rmy--viz., the Queen's, 13th Light Infantry, 17th
regiment, and Bengal European regiment. The storming party, or forlorn
hope, consisted of the Light Companies of the four regiments. The whole
right in front--ergo, our company (the Light Company of the Queen's) was
the first in. I may well remember it, as it was the first time I smelt
gunpowder and saw blows given in real earnest. It is the most splendid
thing for us that could have happened: if we had failed, we should have
had the whole country down upon us in a few days; now, they say, the
country is ours.

It is reported that Sir J. Keane was so very anxious about it, that when
he heard our first cheers, after entering the gate of the town, he
actually cried, it was such a relief to his mind; and that he told
Brigadier Sale, lieutenant-colonel of the 13th Light Infantry, who
commanded on the occasion, that it was very likely that the fate of
India depended on our taking this place. Ghuzni was considered Dost
Mahomed's principal fortress; his son commanded in it, and it was
garrisoned by 3000 Afghans. Young Dost expected to hold it out for a
fortnight; and his father was to have come to his relief in a day or
two, when we should have had a difficult part to perform, as we should
have been surrounded in this valley by armed parties on all sides; so
that it would have been really a ticklish job. They had collected
provisions in the town for three months, and arms and ammunition; in
fact, it was the regular depot for their army. They had also about four
or five lacs of rupees; but that will not give us much prize money. Our
loss was very trifling, owing to the daring and sudden nature of the
attack, as they were taken totally by surprise. Our regiment suffered
the most, and we have thirty-seven killed and wounded, including
officers, of whom six out of eighteen were wounded--one-third of the
whole,--however, none of the latter dangerously, thank God, though two
of them are returned severely wounded. Five men of our regiment were
killed outright on the spot, and I am afraid we shall lose some more in
a few days from the effects of their wounds. Of the enemy, about 500
were killed, and more than 1500 made prisoners; and of the remainder,
who made their escape over the walls, the greater part were cut down by
the Dragoons, or spifflicated by the Lancers. Among the prisoners is
young Dost himself, the greatest prize of all. More than a thousand
magnificent horses have also