The month of July 1885 seemed to start like any other for the Kohat cantonment. Kohat was the home of the 14th Brigade of her Majesty’s British Army in India. The 2nd Battalion, 14th Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales Own’s) had seen the retirement of the Battalion’s Second in Command, Major Reginald Blaine, after 46 years of military service at the end of June.
Blaine had joined the unit as a young snot-nosed Ensign (Second lieutenant) at the tender age of 16 when the aristocracy could purchase commissions for their children for social advancement. The Army abolished the practice of buying commissions in 1871 during the Cardwell Reforms. Blaine had intended to take his young wife, Samantha, on a 12-month tour of India before returning to England.
In the second week of July, reports began to arrive in Kohat that the Missuds (Pathan Tribe) had been raiding the Kohat-Hangu Road. They are attacking caravans and carrying their ill-gotten goods back into their tribal lands.
Brigadier General Mark J. Temple, the Commanding Officer of the 14th Brigade wasted no time in turning out his entire brigade to teach the Missud ruffians the Queen’s meaning of Law and Order.
Brigadier Temple decided to leave the 12th Punjab Infantry under LTCOL William D. Groves at Kohat to ensure his Line of Communications was well protected from Missuds' incursions. He then marched the remainder of the brigade along the Kohat-Hangu Road towards Missuds tribal lands.
14th Brigade2/14th Regiment of Foot (POWO) 4 coys
35th Regiment of Sikh Infantry 6 coys
AttachmentsA&B Sqns of the 5th Sikh Cavalry Regiment 2 Sqns
D Battery of the 6th Sikh Mountain Gun Regiment 1 Bty
The Pathans, for their part, fell back in front of Her Majesty’s Forces, intending to check the British advance at a place called Satan’s Gate .
The Gate favoured the defender with a deep river with only one ford. The river masked a low ridge that sat above the river and the plain the British forces had to advance across. Tall escarpments dotted the Missuds side of the river, adding additional strength to their defence.
Brigadier Temple had received reports from his cavalry scouts that the Pathans intended to block his advance at Satan’s Gate. With little room to maneuver, Temple decided that only a frontal assault would likely force the ford and the pass beyond it.
Leading the brigade was four companies of the 35th Sikh Infantry, followed by four companies of 2/14th Regiment of Foot. Following the infantry came the D Battery of the 6th Mountain guns. Flank protection was provided by A Sqn of the 5th Sikh Cavalry. Following some distance behind the main body was the baggage train, guarded by two companies of the 35th Sikh and B Sqn, 5th Sikh Cavalry.
The Pathans had positioned themselves on the low ridge above the ford, using the rocks and defiles for protection. To improve their defensive position, the tribesmen built rock sangars to strengthen the natural security of the ridge.
Throwing D company of the 35th Sikh towards the ford; BRIG Temple deployed B Company to its left flank to face the ridgeline and its Pathan defenders. Knowing any assault across the ford without artillery support was most likely to fail, BRIG Temple ordered D Battery to hurry to the front of the column and deploy to provide covering fire for any assault.
Meanwhile, the Pathans lurked in the boulders of the ridge and awaited the British attack.
Bravo Company of the 35th deployed next to the river and began snipping away at any tribesman foolish enough to expose himself. Finally, the more extended range of the Snider rifle over the tribal black powder muskets of the Pathans forced them out of their prepared positions, and they retired out of range onto the reverse side of the ridge. Lurking there in case the British decide to cross the ford.
On the other side of the road, the mountain guns now deployed and began shelling Pathans with High Explosive shells. Unable to counter the superior British firepower, the tribesmen again deserted their rock sangers and withdrew.
With the ford now clear of the Missuds and having drawn the rest of the brigade up behind the led companies, BRIG Temple ordered D Company, 35th Sikhs across the ford. As soon as the Sikhs started crossing the ford, the Pathans flooded back into their previously abandoned positions. The supporting artillery and rifle fire played merry havoc on the Missuds, almost making their left flank disintegrate under the volume of fire.
Delta company swung to their right and put in a quick bayonet charge, finishing off the last of the tribesmen.
