American History Tellers - The Sole Survivor of the Retreat from Kabul

Episode Date: January 13, 2025

January 13, 1842. William Brydon is the last man standing after a disastrous British army retreat during the First Anglo-Afghan War.You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.comHistory Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the early hours of November 2nd, 1841, at a mansion in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thirty-six-year-old diplomat Sir Alexander Burns peeks over the balcony and grimaces at what he sees below. A few dozen Afghan men carrying torches and large knives are marching along the street, and Sir Alexander is sure he knows their destination, his house. The British invaded Afghanistan three years ago. Their plan was to install a puppet ruler in the country to safeguard their colonies in neighboring India. Ever since, the British have occupied Afghanistan to prop up their chosen leader. But the British are not popular here and there have been whispers that the Afghans may rise up in revolution.

As the most prominent British official in Kabul, Sir Alexander knows he'll be at the top of any list of targets for retribution. At the sound of splintering wood, Sir Alexander risks another glance over the balcony. The mob has broken into the stables next door. Soon the acrid smell of burning timber fills the air. They've set fire to the stables. Knowing that his house might be next, Sir Alexander takes a deep breath, then stands up in full view. He hopes that showing himself will calm the crowd. And inspired by his bravery, another British official also steps forward from his hiding place and joins Sir Alexander on the balcony. Then Sir Alexander

holds his hands up in the air, gesturing for calm, but the crowd isn't in the mood. Gunshot echoes through the street. The official next to Sir Alexander slumps to the ground, a bright red stain blossoming over his white shirt. Sir Alexander ducks and scurries back inside. All he can do now is arm himself and hope that British soldiers are on their way. When British troops do arrive, they find Sir Alexander Burns' residence in ruins and Sir Alexander himself hacked to death in the courtyard. The murder of the most senior British official in Kabul will mark a new low in the relationship between Britain and the Afghan people. But worse is still to come. Soon the British will be forced

out of the Afghan capital entirely and of the thousands who flee the city, only a single man will survive to reach safety on January 13, 1842. will survive to reach safety on January 13, 1842. You're listening ad-free on Wondery Plus. The Grinch is back again to ruin your Christmas season with Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast. Listen as his celebrity guests try to persuade the Grinch that there's more to love about the holiday season. Follow Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Grownups, enjoy bonus content of Tis the Grinch holiday podcast exclusively on

Wondery Plus. From Noyser and Airship, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is History Daily. history is made every day on this podcast every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world today Today is January 13, 1842, the sole survivor of the retreat from Kabul. It's July 1839, near Ghazi, Afghanistan, two years before the death of Sir Alexander Burns. 58-year-old British General Sir Willoughby Cotton dismounts from his horse and takes out a telescope. Peering through it, General Cotton examines the thick walls that surround the city of

Gansi. He turns to the officers accompanying him and shakes his head. Thirteen years ago, Das Mohammad Khan seized control of Afghanistan and installed himself as emir. That was not a welcome development for the British. Das Mohammad was aligned with Britain's rival power, Russia. The British feared that with him in charge in Afghanistan, their valuable colonies in neighboring India would be under threat. So, the British government

decided to invade Afghanistan and put a friendlier figure on the throne. Eight months ago, an army under the command of General Cotton crossed the border from India. Since then, General Cotton's troops have made slow but steady progress through Afghanistan, but the high walls protecting Ghanzi will be their toughest test so far. General Cotton hands the telescope to his officers. They all take a look and come to the same conclusion. Launching an attack on Ghanzi would cost thousands of lives, and General Cotton can't afford to lose so many men. So the general returned to his camp feeling discouraged. But his mood improves later that evening when an Afghan deserter is brought in by British guards.

The Afghan reveals that one of Ghazi's city gates is in poor condition and won't withstand a prolonged assault. This gives General Cotton some hope that a prolonged siege could be avoided, and he orders his engineers to plant explosive charges by the gate under the cover of darkness. A few days later, on July 23rd, the explosives are in place and General Cotton's army is ready. On his command, the charges are detonated and the gate crumbles. With the enemy surprised and thrown into confusion by the devastating explosion, British troops flood into the city almost entirely unopposed. The fall of Ghanzi is the turning point of the war, because General Cotton now controls a fortified city less

than 100 miles from Kabul, and he can use it as a staging point to attack the capital. Recognizing that Kabul won't withstand the British for long, Afghanistan's ruler Doss Mohammed Khan chooses to flee and eventually goes into exile. British troops then march into Kabul a few weeks later and they install their chosen man Shah Shuja Durrani as the new emir. But Shah Shuja doesn't have a secure grip on the throne. Most Afghans were happy with Dulse Muhammad Khan as their ruler, while Shah Shuja is seen as little more than a puppet. And to the horror of the Afghans, the British seem to be settling in for permanent occupation. Their officers are buying mansions in the capital, and even the mostly Indian rank-and-file soldiers of the British army are soon allowed to

