Afghanistan War 1838-41 by doctor Atkinson

Salvete Omnes, 

James Atkinson (1780-1852) was a men of many talents and skills, his profession was medicine and he worked as a doctor in Bengal (part of British India) - being fluent in Persian he translated parts of Shahname into English, while being a man of his era, he was also trained in fine arts.

During the First Anglo-Afghan war he was appointed the chief surgeon to the Army of India (Indus) and thus he participated in the war until 1840,   riding into Afghanistan.

Upon his return to India in 1841, he published his drawings from Afghanistan titled "Sketches in Afghaunistan' and a volume describing the war in Afghanistan  titled 'The Expedition into Affghanistan: Notes and Sketches Descriptive of the Country[..].'
He was one of the European pioneer researchers into the culture of Afghanistan and Persia.

William Hay Macnachten receives Dost Mohammad's surrender

a colored lithograph from Christies - 

During the final fighting with Dost Muhammad  the Bengal Cavalry's 2nd Regiment refused to charge Afghans and flew from their British officers .. the action was described by dr Atkinson.

Valete

James Rattray - views from Afghanistan 1838-42

 Salvete Omnes,

Captain James Rattray was a British officer in the Bengal Army and an artist.

As a Lieutenant  Rattray in the Bengal Army infantry he also explored the country and  drew & painted the Afghans and Afghanistan during 1838-42 or  the First  Anglo-Afghan war.

It should be noted that he made alive the disastrous retreat from Kabul across the Kyber Pass back into the British Imperial India. 

His brother  Charles Rattray, also an officer in the Bengal Army & Indian Army, was killed or murdered  near Kabul in 1841.
James Rattray 

The little gallery of  Captain Rattray's artwork showing camels and horses

two Afghan brothers of Cpt Rattray's cavalry escort Sept 1841

the Ghilzai or Kochis Pashtun nomads as seen by Rattray

the women of nomad Ghilzai - description here - 

also available on the world library website - Archive.

Valete

J.L. Agasse - The Wellesley Grey Arabian

 Salvete Omnes,

almost 9 years ago I posted some info and several paintings by a Swiss painter Jacques Laurent Agasse.
Perusing Yale [University]  Center for British Art I came across 20 works by maestro Agasse.
One of the paintings show The Wellesley Grey Arabian being led through the Desert. It was a historic horse, bought in the desert near Basra(?) and transported to British India, where this grey stallion was bought by  Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley, brother to Arthur Wellesley,  1st Duke of Wellington,  and ws brought to the British Isles, where he contributed through his progeny to the Thoroughbred horse breed (dame Maria - descendant of Godolphin Arabian - bore Fair Ellen, Fair Ellen bore Lilias and The Exquisite) - more info about the Wellesley Grey here .

another grey  Arabian stallions by maestro Agasse's brushwork:

Valete

16th Light Cavalry - videos

Salve,
a great collection of historic videos showing the men and horses of the 16th Light Cavalry Regiment of the British India - still an existing unit of the modern Indian army.
The videos are courtesy of the National Army Museum - UK.

 Training horses for the 16th Light Cavalry at Sibi Camp, Baluchistan, 1935
 16th Light Cavalry Riding School, 1935
 Assault Course at the 16th Light Cavalry Riding School, 1935
16th Light Cavalry marching from Quetta to Sibi, 1935
16th Light Cavalry jumping a water obstacle, 1935

16th Light Cavalry at the Quetta Horse Show, 1935
 16th Light Cavalry polo players, 1935
 enjoy