First Anglo-Afghan War--Sir Henry Rawlinson | Letter on the situation in Afghanistan, to Sir John MacNeill, 1841

Major-General Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, British Political Agent in Kandahar, 

Letter to Sir John McNeill, British envoy at the Persian Court

sent care of the British Consul General in Constantinople, warning of the deep hatred for the British occupying forces in Afghanistan, particular in Helmand and Herat, the growing insurgency, and the increasing difficulty in maintaining a British presence in the country, sent via the Overland Mail, disinfected with slits, struck with oval 'India' in red, endorsed 'via Egypt', with typed transcript, 4 pages, folio, Kandahar, August 12 1841, light spotting

Rawlinson here outlines three options for the British: withdrawal from the country; an offensive, to "carry fire and sword through some of the insurgent districts"; or settle down to a long occupation and accept the price will be "an immense sacrifice of blood and treasure". For Rawlinson see also lot 47.

PROVENANCE:

Auktionshaus Schlegel, 17-19 March 2011, lot 8012