The Siege of Chitral

The Attack


Major Robertson tells the story of the attack

"Finally, the parapets and towers were stealthily manned, and Harley's party collected in the passage leading to the garden exit, silent and crowded together, with their bayonets dimly gleaming, for there was to be no firing till the post was carried nothing but white steel. All hearts stopped beating for an instant. Everyone knew, and at that moment felt more than ever, the awful significance of that incessant pick, pick, picking, at the foot of the Gun-tower, and approaching nearer and nearer; each stroke with suggestions of overwhelming catastrophe. It made one feel sick to reflect how everything depended upon the summer house being merely occupied by riflemen, and not being i invincible by reason of its defences.

"At four O'clock the gates were swung open, and Harley ran out, closely followed by his men. As they could only pass through two or three at a time, Harley took advantage of a built-up garden lounging place, a few yards away, to get about a dozen men together, when they made a collective tiger-spring for the summer-house, closely followed by the rest of the soldiers. The enemy, though completely surprised, had still that resourceful steadiness which comes from constant fighting. It enabled them to fire a volley into the faces of our men, killing two, and severely wounding a third, of those charging with Harley.

The collapsed mineshaft below the gun-tower Showing just how close the Chitralis had dug (note construction of fort walling)

One of them was a Gurkha, who had managed to squeeze himself into the front rank reserved for the sikhs. But all the devoted little band were burning with fight, and responded to their leader as valiantly as he led them. There were no barricades - merely a wall of piled-up bundles of compressed green twigs to stop bullets. Short, sharp bayonet work soon cleared the building, and the enemy, except those imprisoned inside the mine, fled to the protection of the end comer of the garden wall, and at once began to pile out faggot bundles and construct a temporary sangar of fascines with all the method and rapidity of perfectly trained soldiers.

How to Build a Sangar

"Our success had been paid for. Already from the parapet, over the sallying gate, melancholy uniformed figures could be seen dotted about amongst the trees in the massive limpness of death * Upon the copper bugle, at the back of a dead Gurkha, the sunlight flickered prettily.

"Like a thunder cloud bursting over the foil was the violent outbreak of musketry, and from all side fighting men were seen running up, bent double, to reinforce the sangars. In the firm belief that this was the despairing effort of famine stricken wretches to cut their way out, the exulting enemy pressed forward to the fight.

"Within the wall, the pent-up feelings of our men found vent in violent emotion, furious shooting, and deafening uproar. On every hand were flushed faces, glaring eyes, and features distorted with excitement. All shouted, and none listened. Rab Nawaz Khan wild gestures and a maniac laugh. Near him a Rag-hunath soldier, his head whirling, was deliberately levelling his rifle at the summer house. I took him by the shoulders and twisted him in the river direction, where he kept on firing automatically. The sikhs in hospital came crawling out, seized rifles, and crept on to the parapets. Several of them had lost half their feet from frost- bite, and were obliged to hobble side ways or even swarm up the notched poles which did duty for ladders. All alike were full of battle madness, and shouting with joy at the prospect of a fight in the broad day, and to support their "brothers" outside. It was long before there was a semblance of order.

"In the midst of all this noise and turmoil, when everyone was literally standing on tiptoe, sweating with agitation, I understood a common remark of Harley's that Gurdon, in critical times, was even irritatingly cool. In the present instance he had experienced some trouble with the Sepoys on the westwall. Those men had not participated in the general thirst for a fight, and were dispirited still be their defeat prior to our investment. So much so, indeed, that Gurdon and their officers found a difficulty at first in keeping them on the parapets, but that once accomplished, Gurdon came to ask, "Is there anything you want me to do, sir? with a quiet, kindly smile, astonishing to behold in such a scene. No wonder he succeeded in bringing his small detachment, the relies ofpoor Baird s party, safely through the very midst of Sher Ajzul's men on the 3rd March.

"The enemy, at the end of the garden and behind the wall on its river side, kept up a remarkably well sustained fire through their loopholes upon our waterway, stables, defences and the garden face of the fort, which gave some people the strange impression that they intended to charge the solid walls in full light of the sun. The open door had a natural attraction for the Pathan riflemen, and bullets streamed through. Small harm was done, however, as the guard formed a respectful lane for the missiles. Only one man was hit there. Wounded men soon began to stagger back, or were carried to hospital, were Whitchurch was busily plying his merciful work.

