rallying in
the direction of Beni Hissar, the 92nd and Guides, protected by the
Mountain guns, which had been got on to the ridge, and the Field
Artillery from below, advanced towards the Takht-i-Shah. The Afghans
disputed every inch of the way, but by 11.30 a.m. White's men had
reached the foot of the craggy eminence which formed the enemy's main
position. They were here joined by some of the 72nd Highlanders, 3rd
Sikhs, and 5th Gurkhas, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Money,
who had fought their way from the upper Bala Hissar.

A brilliant charge by the combined troops now took place, the two
Highlands corps vying with each other for the honour of reaching the
summit first. It fell to the 72nd, Colour-Sergeant Yule[3] of that
regiment being the foremost man on the top. The enemy made a most
determined stand, and it was only after a severe struggle and heavy
loss that they were driven off the heights.

From my position at Sherpur I had the satisfaction of witnessing this
success. This satisfaction, however, was short-lived, for almost
immediately I received a report from the city that the inhabitants had
joined the tribesmen, and that the cantonment was being threatened;
indeed, I could see large bodies of armed men emerging from the city
and moving towards Siah Sang, whence the road between the Bala Hissar
and Sherpur would be commanded.

Having only too evidently lost control over the city, the value of
Deh-i-Mazang was gone, so I ordered Macpherson to abandon it and move
to the Shahr-i-Darwaza heights, taking with him six companies of the
67th Foot for the protection of the Bala Hissar, to which it was
desirable to hold on as long as possible. The remainder of his troops
I ordered to be sent to Sherpur. To Baker I signalled to leave a
party on the Takht-i-Shah under Lieutenant-Colonel Money, and to move
himself towards the cantonment with the rest of his troops, driving
the enemy off the Siah Sang on the way.

But from his point of vantage on the heights Baker could see, what
I could not, that the Afghans had occupied two strongly fortified
villages between Siah Sang and the Bala Hissar, from which it was
necessary to dislodge them in the first instance, and for this service
he detached the 5th Punjab Infantry and a battery of Artillery. It
was carried out in a masterly manner by Major Pratt, who soon gained
possession of one village. The other, however, was resolutely held,
and the Artillery failing t