Siege of Kahun

The Siege of Kahun was a siege of the isolated hilltop fort of Kahun during the First Anglo-Afghan War.

Course
A 300-man detachment from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Bombay Native Infantry, led by Captain Brown, marched on Kahun, then the Marri tribe's main stronghold, in order to support the Bombay field force's march north into Sindh. The force took it with little opposition and occupied it. As ordered, Brown sent back the detachment's baggage camels with escort of 50 men (consisting of a half-squadron of Scinde Horse and 50 men of the Maratha Light Infantry) and an additional 80-man escort under Subedar Bay Jadhao to get it past hostile Marri troops in the area. Jadhao decided to return after 12 miles, having seen no enemy troops, but soon after this point both escorts were overwhelmed, with only 12 survivors (not including Jadhao). This reduced Brown's force to 140 men, and the enemy force immediately besieged Kahun. Holding off the besieging force from May to September, Brown eventually received word from the Officer Commanding in Upper Sind to do whatever he thought best for his men's safety and so surrendered on 12 September. The Marris accorded him the honours of war, letting the small remnants of Brown's force to march out in possession of their arms, guns, ammunition, and baggage. In recognition of their conduct, the General Orders of 5 April 1841 accorded the battle honour "Kahun" to the 5th Native Infantry and in May 1841 the unit was honoured by being made "Light Infantry".