1st AFGHAN WAR - BRITISH OFFICER's LETTER HOME REF. CAPTURE ...

Hammer

£170

1st AFGHAN WAR - BRITISH OFFICER's LETTER HOME REF. CAPTURE OF KHELAT, BEING SHOT AT IN THE BOLAN PASS, ETC.; 25-28 Dec. 1839 EL (minor creasing) from Capt. R.R. Gillespie of the 4th Dragoons in "Camp, Sukkur" to his wife in G.B. (no postal marks as sent under cover with the official despatches) with long fascinating contents about the writer's experiences en route to Afghanistan and the new Afghan War medal which is to be issued; "...The 4th Dragoons march to a place called Korachee... The capture of the strong Fort of Kelat... will have reached you... it was a most gallant affair, but we suffered severely... Sir John Keane is now at Lahore... Captain Hilton perished in endeavouring to ford a river...I send you a drawing [not present] of the decoration we are to wear for our distinguished service in Affghanistan & Ghuznee... Major Sealy had a narrow escape & was near being shot! So was your poor Hus[band; the writer of this letter]...when we forced our way through the Bolan Pass. On our way up to Cabool, several rascals from the mountains... fired at us for for at least an hour! A poor native who was next to me... was knocked over, the ball passing under my horse's head... the trumpet Major just came to say he is ready to take the letters away...". Graphic accounts of very significant events in this Campaign. Cross Reference: AFGHANISTAN, INDIA