This Day in History: 13 January 2020
13 January 1842
178 years ago, today, British army doctor, William Brydon, reached the British sentry post in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, after being the sole survivor of an Anglo-Indian expeditionary force, who were massacred in their retreat from Kabul. The Afghans had committed a horrifying massacre in the Khyber Pass, where they gave the Anglo-Indians and their camp followers no quarter. At this time, Britain had a goal of protecting its Indian colony from Russia, and so tried to establish authority and power in Afghanistan as they attempted to replace Emir Dost Mohammad with a former emir, known to be sympathetic towards the British.
This obvious interference with Afghanistan triggered the outbreak of the first Anglo-Afghan War in 1839, but Dost Mohammad surrendered to the British in 1840 after Kabul was captured. However, the British had no choice but to withdraw after an Afghan revolt in Kabul broke out, and the withdrawal began on January 6, but bad weather delayed any progress. Swarms of Afghans then attacked the column, led by Mohammad's son, and those who were not killed were later massacred by Afghan soldiers, totalling in 4,500 soldier deaths and 12,000 camp followers. The only man to escape to recount the details of the event wasDr. William Brydon.
Another British force later invaded Kabul a year later in retaliation, burning a portion of the city, and in the same year, the war ended. In 1857, Emir Dost Mohammad, who had been restored to power in 1843, signed an alliance with the British, however, the Second Anglo-Afghan War began in 1878, which lasted for two years, resulting in Britain winning control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs.
Want to find out more about William Brydon and his escape? Clickhere for more information, or click here to watch a video on the event.
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