ARBUTHNOT MEMOIR. 
365 
mountain war ”, to quote a phrase used by Brigadier-General Arbuth- 
not’s Brigade Major, the present Colonel James Cook, C.B., I.S.C. 
These were just the qualities General Arbuthnot could bring to bear, 
and he was (as Colonel Cook says) “ at his best under fire . . . 
He was a man of matured plans and cool under difficulties. He shar¬ 
ed all hardships and risks with the rest,” and thus inspired general 
confidence. But his staff officer observed (as did everyone) that 
proneness to expose himself to danger which the little Rugby boy had 
shown at football and the Captain of Artillery in the trenches before 
Sebastopol. During a retirement, for instance, a flanking party on a 
height got hotly engaged and an officer was shot. The Brigadier- 
General was not satisfied until he scaled the height to the very sum¬ 
mit, under a brisk fire, in order “ to see for himself ” how matters were 
going. Again, in the expedition to punish the Lughmanis, the rapid 
and dangerous river Kabul had to be crossed on inflated bullock- 
hides—a work that took a whole day in the full heat of the Afghan 
June. When the object of the expedition was accomplished and the 
troops began to recross the river on the rafts, the Lughmanis opened 
fire upon them. What happened may be told in the words of a War 
correspondent, Mr. Shadbolt, Barrister-at-Law (“Afghan Campaigns”, 
historical division, 89-90) : —all the troops had been got across “with 
the exception of sixty or seventy men and the picquets were with¬ 
drawn. Just as they were about to embark, however, the position 
they had hitherto held was suddenly occupied by the Lughmanis, 
who opened a heavy fire upon them. During the next half hour the 
situation of the detached party was a critical one; but General 
Arbuthnot eventually succeeded, by the exercise of admirable cool¬ 
ness and fertility of resource, in getting them across without mishap, 
the Brigadier himself being the last to quit the shore.” Shortly after¬ 
wards General Arbuthnot was ordered to England (as D.A.G., R.A.), 
and Lieut.-General R. O. Bright very naturally regretted the loss of 
his “ most valuable assistance ” (Despatch to Chief of Staff, Safed 
Sung, 23 June, 1880). “ He has been most active in the performance 
of his duties, and, never sparing himself, has gained the confidence 
of all who served under him in a remarkable degree. He is possess¬ 
ed of an excellent judgment, cool and collected in action, and has al¬ 
together fully maintained the reputation he has always held of being 
a most excellent officer.” General Sir R. Bright’s words about Briga¬ 
dier Arbuthnot’s services in Afghanistan in 1880, resemble strangely 
the words of General Sir Collingwood Dickson about Captain Arbuth¬ 
not’s conduct in the Crimea: —“ his bravery and coolness on all oc¬ 
casions were most conspicuous and much admired by me and all who 
witnessed the manner in which he performed his duties as an Artillery 
officer.” 
For his services in Afghanistan General Arbuthnot received the 
medal and K.C.B., and was mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette , 
4th May, 1880. 
He was Deputy Adjutant General, Royal Artillery from 1880 to 
1883 ; Inspector General, Royal Artillery from 1883 1° 1885 ; 
President, Ordnance Committee, May, 1885 to January, 1886; Com- 
