BLACK
MOUNTAIN, a mountain range and district on the Hazara border of
the North-West Frontier Province of India. It is inhabited by Yusafzai
Pathans. The Black Mountain itself has a total length of 25 to 50
metres, and an average height of 8,000 feet above the sea. It rises
from the Indus basin near the village of Kiara, up to its watershed
by Bruddur; thence it runs northwest by north to the point on the
crest known as Chittabut. From Chittabut the range runs due north,
finally descending by two large spurs to the Indus again. The tribes
which inhabit the western face of the Black Mountain are the Hassanzais
(2,300 fighting men), the Akazais (1,165 fighting men) and the Chagarzais
(4,890 fighting men), all sub-sections of the Yusafzai Pathans.
It was in this district that the Hindostani Fanatics had their stronghold,
and they were responsible for much of the unrest on this part of
the border.
The Black Mountain is chiefly notable for four British expeditions:
1.
Under Lieut-Colonel F. Mackeson, in 1852-53, against the Hassanzais.
The occasion was the murder of two British customs officers. A force
of 3,800 British, troops traversed their country, destroying their
villages and grain, &c.
2.
Under Major-General A. T. Wilde, in 1868. The occasion was an attack
on a British police post at Oghi in the Agror Valley by all three
tribes. A force of 12,500 British troops entered the country and
the tribes made submission.
3.
The First Hazara Expedition in 1888. The cause was the constant
raids made by the tribes on villages in British territory, culminating
in an attack on a small British detachment, in which two English
officers were killed. A force of 12,500 British troops traversed
the country of the tribes, and severely punished them. Punishment
was also inflicted on the Hindostani Fanatics of Palosi.
4.
The Second Hazara Expedition of 1891. The Black Mountain tribes
fired on a force within British limits. A force of 7,300 British
troops traversed the country. The tribesmen made their submission
and entered into an agreement with government to preserve the peace
of the border.
The
Black Mountain tribes took no part in the general frontier rising
of 1897, and after the disappearance of the Hindostani Fanatics
they sank into comparative unimportance. |
|
TIRAH
CAMPAIGN, an Indian frontier war in 1897-98. The Afridis had for
sixteen years received a subsidy from the Indian government for
the safeguarding of the Khyber Pass, in addition to which the
government had maintained for this purpose a local Regiment entirely
composed of Afridis, who were stationed in the pass. Suddenly,
however, the tribesmen rose, captured all the posts in the Khyber
held by their own countrymen, and attacked the forts on the Samana
Ridge near Peshawar. It was estimated that the Afridis and Orakzais
coud, if united, bring from 40,000 to 50,000 men into the field.
The preparations for the expedition occupied some time, and meanwhile
the Mohmand rising north-west of the Khyber Pass was first dealt
with..
The general commanding was General Sir Wffliam Lockhart (q.v.)
commanding the Punjab Army Corps; he had under him 34,882 men,
British and native, in addition to 20,000 followers. The frontier
post of Kohat was selected as the base of the campaign, and it
was decided to advance along a single line. On the 18th of October
the operations commenced, fighting ensuing immediately. The Dargai
heights, which commanded the line of advance, were captured without
difficulty, but abandoned owing to the want of water. On the 20th
the same positions were gallantly stormed, with a loss of 199
killed and wounded. The progress of the expedition, along a wretched
track through the mountains, was obstinately contested on the
29th of October at the Sampagha Pass leading to the Mastura valley,
and on the 31st at the Arhanga Pass from the Mastura to the Tirah
valley. The force, in detached brigades, now proceeded to traverse
the Tirah district in all directions, and to destroy the walled
and fortified hamlets of the Afridis. The two divisions available
for this duty numbered about 20,000 men. A force about 3200 strong
commanded by Brigadier-General (afterwards Major-General Sir Richard)
Westmacott was first employed to attack Saran Sar, which was easily
carried, but during the retirement the troops were hard pressed
by the enemy and the casualties numbered sixty-four. On the 11th
of November Saran Sar was again attacked by the brigade of Brigadier-General
(afterwards Sir Alfred) Gaselee. Experience enabled better dispositions
to be made, and the casualties were only three. The traversing
of the valley continued, and on the 13th of November Brigadier-General
Kempsters brigade visited the Waran valley via the Tseri Kandao
Pass. Little difficulty was experienced during the advance, and
several villages were destroyed; but on the 16th, during the return
march, the rearguard was hotly engaged all day, and had to be
relieved by fresh troops next morning. The casualties numbered
seventy-two. Almost daily the Afridis, too wise to risk general
engagements, waged a perpetual guerrilla warfare, and the various
bodies of troops engaged in foraging or survey duties were constantly
attacked. On the 21st of November a brigade under Brigadier-General
Westmacott was detached to visit the Rajgul valley. The road was
exceedingly difficult and steady opposition was encountered. The
objects were accomplished, and the casualties during the retirement
alone numbered twenty-three. The last important work undertaken
was the punishment of the Chamkannis, Mamuzais and Massozais.
This was carried out by Brigadier-General Gaselee, who joined
hands with the Kurram movable column ordered up for the purpose.
The Mamuzais and Massozais submitted immediately, but the Chamkannis
offered resistance on the 1st and 2nd of December, the British
casualties numbering about thirty. The Kurram column then returned
to its camp, and Sir W. Lockhart prepared to evacuate Tirah, despatching
his two divisions by separate routesthe 1st under Major-General
W. Penn Symons (d. 1899) to return via the Mastura valley, destroying
the forts on the way, and to join at Bara, within easy march of
Peshawar; the 2nd division under Major-General Yeatman Biggs (d.
1898), and, accompanied by Sir W. Lockhart, to move along the
Bara valley. The base was thus to be transferred from Kohat to
Peshawar. The return march began on the 9th of December. The cold
was intense, 21 degrees of frost being registered before leaving
Tirah. The movement of the 1st division though arduous was practically
unopposed, but the 40 miles to be covered by the 2nd division
were contested almost throughout. The actual march down the Bara
valley (34 miles) commenced on the 10th, and involved four days
of the hardest fighting and marching of the campaign. The road
crossed and recrossed the icy stream, while snow, sleet and rain
fell constantly. On the 10th the casualties numbered about twenty.
On the 11th some fifty or sixty casualties were reccrded among
the troops, but many followers were killed or died of exposure,
and quantities of stores were lost. On the 12th the column halted
for rest. On the 13th the march was resumed in improved weather,
though the cold was still severe. The rearguard was heavily engaged,
and the casualties numbered about sixty. On the I4th, after further
fighting, a junction with the Peshawar column was effected. The
1st division, aided by the Peshawar column, now took possession
of the Khyber forts without opposition. Negotiations for peace
were then begun. with the Afridis, who under the threat of another
expedition into Tirah in the spring at length agreed to pay the
fines and to surrender the rifles demanded. The expeditionary
force was broken up on the 4th of April 1898. A memorable feature
of this campaign was the presence in the fighting line of the
Imperial Service native troops under their own. officers, while
several of the best known of the Indian princes served on Sir
W. Lockharts staff. (C. J. B.)
|