Second Battle of Charasiab

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Second battle of Charasiab
Part of the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Date25 April 1880
Location 34°23′55″N69°10′3″E / 34.39861°N 69.16750°E / 34.39861; 69.16750
Result British Victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  British Empire Afghans
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Herbert Macpherson VC
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Colonel Jenkins
Unknown
Strength
Unknownc. 4,000
Casualties and losses
4 killed, 34 wounded [1] c. 100 [2] –200 killed [1]

The Second Battle of Charasiab was fought on 25 April 1880 between the British Empire and Afghan tribesmen, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

Contents

Charasiab is a small town 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of Kabul. In April 1880 a 1,200 strong force under Colonel Jenkins, including a half-battalion of the 92nd Highlanders, was sent from Kabul to Charasiab, to protect a supply column sent there to meet Lieutenant-General Stewart's division travelling from Kandahar to Kabul. [3] [1]

On the evening of the 24 April, Jenkins saw that his Charasiab position was about to be attacked by a large force of Logar tribesmen. In response, an additional force under Brigadier-General Macpherson was sent from Kabul, consisting of six guns, a troop of the 3rd Punjab Cavalry and 962 Infantry, while Brigadier-General Hugh Gough, with four guns and a cavalry brigade, took up a position half-way between Kabul and Charasiab. [1]

On the morning of the 25 April, Colonel Jenkins' force was surrounded by attacking tribesmen – around 4,000 by British estimates – kept at bay by steady fire. At 1:00 p.m. Macpherson’s force arrived and immediately attacked the Afghans who were routed, and then pursued by the cavalry and horse artillery for four miles. The battle was over by 4:00 p.m. [1] [2]

Order of battle

Units present included:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Roberts, Sir Frederick (1897). Forty-one Years in India. London: Macmillan & Co. pp. 463–464.
  2. 1 2 Hanwell, W. (1949), A Short History of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, 1715–1949, Gale & Polden
  3. Shadbolt, Sydney H. (1882). The Afghan Campaigns of 1878-1880. London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington. p. 238. (Accessed 10 October 2020)
  4. Shadbolt, Sydney H. (1882). The Afghan Campaigns of 1878-1880. London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington. p. 153. (Accessed 10 October 2020)