kness.

The information that in very truth they had escaped was brought to
Baker at 4.30 a.m. He at once communicated it to Massy, telling him
at the same time that any movement the Cavalry might make in pursuit
would be supported by the troops under his immediate command, and
also by a brigade under Brigadier-General Macpherson, which I had
despatched to reinforce Baker; Macpherson and White, with their
respective troops, having arrived at Beni Hissar shortly after Baker
had started.

I joined Baker at this time, and great was my disappointment at being
told that the Afghans had given us the slip. I went carefully over the
ground, however, and satisfied myself that Baker had done all that was
possible under the circumstances, and that the enemy having eluded us
could not in any way be attributed to want of care or skill on his
part.

Massy scoured the country until nightfall on the 9th, but with very
little success, only one small party of fugitives being overtaken
about four-and-twenty miles on the road to Ghazni. Numbers, doubtless,
found shelter in the city of Kabul, others in the numerous villages
with which the richly-cultivated Chardeh valley was thickly studded,
and whose inhabitants were hostile to a man; others escaped to the
hills; and the remainder, having had ten hours' start, could not be
overtaken.

The enemy's camp was left standing, and twelve guns, some elephants,
camels, mules, and ponies, fell into our possession.

During that day our camp was moved nearer the city to Siah Sang, a
commanding plateau between the Kabul and Logar rivers, close to their
confluence, and less than a mile east of the Bala Hissar. The 5th
Gurkhas and two Mountain guns were left to hold the heights on which
Brigadier-General Baker had been operating, and the rest of the force
was concentrated on Siah Sang.

[Footnote 1: Twenty sabres, 9th Lancers, one squadron 5th Punjab
Cavalry, two guns, No. 2 Mountain battery, 284 rifles, 92nd
Highlanders, and 450 rifles, 23rd Pioneers.]

[Footnote 2: Two guns, No. 2 Mountain battery, two Gatling guns,
detachment 12th Bengal Cavalry, 72nd Highlanders, 5th Gurkhas (300
rifles), 5th Punjab Infantry (200 rifles), No. 7 Company Sappers and
Miners.]

[Footnote 3: During the fight the Infantry expended 41,090 rounds, of
which over 20,000 were fired by the 72nd Highlanders. The half-battery
G/3 R.A. fired 6 common shell (percussion fuses) and 71 shrapnel (time
fuses); total, 77 roun