ly or in small parties escaped.
Meanwhile, at 2:15 a.m., on the 21st of November, the 1st Infantry
Brigade, under command of Brigadier-General H. T. Macpherson, C.B.,
V.C., marched from the camp at Jamrud and followed in the track of the
2nd Brigade, which preceded them by eight hours and forty minutes. The
fighting strength of the brigade amounted to 43 British officers, 569
British rank and file, and 1,345 natives of all ranks.

Marching under the same conditions, as regards equipment and supplies,
as the 2nd Brigade, this column reached Lashora in four and a quarter
hours, although the 20th Punjaubis made a slight detour by mistake.

On reaching the foot of the Tabai spur leading to the Rhotas ridge,
about six miles from Jamrud, four companies of the 20th Punjaub
Infantry, amounting to 243 men, commanded by Major Gordon, were
detached to occupy the Tabai ridge below the Rhotas summit, and there
to await the arrival of the remainder of the brigade on the main ridge
leading to the enemy's sangars on the summit, when a simultaneous
attack would be made on it about noon. The Rhotas peak was to be
occupied, if possible, and heliographic communication established with
Jamrud, for which purpose four signalers were attached to this
detachment.

As has been seen, the 2nd Brigade was just moving off as the 1st
Brigade arrived at Lashora, and it became necessary for the 1st Brigade
to halt for an hour to allow Tytler's column to get clear. But at 7:30
a.m. Macpherson's force resumed its march, ascending a tolerably easy
path from the bed of the river and crossing the ridge to the left into
the Lashora Nala. Above Lashora the path wound through a narrow, rocky
ravine, overhung by precipitous and rugged hills, where the progress of
the column was much impeded by the baggage animals of the 2nd Infantry
Brigade, many of which (bullocks and buffaloes) were quite unfit for
such service. These animals can never move but at a very slow pace, and
in difficult places often come to a complete standstill.

The 17th Regiment and the 27th Punjaub Infantry were ordered to
advance, and they were met by a determined resistance, the flags of the
Afghans keeping well to the front in spite of the heavy fire of our
infantry.

Here Lieutenant N. C. Wiseman, 17th Foot, followed by two or three of
his men, charged one standard bearer and ran him through, but the
gallant officer was instantly surrounded and cut to pieces. The enemy
now showed sig