4.02 RELIEF OF CHITRAL FORT AND SIEGE OF CHITRAL. 
mountains on either side into the snows, and occupied, as far as 
we could guess, by some 2,000 men. The nullah above mentioned 
bisected a large, undulating, fan-shaped delta, inclining up from the 
Chitral river to a short rugged nullah into the mountains on our right. 
The cliff over the river was sheer for 200 feet and into the water course 
of the nullah for 250 to 300 feet. 
The only way of crossing the nullah appeared by the road, which had 
been cut away on either side of the nullah, and was blocked on the far 
side by some large sangars occupied by about 1,000 men. On the other 
side of the river, precipices rose which were quite impassable and 
studded with many sangars. 
The column having advanced by right bank of river, debouched into 
the plain and deployed to attack enemy’s left. The guns came into 
action at 500 yards, the first point from which the lower sangar was 
visible. After this was silenced, the guns advanced to within 150 yards 
of the large sangar,a most formidable one. This was necessary owing 
to undulating ground but it had luckily been evacuated. The guns 
came into action at 275 yards on another sangar and fired common shell 
into it, and just before retiring 2 rounds of case. This sangar also 
being silenced, the guns retired, and came into action at 1,050 yards, 
and 850 yards on large sangars on enemy’s right. Levies were sent to 
turn enemy’s left flank high up the nullah, the 32nd Pioneers keeping 
sangar fire down by well directed vollies. Light ladders with ropes were 
let down into the nullah, and men crossed slowly, there being a goat 
track up the far side. When the enemy saw that the levies had turned 
their flank, and sepoys were crossing the nullah, they retired from all 
their sangars and fled towards Chitral. Vollies were fired at them, and 
some rounds of shrapnel. ‘The main body crossed by the road and 
bivouacked about one mile beyond the scene of action. Our losses 
were 6 killed and 16 wounded, of which the guns lost 3 killed and 
3 wounded. The enemy were seen carrying away their dead and 
wounded ; we found some 20 dead, and computed their losses at 50 
killed and 100 wounded; this was more or less confirmed by native 
intelligence. 
The enemy were armed with many Martini and Snider rifles, and 
had lots of ammunition and made wonderfully good shooting. Had not 
the ground been undulating, our losses must have been much greater. 
The wounded were returned to Mastuj, and on 14th the column 
marched to Kila Drasan, a most arduous march. There had been a 
hitch in Commissariat and Transport arrangements beyond Ghizar, the 
people having fled. The roads and bridges were broken in many 
places on the road to Chitral, and we did not arrive till 20th. ‘The 
enemy were not again met with, and evacuated Chitral on night of 
18th to 19th. We arrived just in time, as the Garrison said they did 
not think they could have held out another week. 
Great credit was due to all ranks for the way they performed this most 
arduous march ; carrying the guns was very hard work. There was 
only one case of falling out in the section; this was due to severe 
snow blindness, and altogether there were 30 cases of snow blindness 
and 26 of frost bite. We were all very pleased in Chitral to receive 