One poor water-carrier came in with his jaw broken by a bullet. The wound was dressed and his face bound up. Regardless of the injury, and its accompanying "shock", he humped his great skin bag on to his loins, and was starting out again when I stopped him. He protested, and, finding me obdurate, sat down and wailed that his poor Sikhs were dying for the water he might not carry them.

The KIMN of DIR and followers who captured Sher-Aftul The Khan rentained loyal to the British during the uprising.

'All this time, Harley, in the captured summerhouse, was galled by the tremendous fire of the enemy, and, his men at first began to reply to it independently. He stopped that with his whistle, and then got in a volley or two, which had effect. While firing independently, no single Pathan had been hit. Next, he began to look aboutfor the shaft of the mine, whbich wasfound immediately outside a wall of fascines, which had been broken down during the first headlong charge. Its mouth was also covered over with fascines - curiously enough. They probably hadfallen into it during the surge of the melee. After clearing them away, volunteers were calledfor, and, as the Gurkha "kookii" (hacking knife) would be more useful than bayoneted tifles in the shaft, Harley asked the senior Kashmir officer for men; but none responded except one Dogras soldier, who threw down his rifle, dragged forth his "kookri", and jumped down his into the pit.

The Sikhs pressed forward with a single impulse, but only six could be selected, and of them no more than two could descend into the shaft at the same time. The remainder stood at the top, exposed to a heavy fire, and pulled out the Chitralis as they appeared, for the instant a man showed at the orifice of the mine, flaming forth sword in hand or unarmed, he was bayoneted, and hoisted out of the way.

"Harley now brought up his powder-base and, having cleared the shaft of soldiers, descended into it with one companion. They did not know if there were any more workers in the tunnel. Suddenly a swordsman showed himself. With a flash, the Sikh with Harley grabbed at the sword with one hand, while he drove home his bayonet with the other. Several more continued to come out, some armed and some not, but all were slain at the top of the shaft, except two, that Harley somehow managed to save. In the noise, the reek and the fury, sudden death alone would have restrained the blood lust of the furious Sikhs. The doomed mine-workers, if they emerged, must come singly, to meet their fate at the top of the shallow shaft, while they remain tied inside they must be blown to pieces.

About twenty had passed forth, when Harley, thinking the tunnel clear, placed his explosives a few feet inside its mouth and began to tamp them. Then a couple more Chitralis tried to struggle into the open. By their confused trampling, the long gun powder hose got torn into pieces. Harley was almost in despair, for the men carrying the picks had cast them aside into the long grass, in order to use their rifles, and the length of tubing still intact, some twenty feet of it, which he started to find. As he was about to jump down again with it into the shaft, a violent explosion occurred, knocking him down and burning the turbans of the Sepoys.

'A minute previous I had run to the machicoulis gallery in the Guntower to watch events. Thence I saw an enormous puff of smoke rise abruptly, like a beautiful white balloon, and Harley's men race back in two patties, their leader, last of all bring with him one of the prisoners. An extraordinary rifle fire blazed about them as they dashed across the twenty yards of open space, but no one was touched; the garden gate was banged to and quickly re-barricaded.

"One glace showed me the never to be forgotten horror of the summer-house shambles, then I ran down to congratulate Harley and praise his men.

"The Sikhs, still raging with excitement ' crowded forward to recite the numbers they had killed, and to exhibit their stained bayonets and splashed faces. Their eyes sparkled with measureless pride; they had the ecstatic look of religious fanatics. But Harley, with whom was Townshend, looked downcast and annoyed. They had indeed come to report to me that the powder bags had prematurely exploded, and that, with exception of about three yards of its roof, the mine remained intact. While I live, shall I remember the bitter, the cold dismay this news caused me. But no time was to be lost; a second sortie was out the question, for the enemy were already thronging the summer house, and could not again be surprised.

I ran to the spots which, in view of all possibilities, Wafadar and Sifat had indicated as the best starting points for counter-mines, and we at once set to work digging. In the presence of Townshend and Gurdon, hastily summoned for the purpose, Sifat was promised a large sum of money if our mines penetrated be nd the walls in time to YO intercept that of the Pathans. with almost frenzied enemy we were labouring, when Gurdon came down from the tower to observe, in a thoughtful tone, that the enemy seemed to have made a trench which reached nearly to our wall. Further examination of this last development proved that it was the mine, collapsed from end to end. We were reprieved Harley's gunpowder had done its work after all. The frail roof of the tunnel, unsupported by beams -the mine was, in fact, a mere burrow - had slowly sunk down in great masses, leaving earth bridges here and there. Back swung the pendulum handily. Now the stars in their courses were fighting for us, and our ultimate success was certain. With the conviction of a zealot I declared to everyone that our troubles were over, for my seemingly lost luck had returned.

