AGAINST THE CABUL KHAIL WUZEREES, 1859, AND THE MAHSOOD WUZEREES, 1860.

During the year 1859 the Cabul Khail Wuzerees began to grow troublesome, they made plundering incursions over our border, and in one of them murdered Captain Mecham. It being determined to send a force into their country, Brigadier-General Chamberlain marched from Kohat with nearly 4000 native troops of all ranks, in December, and found the enemy posted in a range of hills near the Kurum river. Here they had removed their families, flocks, and stores of grain, and had strongly fortified their position with breastworks. On December 22nd. the attack was made in two columns, and after two hours hard fighting the Wuzerees were driven from ridge to ridge, leaving their tents, and as much of their cattle as they could not remove, in the possession of the assailants. A few days afterwards their chiefs submitted, and agreed to terms for peace. Three months had scarcely passed, when the Mahsood Wuzerees, a far more powerful tribe, who had made forays on British villages for years, poured down from their hills upon the lands of the Nawaub of Tonk, which were under British protection, and plundered and burnt in their customary manner. On hearing of this act of aggression the Indian Government resolved to teach these freebooters a lesson once for all. Brigadier-General Chamberlain took the field at the head of about 5000 Native troops, with Lieut.-Colonel Lumsden as second in command; and on April 17th., 1860, entered the hills, carrying sixteen days’ provisions. After traversing a difficult and unknown country, the Brigadier encamped at Paloseen, and hearing that the enemy was in force near, marched in search of them, leaving Colonel Lumsden with about 1300 men in charge of the camp and baggage. The Mahsoods saw their opportunity. On the night of April 22nd., 3000 of them silently gathered in a depression to the rear of the British, and early on the following morning drove in the pickets and furiously assailed the camp. Luckily Colonel Lumsden was on his guard. Two chieftains of the enemy fell by his hand, and his men, cheered by their leader’s example, checked the rush of the Wuzerees, and in ten minutes utterly routed them with heavy loss. General Chamberlain, finding his information false, returned to Paloseen, and a few days later forced the Burara Pass, after some severe fighting. He next assaulted and captured the town of Kaneegoum, situated about 7,000 feet above the sea level, with trifling loss. On May 11th. he captured Mukeem, the principal town of the Mahsoods, who suffered heavily. The place was burnt, the towers blown up, and the troops returned to Bunnoo; having defeated a tribe which had never before been worsted, and penetrated a hostile region previously almost unknown. The expedition was a complete success, and added much to the prestige of the British in the eyes of the neighbouring clans. For their distinguished bravery in this campaign six native soldiers were decorated with the Order of Merit. The operations in the Eusufyze country, in the latter part of the year 1863, formed part of what is known as—

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