1 Visit of Sardar Pir
2 Muhammad Khan.
3 The Sikhs occupy
4 Jamrud, 1837,
5 The Amir Dost
6 Muhammad Khan
7 sends o force against
8 the Sikhs.
9 Battle of Jamrad,
10 30th April 1837,
11 Defeat and flight of
12 the Afghans,
13 The division of
14 Muhammad Afzal
15 Khan,
16 482 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
17 he had instituted on the plan of the Legion d’ Honneur of France, called
18 “the Order of the Auspicious Star of the Panjdb.”- “Tam sure,” says Mr.
19 Fane, His Excellency’s Private Secretary, “both he and almost every one
20 present felt sincere sorrow at parting from the good natured, kindold man,
21 whom we had all begun to consider as an old friend and to treat accordingly.”
22 Prince Sher Singh went to the river Bids to conduct the Commander-in-
23 Chief on his journey back.
24 During Sir Henry’s stay at Léhore, the Court was visited by Sardar
25 Pir Muhammad Khan, brother of Sardar Sultén Muhammad Khan, who came
26 with an escort of 1,200 Afghans to pay his respects to the Mahardjd. These
27 Afghan soldiers were all dressed in chain armour, with large jackboots.
28 Pir Muhammad Khan brought for the Mahardj& the celebrated horse called
29 the “Mountain of Light,” which the Mahardjé had for years- tried to
30 obtain, without success, and also a celebrated Khordsén sabre, valued at
31 10,000 rupees.
32 In the winter of 1837, the Sikhs, under their veteran General Hari
33 Singh, Nalwa, occupied the fortress of Jamrid at the entrance of the defiles
34 of the Khaibar. This was very unwelcome news for the Kdbul Amir, Dost
35 Muhammad Khan, who saw that the measure adopted by the Sikhs was a
36 prelude to further aggressions, as from the Khaibar the roads lay open to
37 Jallélébad. It was therefore thought necessary to make a display of force,
38 if not to run the risk of actual collision; and while he himself remained at
39 Kabul, the Amir deputed his confidential minister, Mirza Sdmi Khan, to
40 superintend the operations, and act as the exigencies of the moment might
41 require. He was provided with money and instructed to secure the co-oper-
42 ation of the maliks of the Khaibar by the payment to them of their annual
43 allowances. The army collected on this occasion was headed by five sons
44 of the Amir, Mahomed Afzal Khan, Mahomed Akbar Khan, Ghulém Haidar
45 Khan, Mahomed Azim Khan and Mahomed Akram Khan, With these were
46 associated Nawdbs Jabbar Khan, Mahomed Usman Khan, Shujd-ud-daula
47 Khan, son of Nawéb Mahomed Zaman Khan, and Shams-ud-din Khan, the
48 Amir’s nephew. Mir Alam Khan of Bajaur and Sa’adat Khan of Momand,
49 were sent with Haji Khan, and the levies from Bajaur and Momand, to
50 invade the districts of Dodbé and Hashtnagar, north of the Kabul river,
51 where Sardar Lahnd Singh, Sindhianwala, had joined the Sikh forces from
52 Shab Kaday.
53 The temporary absence of Hari Singh from Jamriéd tempted Mirza
54 Sémi Khan and the Amir’s son to make an attempt to carry the castle
55 by assault, and a cannonade was commenced upon the walls. The weak
56 defences of the fort were destroyed in the course of two or three days, and
57 the Afghans, becoming sanguine, were congratulating themselves on the
58 success which had attended them at the outset, when Hari Singh suddenly
59 appeared and made an attack on them, which resulted in their retreat. This
60 occurred on 30th, April 1837. Hari Singh next fell upon the divisions of
61 Ndib Amir Akhundzéda, Mulléh Momand Khan nazb, and Zerin Khan Ara
62 Begi, which he threw into confusion, their leaders being severely wounded
63 and fleeing from the scene of action in great dismay. The divisions led by
64 the Amir’s sons and Nawdéb Jabbar Khan, which had not hitherto been
65 attacked, also dispersed and fled. The only detachment which stood firm
66 in the field was that of Mahomed -Afzal Khan, the Amir’s eldest son,
67 who, keeping together his body of two thousand men, showed a bold
68 front. Hari Singh, finding him inflexible, unexpectedly wheeled round,
69 and, observing the Amit’s sons and.the Nawab occupying small eminences
70 Sri Satgurth) HeRiSSHign picts Apaibar, fell on PheiyuAbrisitnsry@ Benaiseael was furious,