bring their wives and children to join them. And without the backing of his people, Shah Shuja relies on ruthless force to suppress opposition. He executes anyone he suspects of disloyalty. Even those who survive his burges are subjected to Shah Shuja's favorite punishment, mutilation. He orders noses, ears, and hands to be cut off for even the most trivial of offenses. He increases taxes, leaving ordinary Afghans struggling to feed themselves. But no matter how bad things get in Kabul, Shah Shuja believes no one will try to overthrow him when he has the British army behind him. This confidence is misplaced. The British are more vulnerable than they seem. In an attempt to ease tensions in Kabul, British forces have withdrawn from the city to a poorly fortified camp just outside the walls. And to reduce costs, the bribes the

British previously paid to Afghan tribal leaders for their support have been scaled back. The conditions are now right for revolt. Soon Shah Shuja's opponents begin assembling in the mountains around Kabul. With Dost Mohamed Khan in exile, his son Wazir Akbar Khan takes his place as leader of the rebels and he is determined to avenge his father's defeat while the British ignore the growing rumors of rebellion until it is too late. In November 1841, Wazir's rebels attack the house of the most prominent British official in Kabul and slaughter everyone they find inside. But even after the gruesome death of Sir Alexander Burns, the British still fail to stamp down the rebellion, allowing it to spread further.

A week after the attack on Sir Alexander, the main British supply depot in Kabul is looted by the rebels. Then they occupy a strategic hill overlooking the British camp and begin peppering it with gunfire. The British will soon realize that their position in Kabul is unsustainable and they will decide to evacuate their troops and all civilians who wish to accompany them. But that move won't only doom the unpopular regime of Shah Shuja, it will also lead to thousands of deaths and one of the most devastating defeats ever suffered by the British Army.

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Unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Spotify, or Apple podcasts. They say Hollywood is where dreams are made, a seductive city where many flock to get rich, be adored, and capture America's heart. But when the spotlight turns off, fame, fortune, and lives can disappear in an instant. When TV producer Roy Radin was found dead in a canyon near LA in 1983, there were many

questions surrounding his death. The last person seen with him was Laney Jacobs, a seductive cocaine dealer who desperately wanted to be part of the Hollywood elite. Together, they were trying to break into the movie industry. But things took a dark turn when a million dollars worth of cocaine and cash went missing. From Wondery comes a new season of the hit show Hollywood and Crime, The Cotton Club Murder. Follow Hollywood and Crime, The Cotton Club Murder on the Wondery app or wherever you

get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of The Cotton Club Murder early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. It's January 6, 1842, at the British camp outside Kabul, two months after the beginning of the uprising in Afghanistan. 59-year-old General Sir William Elphinstone watches from horseback as thousands of British and Indian soldiers, along with their servants, wives and children, trudge out of camp. They all have an arduous trek ahead of them. They must cross 100 miles of snowbound mountains to reach safety in the city of Jalalabad. And as the most senior officer in

camp, General Elphinstone feels it's his responsibility to be the last person to leave. The general has only been in his post a few months. He wasn't an obvious choice to take command in Kabul. The situation in the city was tense, and the camp needed a strong leader. But General Elphinstone is plagued by rheumatism and gout, and he often couldn't get out of bed due to the pain. So when the Afghan revolt began, General Elphinstone was slow to react, and as the crisis worsened, he sent representatives to negotiate with the new rebel leader Wazir Akbar Khan. But Wazir was not in the mood to talk and killed the British envoys. Only when General Elphinstone agreed to a series of humiliating conditions did Wazir offer him and his people safe passage out of Kabul.

And today that evacuation is beginning. By the time the last person leaves the British camp, more than 16,000 people are on the march and only a quarter of them are soldiers. General Elphinstone knows that the bloated column is vulnerable to attack. He just hopes that Wazir lives up to his part of the agreement and holds off the other Afghan fighters. But it doesn't take long before General Elphinstone realizes he's been duped. When his large group first stops for the night, just five miles from Kabul, the food, fuel, and tents that Wazir promised to supply the British are nowhere to be found.

With no shelter, the British must scrape away snow and sleep on the bare ground. The following day, when they reach the first mountain pass, the column comes under attack from Afghan guerrillas. Snipers stationed in the foothills take aim at the slow moving group. Terrified civilians who fall behind are cut down by sword-wielding warriors. Others are stripped of their clothing and left to freeze to death in the snow. Initially Wazir feigns ignorance of the British suffering. He claims that the supplies didn't arrive because the British army left Kabul earlier than he expected, and he says he has

no influence over the tribal chiefs attacking him in the mountain passes. But Wazir soon reveals that his true intention is to disrupt the British retreat. After several days on the road and thousands of British and Indian casualties, Wazir invites General Elphinstone and his second-in-command to discuss a ceasefire. But this is yet another trick. When the British officers arrive, they're swiftly disarmed and Wazir announces they are now prisoners. Deprived of their two most senior commanders, the British column struggles on as best it can but it is very difficult.

