losing among their dead Colonel Brownlow. Two other officers were killed, and 11 wounded, the loss in men being 46 killed and 200 wounded.

The following troops were engaged at "Kandahar" on September 1st, 1880: 7th, 60th, 66th, 72nd, and 92nd; three batteries artillery and 9th Lancers. Native regiments: 1st, 4th, 19th, 28th, and 29th Bombay Infantry; 2nd and 3rd Sikhs; 2nd, 4th, and 5th Goorkas; 15th, 23rd, 24th, and 25th Bengal Infantry; 3rd Bengal, 3rd Bombay, and 3rd Punjab Cavalry; 3rd Scinde Horse; Poona and Central India Horse.

A medal without bar was given to the following regiments: 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 25th, 31st, 53rd, 63rd; 6th Dragoon Guards; 8th and 15th Hussars. A number of men of the 65th were engaged as signallers, and took part in several of the actions.

The Afghan Medal.—With the Afghan medal, which was granted on March 19th, 1881, were issued six bars for ALI MUSJID, PEIWAR KOTAL, CHARASIA, AHMED KHEL, KABUL, and KANDAHAR. The medal bears on the obverse a crowned head of Queen Victoria, which is not truncated like her effigies on the other medals, but the shoulders are couped by the bevel of the medal, which is 1? in. in diameter. The bust is surrounded by the legend VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX. This obverse is the fourth of the series facing page 188. On the reverse a column of Anglo-Indian soldiery is depicted on the march; an officer leads the way, accompanied by an infantrymen; an elephant bearing a mounted gun on its back makes the central feature, with native cavalry to fill up the foreground of a picture which has a fortress-capped mountain for background. AFGHANISTAN is impressed above in raised letters, and the date 1878-9-80 in the exergue. The names of the British recipients were engraved in rather squat Roman capitals, but the medals given to native troops were generally engraved in slanting writing letters. The suspenders to this medal are straight, like the General Service medals, the bars rather broad with square ends; the ribbon, 1¼ in. wide, is green with broad dark-red edges.

Star for Kabul-Kandahar, 1880.—Her Majesty also bestowed a bronze decoration on the troops who accompanied Major-General Sir Frederick Roberts on his 318-mile march from Kabul to Kandahar. It was subsequently granted to the troops which then composed the garrison of Kelat-i-Ghilzie, and who accompanied the force from that place to Kandahar. The decoration is a five-pointed radiated star, with small balls between the inner angles, and was made from the bronze guns taken at the battle of Kandahar on September 1st. In the centre is the Imperial monogram V.R.I., encircled by a band, with raised border inscribed KABUL TO KANDAHAR, having 1880 below with a twig of laurel on either side. At the top is the Imperial crown, from which is a ring for suspension. The reverse is plain with a hollow centre, round the edge of which the name and regiment of the British recipient are indented in skeleton block letters. But those given to the native troops were generally engraved in a sloping script, as on the India 1895 medal, and occasionally in block capitals. The ribbon, 1½ in. wide, is of the rainbow pattern, but unwatered.