23 October 1842 Lodianah HG 4 Cover

23 October 1842

LOODIANA/Bearing & BOXED “L.P.O.” - 1st AFGHAN WAR CAMPAIGN COVER EX “FUTTEABAD” (AFGHANISTAN); Very fine 23 Oct. 1842 EL (folds to show internal heading beside address-panel) to Calcutta (red 11 Nov. d.s.) from “Futteabad, two marches Cabool side of Jullalabad” from an Officer with the returning forces en route from Cabool to the Khyber Pass with a very fine brown boxed “LOODIANA/Bearing [14as]” (HG4) nicely placed on the top flap beside a matching mainly very fine boxed “L.P.O.” (HG9; closed seal tear; used on Military mail handed over to the Civil P.O.) alongside. Fascinating Campaign contents inc.; “We are at last getting out of Affghanistan...such as road as this from Cabool to where we now are I never travelled...our cattle starved...out of 6 camels which cost me 900Rs...when we left Cabool, I have two dead. 3 able to crawl...& 1 carrying his load...Our rear guard has...had 5 or 6 Officers wounded & some 150 men killed & wounded in the 8 marches to Gundamuck...3 days in Khyber [Pass] will I hope end our toil...our 25 days’ stay at Cabool was a disgrace to British Arms...the Lady Prisoners truly said in a quiet way that they thought Genl. P[ollock]. was going on much in the same was as Genl. E[lphinstone]. had gone the former year...Nott brought away the famed Hindoo Gates from Guznee & they are thus far all safe...”, and much more. Important Afghan War Campaign letter. PHOTO - see inside front cover.

Michael Manning