Hyder Khan, the governor, one of Dost Mahommed's sons, surrendered in the course of the morning, and was placed under the care of Sir Alexander Burnes. Meer Khan, the eldest, commonly known as "the fighting son" of Dost Mahommed, had come close upon our camp early in the morning, with 5,000 cavalry. He heard the firing, and only waited for daylight to discover how matters stood in the fortress. The dawn showed him the British flag on the ramparts; and he forthwith fled towards Cabul, leaving all his elephants and baggage behind him. The loss of the British in the capture of this renowned fortress was only seventeen killed and 170 wounded; about 1,000 Affghans were slain, and upwards of 3,000 wounded and prisoners.
Dost Mahommed was in hopes that the siege of Ghuznee would have occupied the invaders a considerable time; but, on receiving intelligence of what had taken place, he endeavoured, through one of his brothers, to open a negotiation. Being informed that the only terms which could be accepted were resignation of the crown, and residence within the Company's territories, he refused compliance; but, being deserted by his best troops, he did not attempt to defend even the strong passes leading to Cabul, but retreated by Bameean over the mountains into Turkestaun.
On the 30th of July, 1839, the Indian Army began to move towards Cabul; and, on the 7th of August, the Shah, under its protection, made his public entry into his capital. After a very cool reception from his subjects, he proceeded to exercise one of the functions of royalty in European fashion, by instituting an order of knighthood, framed on the model of the British Order of the Bath. This new institute of chivalry was called the Dooranee Order, to which the officers of the "Army of the Indus" were liberally admitted, as well as a few distinguished civil functionaries; the latter being selected by Mr. Macnaghten, Envoy and Minister, and the former by Sir John Keane.