When it reaches one very narrow pass, the remaining soldiers and civilians must squeeze through a gap just four yards wide. It is the perfect spot for an ambush, which soon turns into a massacre. Less than a week after leaving Kabul, the main British force has dwindled to less than 100 soldiers. Most of these men are killed or taken prisoner in a dramatic last stand, but a dozen men on horses and ponies manage to escape. This small group continues over the frozen mountains, but one by one they fall, either

killed in close quarters during more ambushes or picked off at a distance by snipers. Eventually, only assistant surgeon William Bryden is left alive. But William is still miles from safety when he's spotted by another Afghan mounted warrior. Exhausted, William tries to duck out of the way of the warrior's swinging sword, but he's not quick enough. The sword catches him on the side of the head of the warrior's swinging sword, but he's not quick enough. The sword catches him on the side of the head and he falls from his saddle, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Satisfied that another British soldier has been accounted for, the Afghan warrior rides away to search for other stragglers, but William is not dead. Bleeding heavily, he'll drag himself up off the ground, back into the saddle, and resume his ride to Jalalabad, hoping that others in the column will join him there. But he'll soon discover that out of an army of thousands, he is the last man standing. He was hip-hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry. The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood walk the. Did he built an empire and live the life most people only dream

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is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery+. Hi I'm Lindsey Graham the host of Wondery Show American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, NASA embarks on an ambitious program to reinvent space exploration with the launch of its first reusable vehicle, the Space Shuttle. And in 1985, they announce they're sending teacher Krista McAuliffe into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger along with six other astronauts. But less than two minutes after liftoff, the Challenger explodes. And in the tragedy's

aftermath, investigators uncover a series of preventable failures by NASA and its contractors that led to the disaster. Follow American Scandal on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season only on Wondry+. You can join Wondry+, in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today. It's January 13, 1842, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, a week after the British evacuated their camp outside Kabul. 30-year-old assistant surgeon William Brydon sways unsteadily in the saddle, his chin slumped

on his chest as his pony slowly picks its way along a rocky track. Since becoming separated from the rest of the British force and losing his comrades to enemy attacks, William has continued on the road to Jalalabad alone. But with the enemy hiding around every corner, he's had to stay alert. Only a few hours ago, William was spotted again and he had to whip his pony into one last gallop to escape his armed pursuers. Now both he and his pony are exhausted. If another attack comes, neither of them will have the energy to resist. William's pace on the pony slows and he thinks about resting for the night. But a distant sound rouses him.

He looks up, groggy and confused. Mounted soldiers gallop toward him, but William is too tired to react. So instead, he gives himself up to his fate, raising his arms as he sits in his saddle. When the soldiers rein in their horses, however, they address him in English. And with a start, William realizes they're British. Then he looks in the direction they came from. He can see his destination, the city of Jalalabad. The soldiers carry William the rest of the way and rush him to the infirmary. There, medical officers ask him where the rest of the way and rush him to the infirmary. There medical officers ask him where the rest of the army is and William replies weakly, I am the army. William will soon become

famous as the only survivor of the catastrophic retreat from Kabul, but in fact he is not the only soldier to make it out alive. In the weeks that follow others will also stagger into Jalalabad. out alive. In the weeks that follow, others will also stagger into Jalalabad. Most will be Indian soldiers, forced to hide in the hills or play dead until their Afghan pursuers moved on. But they will only number a handful. The vast majority of the 16,000 people who set off from Kabul are now either dead or prisoners of the Afghans. This humiliation will not go without response. The British will form an army of retribution and in the fall of 1842 it will return to Kabul, rescue the British soldiers and civilians in captivity and then sack the city. But after that the British won't stay in

Afghanistan. Having achieved their objectives, they will return to their colonies in India. And only then will the first Anglo-Afghan War come to an end, a conflict in which the British tried and failed to extend their empire to another nation, and an occupying army of thousands was reduced to a single man named William Brydon, the road to the gates of Jalalabad on January 13, 1842. Next on History Daily, January 14, 1967, a mass gathering in San Francisco, California kicks off a counterculture phenomenon, the Summer of Love. From Neuser and Airship, this is History Daily, History Daily hosted edited and executive produced by me Lindsey Graham audio editing by Mohamed Shazia sound design by Molly Bach music by Thrum this episode is written and researched by Scott Reeves edited by Dorian Marina managing producer

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