let ^>Vs_2Jm^^^ ^'}r ^- UCSB LIBRARY ^v_23£..^^ THE STORY OF THE MALAKAND FIELD FORCE . UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME, THE GREAT BOER WAR. Arthur Conan DoyU. COLLECTIONS Ax\D KECOI>LECTIONS. G. Vi^. E. Russell. FROM THE CAFE TO CAIRO. E. S. Grogan. SPURGEON'S SERMONS. Sir W. Robertson Nico 11, LL.D. SIR FRANK LOCKWOOD. Autrustine Birreil, K.C, M.P. THE MAKING OF A FRONTIER. Co.onel Durand. LIFE OF RICHARD COBDEN. Lord Morley. MEMORIES GRAVE AND GAY. Dr. John Kerr. PARIS TO NEW YORK BY LAND. Harry de Windt. BY DESERT WAYS TO BAGHDAD. Louisa Jebb. SOME OLD LOVE STORIES. T. P. O'Connor. FIKLDS, FACTORIES, & WORKSHOPS. Prince Kropotkin. PROI'.LEMS OF POVERTY. Dr. Chalmers. •J'HE BURDEN OF THE BALKANS. !\L E. Durham. LIFE AND LETTERS OF LORD MACAULAY.-L & II. Sir George O. Trevelyatt, Bart, WHAT I SAW IN RUSSIA. Hon. Maurice Baring. WILD ENGLAND OF TO-DAY. C.J. Cornish. THROUGH FINLAND IN CARTS. Mrs. A lee T^veedie. VOYAGIC OF I'HE " DISCOVERY."— I. & II. Captain Scott. FELICriY IN FRANCE. Constance E. Maud. MY CLIMBS IN THE ALPS AND CAUCASUS. A. F. Mummery. PO V !•: R [• Y. B. Seelwhm Rowntree. SEA WOLVES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. Commander E. Hamilton Currey, R.N. FAMOUS MODERN BAIILES. A. Milliard Atteridge. THE CRUISE OF IHK "FALCON." E. F. Knight. THE PEOPLE OF IHE ABYSS. Jack London. CHAIN OR CHAFF? A. Chichele Flo^vden. LIFE AT I'HR ZOO. C.J.Cornish. THE FOUR M I-: N Hilaire BeHoc. CRUISE OF THE " ALERTE." E. F. Knight. FOUR FRENCH ADVICNIURERS. Stoddard De^vey. A REAPING. F. /. Benson. FIFl-KEN CHAPTERS OF AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Russell. isooo MILF':s IN A KK'TCH. Captain R. du Baty. KNOWN TO THE POLICE. Thomas Holmes. THE STORY OF MY STRUGGLES. Armi: ius Vamhfry. THE CITY OF THE WORLD. Edwin Pugh. THF, PANAMA CANAL. /. Saxon Mills. THE ISLAND. Richard Uliiteing. THE PLEASANT LAND OF FRANCE. R. E. Prothero. THE RIVER WAR. Winston Churchill. TRUE TALES OF MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE. Mrs. Le Blond. THE JOURNAL OF THE DE GONCOURTS. Edited by Julius West. A TRAMP'S SKETCHES. Stephen Graham. THE CABIN. Stewart E. White. RED FOX. Charles G. D. Roberts. THE GREAT ARMADA. Richard Hale. ADVENTURES ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD. Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond. Etc., etc. Others to follow. Major-Gen ERAL Sir Bindon Blood, K.C.B. Commanding Malakand Field Force. THE STORY OF THE MALAKAND FIELD FORCE AN EPISODE OF FRONTIER WAR BY WINSTON L. SPENCER CHURCHILL "They (Frontier Wars) are but the surf that marks the edge and the advance oi the wave of civilisation." Lord Salisbcry, Guildhall, 1892 WITH MAPS, PLANS, ETC. THOMAS NELSON & SONS, Ltd. LONDON, EDINBURGH. AND NEW YORK Cheap Edition April igi6 THIS BOOK IS INSCRIBED TO Major-General Sir BINDON BLOOD, K.C.B. UNDER WHOSE COMMAND THE OPERATIONS THEREIN RECORDED WERE CARRIED OUT; BY WHOSE GENERAL- SHIP THEY WERE BROUGHT TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLU- SION ; AND TO WHOSE KINDNESS THE AUTHOR IS INDEBTED FOR THE MOST VALUABLE AND FASCINATING EXPERIENCE OF HIS LIFE. " According to the fair play of the world, Let me have audience." " King John," Act v., So. 2. PREFACE. On general grounds I deprecate prefaces. I have always thought that if an author cannot make friends with the reader, and explain his objects, in two or three hundred pages, he is not likely to do so in fifty Hnes. And yet the temptation of speaking a few words behind the scenes, as it were, is so strong that few writers are able to resist it. I shall not try. While I was attached to the Malakand Field Force I wrote a series of letters for the London Daily Telegraph, The favourable manner in which these letters were re- ceived, encouraged me to attempt a more substantial work. This volume is the result. The original letters have been broken up, and I have freely availed myself of all passages, phrases, and facts, that seemed appropriate. The views they contained have not been altered, though several opinions and expressions, which seemed mild in the invigorating atmosphere of a camp, have been modified, to suit the more temperate climate of peace. viii PREFACE. I have to thank many gallant officers for the assist- ance they have given me in the collection of material. They have all asked me not to mention their names, but to accede to this request would be to rob the story of the Malakand Field Force of all its bravest deeds and finest characters. The book does not pretend to deal with the com- plications of the frontier question, nor to present a complete summary of its phases and features. In the opening chapter I have tried to describe the general character of the numerous and powerful tribes of the Indian Frontier. In