Nevertheless, Townshend agreed with me that our countermines should not be stopped, so that if the Pathans attempted afresh mine, they would find it anticipated.

"The Chitralis pride themselves on knowing nothing about such methods of attack, which they look upon as a Pathan speciality. Consequently, the Summer-house post and the loopholed garden walls had been handed over to Umra Khan's warriors, and completely they had failed in their trust. They under estimated out spirit of enterprise, and let themselves by surprised. By asserting complete absence of personal responsibility, the Chitralis still find consolation for Harley's brilliant success, which not only saved us at the time, but made it impossible for Sher-Afzul to induce his followers to directly assault the fort.

"One strange incident occurred during the thickest of the excitement. Some of our Chitralis began to weep for the fate of their fellow- countrymen inside the tunnel, and truly declared, as we found afterwards, that the diggers were not Pathans, who merely acted as guards, but farmers from down the river, living upon the estate of one of the headmen with me. How they knew this fact can only be suspected, but our disconsolate allies formed a strong contrast to us in our over- brimming joyfulness.

"Our two prisoners were subjected to an exhaustive examination. The had plenty to tell, but hardly anything worth recording. The mildest of their beliefs was that the Amir of Kabul was backing Sher-Aftul, and was already at Peshawer preparatory to an invasion of India! According to them, a great attack was planned for the previous day, when an attempt was to be made to fire the Watertower, but it was deferred because the Pathans were confident that they could demolish the Gun-tower by their mine.

"Some vague statements were also made about pent houses already constructed and in the bazaar ready for use, under cover of which many fires were to be kindled asainst the walls simultaneously. We resolved that if such classic methods were employed, they must be met by modem bayonet charges.

"Last of all was the bill for the day's proceedings; the reckoning when we laugh no more. Out of Harley's brace hundred there were twenty-one casualties - large but not unreasonable proportion, considering the nature of the work. the Chitralis lost between forty and fifty killed outright, some five and thirty of whom were bayoneted in and about the shaft of the mine. Such as the rage of the Sepoys - sikhs, Gurkhas, and Dogras alike that they could not be restrained form slaughtering even unarmed men.

Amidst frantic yells of "kill, kill", the poor wretches sank, one by one, in the tempestuous sea of hate. An hour later they would have been treated kindly, even tenderly; but at the climax of fury, when our men were intoxicated with their own and one another's excitement - the most catching of all mob influences - they could spare no once. It is astonishing that Harley contrived to save the two men, for, in a swaying throng of overwrought Eastern soldiers, bayonet thrusts can not be identified. There is no doubt that this fierce ruthlessness startled the Sher-Aftul ties from the conviction that our troops were broken in spirit what in India is expressively called 'soft"'.

Quiet night except for 2 loud cheers heard and enemy carrying away there dead.

18th April

Morale within fort raised greatly, due to success of Sortie. Sepoys elated and the Sikhs coolly content. Quite day. During night a man brought word that the besiegers had fled. Sher-Afzul and the 2 khans had lifted the siege, due to the continued advance of the relief force. A full scale assault on the fort had been planned, but due to the losses from Harley's sortie, it was abandoned. Chitralis within fort now became surprisingly loyal all of a sudden.

19th April

Gurdon with a 100 men now marched out for a reconnaissance. Confirmation that enemy had withdrawn. Fresh supplies brought into fort. Further confirmation from locals about relief force close at hand and actual message from the relief column, arrived stating that they would be here on the 20th.

20th April

At 2am. the relief force arrived.

Major Robertson - "I felt by anticipation what it must be to attain a great age and feel a listlessness about all things. They declare, that we 5 standing still in front of the ruined outwork, were white faced and strangely quite. Perhaps nothing short Of a Pathan battle-cry and the sharp clatter of rifle fire could of really roused us;for the long-sustained stimulus of danger and responsibility was gone; and only tiredness and tiredness of brain and eyes and body, remained."

The total losses for the Garrison were: 41 killed, 62 wounded, Total 103, (of which 5 killed and 4 wounded were servants.) Pathan/Chitral losses - approx. 75 killed, with 30 wounded, Total 105.

More Chirtral: The Siege

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