THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION, 
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shrapnel shells, and found them of the greatest service during my campaign 
in Afghanistan, more especially in the valley, and at the battle of Medanse, 
when they enabled me to keep the enemy at bay for three days. 
Lieut. Greenwood, 31st Begiment, thus describes his sensations on being 
fired over, as our people had previously been at St Sebastian. “ General 
Pollock forced the Kyber Pass. The Kybarees had fought well * * 
hundreds of Kybarees had been mowed down by the shrapnel shot from the 
artillery, and altogether they had sustained a serious defeat.” Again, at the 
battle of Tezeen. “ The height on which we were, was commanded by other 
hills which were from our position perfectly inaccessible, and from which the 
Afghans, in number about ten thousand, kept up a most incessant and 
galling cross fire. At a particular part of the pass where an opening occurred 
for the use of the artillery, we were ordered by signal from below to lie 
down, which being obeyed, the howitzers began to throw shrapnel shells 
over us among the Afghans who lined the heights which towered above 
those we occupied. 
“ The situation was to us about the most unpleasant in which we could 
be placed. The shells kept whistling past about three or four feet above us, 
and had one by accident burst before it was intended to do so, no small harm 
would have been played among us by our friends. The shells, however, were 
admirably directed, and they soon had the desired effect among the enemy. 
After the lapse of about a quarter of an hour he (the General) returned and 
the force was ordered to advance. The horse artillery guns were now opened 
on the hills to the left, whilst Major Apthorpe, with the light battalion, was 
instructed to storm the hills to the right. Leslie's battery played with good 
effect, throwing its shrapnel among the enemy; but the infantry column was 
disastrously beaten back,” &c. 
Prom Brigadier Monteith, C.B., to Captain Ponsonby, A.A.G.:—Camp 
Mayeena, July 27, 1842, “ At this moment the guns having been brought 
into position by Captain Abbott, opened a fire of shrapnels upon them, which 
did considerable execution, and so disconcerted them, that parties left the 
field altogether, and never returned.” 
The advance into the Kyber Pass, and the evacuation of the fort of Ali 
Musjid,— 
Prom Major-General Pollock to the Secretary to the Government of 
India :—Ali Musjid, 6th April, 1842, “ While the flanking columns were 
in progress on the heights, I ordered Captain Alexander, in command of the 
artillery, to place the guns in position and to throw shrapnel among the 
enemy when opportunity offered, which assisted much in their discomfiture.” 
Goojerat, Peb. 21, 1849. An artillery battle. 
“ Peb. 25. The banks of the Jhelum. I must write you an account of 
this the second action I have been in, the battle of Goojerat. * * * 
The day was the clearest and brightest I ever remember to have seen, and 
we had a level plain of about twelve miles square with scarcely a mole hill 
to be seen. * * * Think what a splended sight it was to see a line of 
upwards of five miles long advancing across this plain. As soon as we got 
within half a mile of them they commenced throwing their round shot at us. 
