Siege of Sherpur

As winter closes around Kabul, the British and Indian garrison concentrates inside Sherpur Cantonment. Afghan forces gather on the surrounding heights, test the walls by day and probe the ditches and nullahs at night. Blackwood helps organise patrols, repairs and defensive positions while cold, exhaustion and uncertain communications steadily reduce the margin for error.

The novel reconstructs the December 1879 siege as a sustained struggle rather than a single assault. Guides, Gurkhas, gunners and line infantry share the defence of a large and imperfect perimeter until the final Afghan attack. Sherpur becomes a study in coalition discipline: thousands of soldiers with different languages and traditions must function as one garrison or be overwhelmed.