, for regular
siege, should have been taken by British science and British valour in
less than two hours from the time the attack was made, and the whole,
including the governor and garrison, should fall into our hands.
My dispatch of the 20th instant, from Nanee, will have made known to
your Lordship that the camps of his Majesty Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk, and
of Major-General Willshire, with the Bombay troops, had there joined me
in accordance with my desire, and the following morning we made our
march of twelve miles to Ghuzni, the line of march being over a fine
plain. The troops were disposed in a manner that would have enabled me
at any moment, had we been attacked, as was probable, from the large
bodies of troops moving on each side of us, to have placed them in
position to receive the enemy. They did not, however, appear; but on our
coming within range of the guns of the citadel and fortress of Ghuzni, a
sharp cannonade was opened on our leading column, together with a heavy
fire of musketry from behind garden walls, and temporary field-works
thrown up, as well as the strong outwork I have already alluded to,
which commanded the bed of the river from all but the outwork.
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