ALI MUSJID, November 21st., 1878.

Ali Musjid is a strong fort on a steep detached hill, about six miles from the frontier, commanding the deep gorge of the Khyber Pass, and flanked by batteries on the hill sides. The fort was armed with fifteen guns, and the spurs of the hills were occupied by the enemy, their right resting on a ridge covered with a line of breastworks, forming a position of great strength. General Browne’s force was divided into four brigades. The first, under General Macpherson, consisting of the 4th. Battalion Rifle Brigade, the 20th. Bengal Infantry, and the 4th. Ghoorkas, with a mountain battery, was directed to make a long detour, and occupy the Pass a mile or two beyond the fort. The second brigade under Col. Tytler, composed of the 1st. Battalion 17th. Foot, the 1st. Sikhs, the Guides, and a mountain battery, was ordered to take a hill opposite the fort, on which were some batteries, and to turn the enemy’s position; and the third and fourth brigades, under General Appleyard, C.B., comprising the 51st. and 81st. regiments, the 14th. and 45th. Sikhs, and the 6th. and 24th. Native Infantry, with a mountain battery, and a battery of Horse Artillery were to march up the valley. As the troops advanced the fort opened fire on them, and the fire being returned by a battery of forty-pounders, the effect on the fortification was soon visible. The 81st. and the 14th. Sikhs threw out lines of skirmishers to clear the advanced defences of the Afghans; a battery of nine-pounders was got into position, and the forty-pounders poured a destructive fire into Ali Musjid, and soon reduced its guns to silence. A general advance was ordered, the 51st. and the Sikhs threatened the enemy’s left, and both sides of the steep hill slopes were covered with infantry in skirmishing order, keeping up a heavy musketry fire on the Afghan defences. The skirmishers pushed forward till they came nearly abreast of the fort, and some gallant but unsuccessful attacks were made upon the enemy’s entrenchments, but it was evident that the fort and batteries could not be carried by a direct attack but with immense loss, and as night was coming on, a halt was ordered. Nothing was yet known how Macpherson and Tytler had succeeded in their part of the operations; both brigades had met with enormous obstacles on their march, and the first failed to reach the point assigned to it in the plan of the attack; but these movements, and the arrival of Tytler’s brigade in the night at its destined position, struck the Afghans with terror. The defenders of Ali Musjid on hearing that a force was in their rear which would cut off their retreat, abandoned their post with precipitation and fled, leaving their fires burning, and their guns loaded. In their rapid flight towards Jellalabad, they were intercepted by Tytler’s brigade, which captured a large number of prisoners, among them being the Ameer’s Master of the Horse. In the morning Ali Musjid was occupied by the troops without further resistance. Twenty-two guns were taken in the fort, and seven more in a battery on the ridge, with large stores of ammunition, food, and clothing. The Afghans were so cowed by the capture of a fort they believed to be impregnable, that Sir S. Browne pushing rapidly onwards, reached and established himself at Jellalabad, with scarcely a shot being fired. The British loss was Major Birch, Lieut. Fitzgerald and thirty-five men killed. The regiments engaged were the 10th. Hussars, 11th. Bengal Lancers, the 17th., 51st., 81st. Regiment, and Rifle Brigade, the 6th., 14th., 20th., 27th., and 45th. Bengal Infantry; 1st. Sikh Infantry, 4th. Ghoorkas, Bengal Sappers and Miners, and four Batteries of Artillery.

261