Kabul was occupied by a mixed British and Indian force on 7 August 1839. To put it simply, the primary cause for all Anglo-Afghan conflicts in the nineteenth century stemmed from Britain's fear of Russia gaining control of the mountain passes through Afghanistan, and thereby securing the invasion route to the riches of British-held India.
Kabul was, and still is, a key strategic city. If one wishes to invade India, from any direction, one must pass through Kabul. That's why the British occupied it in 1839.
The First Anglo-Afghan War
The British deposed the Afghan ruler, Dost Mohammad, and replaced him with the puppet Shah Shujah, whose rule was anything but popular. The resentment of an occupied populace, the culture clash as people from different societies mingled under enforced circumstances, and the liaisons of British soldiers with local women did much to inflame the Afghans.
The British managed to buy a flimsy sort of peace by sending tribute to chieftains in outlying districts, but eventually, the restiveness of the locals, guerilla activity in the hills, the raiding of supply columns and the corrupt and harsh rule of Shah Shuja all conspired to send the local pupulation into revolt. The British soldiers lived in a state of perpetual siege, and poor leadership lowered their morale even further.
Dost Mohammad had gone into exile in India, but his son, Akbar Khan, chose this moment to present himself as a new leader. The British turned to him in an attempt to resolve the crisis. Akbar Khan invited the British leaders to a meeting where several were murdered and the rest imprisoned. Khan then suggested to the British that he would allow them to withdraw, and the column would be under his protection. In return, the British had to hand over their treasury, 130 hostages and most of their artillery.
The Retreat from Kabul
The retreat to friendly territory in Jallalabad began on January 6, 1842. It was midwinter and bitterly cold, and most of the column - 690 British soldiers, 2,840 Indian soldiers and roughly 12,000 camp-followers - had little warm clothing, tents or supplies. Akbar's promises of protection proved to be false, for the column came under attack almost as soon as it left the cantonment.
On the first night, 1,200 people froze to death. Baggage camels died in their hundreds. And the attacks never ceased. From the moment the column entered the Khyber pass, tribesmen sniped at it from the heights above, indiscriminately killing men, women and children. Akbar kept urging the column to halt, declaring he could not protect it if it were moving, and this made matters even worse. Throughout all, the redcoats resisted bravely, but by 11th January about 12,000 people had died from wounds, exposure and fatigue. Three thousand alone had died as the army traversed the Khurd-Kabul pass. And most of the retreat was conducted through up to two feet of snow.
The aged, inefficient British commander, General Elphinstone, together with his aide Brigadier Shelton, were taken hostage with their families, thus leaving the column to straggle on without leadership. Given that the two were pathetically indecisive, this may not have been such a bad thing.
The Final Stand at Gandamak
The conclusion to the retreat took place at Gandamak on 13th January, when 20 officers and 45 British soldiers of the 44th Foot were surrounded on a hillock and wiped out. Legend has it that, when asked to surrender, a non-commissioned officer derisively shouted 'Not bloody likely!'
Gandamak was a mere 30 miles from the safety of Jallalabad. On the afternoon of the 13th, Doctor William Brydon rode up to Jallalabad, barely conscious from fatigue and the sabre-wounds on his face and arms. He was the sole escaping survivor of the column, and of the 16,000-odd people who took part in the retreat, only 100 were taken prisoner.
Sources:
BritishBattles.com
Online National Army Museum - Afghan Wars
