Tremendous Tragedy

[From tbo Cincmnati Commercial.] Botli tbo Englinh and Afghans havo gooil ii usoiiH for rcnicmtering eaeh other. In 1837 the conduct of Rawia. iu connection with the Persian siege of Herut excited an nneasy feeling in the minds of the Indian English Government, and Barnes was sent by the Governor General as resident to the Ameer"s Court at Cabnl. Dost Mohammed and the English disagreed upon torms, and the English determined to nttempt to re-establish Shah Shuja, who had long been s retugeo in British territory. TheKingof the Punjaubpledgedhis j operation, but afterward rofused the English permission to cross his territory. The Anny of the Indus numbered 21,000. They assembled at Upper Sind in Murcli, W'8, aud advanced under tho coinmand of Sir John Keane. j They met witñ little opposition, but ' suffered great iiardships. The Kalm of Kaudahar Heil to Persia, and in April, 1839, tho iity was occupied, and Shah I Shuja anii his Englisli allios continned their victoiions march, and iinally, Dost Moharcmed and his army being completel vanquished, they entend the capital. Tho war was thought to he at an end. Sir John Keane, who was made a peer, retuxned to India with a largo part of his force, leuving behind, besides the Shah's foree, 8,000 men. Sir W. Macnanghtcn remained as envoy, and Sir A. Bunios as his colleague. Dost Mohammed surrendered in j vember, 1840, and was sent to India. ] Shah Shuja and bis allies rotaiued possession of Cabxü and Kandahar two years. Meantime, insnrrectionsagainst the new Government were frequent, but the authorities, confident of their strength, paid little or no heed to these warniugs. Nov. 2, 1841, a violent revolt kroke out at Cabul, and Sumes and other officers were massaered. The eommander of the British army, Gen. Elphinstone, vas shattered in health, and in poor condition to direct resistance to such a host of maddened men. Besides, the position of the British camp, its connection with the citadel, and the location of the stores, were the worst possible. Disaster followed disaster. After the capture of Dost Mohammed, his son, Akbnr Khan, took the h-ad. With him a conference was arranged for tho 23d of December, at wbich the envoy, Macnaughten, was foully murdered by Akbur's own hand, and with a ball from a pistol wbich Machaughten had presented him with only the day bef ore. The naked and rnutilatod body of the envoy was dragged through the bazar, and for days exposed to the view of the rabblej As the same tune Macnanghten was killed, tho chiefs with Akbar made n attaek upon tho staff of tiie envoy and nearly all of them wert; cut down. The scuflie was seen from tho English camp, and when those who esoaped reiwited the murder Elphinstone was soïoitd to attaek at once and destroy the city. He only seenred a small qnantity of grain, and this after hard fightinj. In a Hhorttime, however, Elphinstone, whoso force had been much reduced by the depártate of several regiments to secure cornnunication with the Khyber, saw that sonething must be done. Snow had begon t) fall and food was scaree. Pires and tthting occurred every night and during Le day. Instcad of i'ighting like a soldiff, he oponed negotiations with Akbar. The terms finally agreed upon were nost disgraceful. Önly the ill-health ofElphinstone can accountfor such evidiit imbecility. Tho army, nfter handig over its treasure, was to bo permittö to reÉreat uuniolested on I oondition if nevEr returning, and of j forwaxdinga certain sum of money from India. Tilt army was never given an opportunitr to loturn. For the fulfillment of tlu torms, the women and i dren were mnded over to Akbar. Tho I retreat bejau. How many there wirc is not knorn. Probably between 50.000 and 75,000 most of them camp followers. Thej had hardly left tho camp when lires shots and cries of anguish showed hövthe promises of the Afghans were to blkept. From every rock and bush bullís were fired into the retreating hostslnd the panic-strioken followers contimally impeded their progress. A rush we made for tho Khyber pass, ! which imagined a harbor of safety. When thy arrived they fonnd it occupied by mmbers too great to overeóme. To the housands of bloodthirsty Afgbans wb followed them wero added thousand eqnally savage. Still an advance wa ordered, until ouly one lant reghent was left. Of this one but 850 had one that far, and there, tho next spnig, when the avenging army passed vor the ground, wore found their whiened skeletons, lying close together. Dnly one monnted offieer escaped, aid even this is thought to have j been purposely permitted, that no doubt ' of Akbai's vengeanco might be entertained. When Akbar heard of the approach of the avenging armies he started off with the hostago women aud childreu, Liuly Macuaughten among them. Ehey i were rescued from an awful fato i by the rapid advance of the Euglish cavaliy. The Eiiglish have not f orgotten these thingii and will take pleasure no doubt ; in furüer vengeance.