the last chapter I have attempted to apply the intelligence of a plain man to the vast mass of expert evidence, which on this subject is so great that it baffles memory and exhausts patience. The rest is narrative, and in it I have only desired to show the reader what it looked like. As I have not been able to describe in the text all the instances of conduct and courage which occurred, I have included in an appendix the official despatches. The impartial critic will at least admit that I have not insulted the British public by writing a party pamphlet on a great Imperial question. I have re- corded the facts as they occurred, and the impressions as they arose, without attempting to make a case PREFACE. ix against any person or any policy. Indeed, I fear that assailing none, I may have offended all. Neutrality may degenerate into an ignominious isolation. An honest and unprejudiced attempt to discern the truth is my sole defence, as the good opinion of the reader has been throughout my chief aspiration, and can be in the end my only support. Winston S. Churchill. Cavalry Barracks, Bangalore, 30^/2 December, 1897. — CONTENTS. CHAP. PAOB I. The Theatre of War ... 19 The Scenery—The Flora and Fauna—The People—Their Weapons—Their Disposi- tion—The Ambitious Pathan—Quarrels with the British—Their Honour—A Re- deeming Feature—The Darker Side—The Other Point of View—The Scale of the Work—Its Scope—Its Objects. II. The Malakand Camps ... 33 Nowshera—The Road to the Malakand—At the Top of the Pass—The Camp—Life on the Frontier — The Swat Valley — The Chitral Road—The Retention of Chitral. III. The Outbreak 54 The Causes—Prosperity—The Undercurrent —^The Means—The Miracles—Rumours of War—Preparations—The Movable Col- umn—The Storm Bursts. IV. The Attack on the Malakand . 67 The Surprise—^The Defence of the Defile " Rattray's Sikhs "—The Central Posi- tion—The Fight for the Quarter Guard Lieutenant Costello, V.C.—Repulse of the Enemy—Casualties—Evacuation of the North Camp — Approach of Reinforce- ments—the Night of the 27th—^The Serai —Lieutenant Climo's Counter Attack Merciful Courage—The Night of the 29th —^The Repulse of the Enemy—Casualties. —A CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGB V. The Relief of Chakdara . 97 The Force of Circumstances—Formation of the Malakand Field Force—Sir Bindon Blood—Chakdara in Danger— First At- tempt to Relieve Chakdara—Arrival of the General—His Dispositions—The Key of the Position—The Morning of the 2nd of August—Rout of the Enemy —The Cavalry Pursuit—Vengeance Chakdara Relieved—Casualties. VI. The Defence of Chakdara . 114 The Fort—The Warning—A Gallop Home — The First Attack — The Cavaky Dash—Continued Assaults—The Signal Tov/er—Exhaustion of the Defenders Sepoy Prem Singh—Critical Situation —The Urgent Appeal—The Final At- tack—The Cavalry to the Rescue— Finish in Style—The Casualties. VIL The Gate of Swat . 132 Formation of the 3rd Brigade—The Marks of War — Submission of the Lower Swatis—The Special Force The Action of Landakai—The Artil- lery Preparation—The Flank Attack —Capture of the Ridge—Pursuit— Disastrous Incident—A Gallant Feat of Arms—^The Victoria Cross— Knights of the Sword and Pen—Buddhist Re- mains—The Light of Other Days Buner—Return of the Troops. —— 13 CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE VIII. The Advance against the Moh- MANDS 153 Causes of the Expedition—Summary of the Action of Shabkadr—The Forces Employed—General Plan of the Opera- tions—Advance of the Malakand Field Force—The Passage of the Panjkora Political Aspect of the Country. IX. Reconnaissance .... 173 The Jandul Valley—The Seven Khans- Frontier Diplomacy — B^rwa — An Afghan Napoleon—Unpractical Reflec- tions—Under the Chenars—The Arms Question—Its Significance—The Utman Khel Passes—A Virgin Valley—A Suc- cessful '• Bluff "—The Camp at Night. X. The March to NXwagai . 190 March to Shumshuk—The First Shot The Koh-i-Mohr—The Rambat Pass— The Watelai Valley—Night of the 14th of September—The Camp at In^yat Kila. XL The Action of the Mamund Valley, i6th September . 209 The Cavalry Skirmish—The Advance on Shahi-Tangi—The Counter Attack- Retirement down the Spur—Repulse of the Enemy—Second Attack and Capture of Shahi-Tangi—Darkness The Guides to the Rescue—The Rear- guard—The Night. — CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE XII. At InAyat Kila . .231 The Relief of BUot—The Story of the Night—Rest and Recuperation—Do- modoloh — Zagai — Negotiations for Peace—The Situation. XIII. Nawagai 254 " The Light of Asia "—The Strategic Situ- ation—Decision of the General—Rival Inducements—Alarums and Excursions —The Night Attack—The Casualties- Dismay of the Tribes—The Mohmand Field Force—Sir Pertab Singh—Polo as an Imperial Factor—Departure of the 3rd Brigade.