Seeing Delta company was quite exposed on the other side of the river, BRIG Temple ordered A Sqn, 5th Sikh Cavalry, to gallop across the ford and turn left. Thus, it would provide the support the Sikh infantry needed. The Risaldar (Captain) of A Sqn became quite flushed with elan and drove his squadron up the slopes of the ridge on the right. Although his men were still in column of march, their splendid training had them fanning out to the left and right of their commander as they cut bloody swats through the Pathans. The unexpected charge quickly put the Warband of Pathans to flight.
Cresting the ridge, however, the brave cavalrymen looked down into the valley behind the hill. The plain was heaving with a mass of Pathan warriors. As the cavalrymen gasped at the lay in wait for them the horde surged forward towards their position.
At this point, A Company, 2/14th POWO had just crossed the river and was starting to make its way into the pass.
Delta Company, 35th Sikhs, now reorganising on the ridge to the right of the pass, quickly started delivering rifle fire on the mass of Missuds warriors surging down the road.
Alpha Squadron, 5th Sikh Cavalry on the ridge could see the noose tightening. The cavalrymen knew they didn’t stand a chance against so many warriors, so their Risaldar put spur to horse and led his men, not back down towards the ford but along the crest of the ridge. A fool hardly move, the Pathans thought, but fate was to prove otherwise.
Down in the pass, A Company, 2/14th tried to form a close order hedgehog, but MAJ White, its Commanding Officer, couldn’t get his orders heard over the dim of the battle – a failed Command roll. The Company remained in the column of march as the tribesmen swarmed up over the ridge and along the pass, hitting the Company on the flank and front. The uneven fight saw the best part of A company fall in the first minute of the melee. MAJ White led his men off the road and into a rock sangar with the Pathans hot on his heels.
Across the river, the mountain guns that had redeployed from their earlier firing position were again in a place to deliver devastating high explosive shells into the Pathan horde swarming about in the pass and lower slopes of the ridge. Delta Company, 35th Sikhs continued to pour accurate rifle fire into the Pathans.
On the ridge, the Risalder of A Sqn. led his men along the spine of the ridge and away from the pass. Unfortunately, the situation deteriorated as two more Pathan Warbands erupted from the valley behind the ridgeline. Ahead, the Risaldar could see the gap between the enemy and a cliff was closing. If they didn’t make that gap, the tribesmen would catch them and cut them to pieces. Encouraging his men forward, he led his men deeper into enemy territory and the opening which promised safety.
In the pass, MAJ White and the men of A Company repulsed an attack on their fragile rock sangar as D Company, 35th Sikhs continued to support them with rifle fire from the heights above. The fire from the mountain guns boomed out across the river, sending many a brave Pathan warrior to his God.
The mountain guns were proving to be most troublesome to the Pathan horde, and they surged across the ford to finish off the gunners, but they were met by the men of B Company, 35th Sikhs. The melee was brief and wild, with the Sikhs managing to drive the Pathans back.
The tribesmen also attempted to overpower the soldiers of D Company, 35th Sikhs, but this too was repulsed.
The Pathan tide had reached its high point.
The men of the 5th Sikh Cavalry descended the slope for the gap. The tribesmen were hot on their heels. Luckily, the horse's speed won out, and the cavalrymen managed to make the gap between the cliff and the closing warriors. With their prey now escaping, the Pathans called off their pursuit.
The Pathans knew Satan’s Gate had fallen to the accursed Englishmen and their Indian lackeys. So the tribesmen faded way behind the ridge line and then withdrew.
We used The Men Who Would Be Kings rules by Daniel Mersey – Osprey Wargames publication for the game.
While the rules gave us an acceptable result, I wasn’t taken with the Command die rolls to get a unit to do something beyond their free moves. For example, one Company of the 35th Sikhs stalled on the road for four turns because its commanding officer was a drunkard with a terrible Command rating. The Brigade Commander was beside the Company, demanding it move off the road. In the end, we created a house rule that removed the questionable officer from his command position and the game moved on.
My gaming partner and I found the fire and melee results were far too bloody. It was quick and easy to resolve but didn’t feel right. We would make changes to this area of the rules for further games.
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