hindustani fanatics, india's pashtuns, and deobandism – connections

Hindustani Fanatics, India’s Pashtuns, and Deobandism – ConnectionsOn the following day the force continuing the advance debouched into the open plain, and advanced across the valley to the pass entering intoBuner, where the enemy had taken up a strong position.The village of Ambela was fired en route, and the troops then advanced against the enemy’s position. The brunt of the fighting fell on the 23 rdand 32 nd Pioneers, upon whom as they advanced the enemy made a furious onset, sword in hand. These regiments staggered for the moment by thesuddenness of the onslaught, turned quickly on their assailants and destroyed the whole of them, not allowing one to escape. Upwards of 200 of theirbodies were left upon the field, forty of whom were Hindustanis. Among the casualties on our side, in these two regiments, one officer was killed andfour wounded. Flushed with success, the Pioneer regiments pushed forward into the pass, driving the enemy before them. But the day being far spent,the withdrawal of the troops was ordered, and this was effected without any molestation whatever on the part of the enemy, and the force bivouackedfor the night in the neighborhood of the village of Ambela. During the night the enemy were all in rapid flight towards their homes, and the followingmorning the Buner jirga came in to camp and not even talking of terms, asked for orders.They were accordingly required to send a party to completely destroy the Hindustani settlement of Malka, and to see this work properly carriedout some British officers were to accompany the party. This was agreed to, and late on the afternoon of the 21 st December the Buner jirga with theBritish officers arrived at Malka, where they took up their quarters for the night.Malka was situated on an elevated plateau, on a northern spur of the Mahaban range. It was a larger and more substantial place than anyknown in those hills, containing several large edifices, among which the Maulvi’s hall of audience, barracks for the soldiers, stabling, and a powdermanufactory, formed conspicuous objects. There were no regular fortifications, but the outer walls of the houses were connected, and formed acontinuous line of defense with posterns. There was also a tower at the gateway.The place was found deserted, and on the morning of the 22 nd December the whole settlement was entirely destroyed and the party returned tothe camp in the Ambela pass, which was reached on the 23 rd , the whole force returning to British territory.The total loss on our side during the above operations had been 908 killed and wounded, including 15 British officers killed and 21 wounded.The loss of the enemy was estimated at 3,000 killed and wounded.It now only remained to destroy the fort which the Hindustanis had built at Mandi near Sittana, where they had returned in the previous July,and to effect this a brigade was moved to Khabal, and the jirgas of the Utmanzais and Gaduns were required to destroy the place. Mandi had beenrecently much improved and contained some substantial houses. On the 4 th January 1864, the whole was destroyed and burnt by the jirgas, and thewalled enclosure, denominated a fort, was leveled. Sittana was found still a ruin as it had been left by Sir Sydney Cotton in 1858. On the 5 th the troopsreturned to British territory, where the Gaduns and Utmanzais, having executed fresh agreements not to permit the return of the Hindustanis to anypart of their country, and the Mada Khel and Amazai having signed similar agreements, the force was broken up.Tribal Analysis Center, 6610-M Mooretown Road, Box 159. Williamsburg, VA, 23188