William Brydon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Brydon
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Brydon, c. 1864
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| Born | 10 October 1811 London, England |
| Died | 20 March 1873 (aged 61) near Nigg, Highland, Scotland |
| Buried |
Rosemarkie churchyard
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| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Rank | Assistant surgeon |
| Unit | Bengal Army |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath |
| Alma mater | |
| Relations | Major General Donald Macintyre (brother-in-law) |
William Brydon CB (10 October 1811 – 20 March 1873) was a British doctor and assistant surgeon. He served in the British East India Company Army. Dr. Brydon became famous for being the only European known to reach safety in Jalalabad. This happened after a very difficult and dangerous retreat from Kabul during the First Anglo-Afghan War. He was part of a large group of 4,500 soldiers and 12,000 civilians.
Early Life and Training
William Brydon was born in London, England. His family had Scottish roots. He chose to study medicine. He attended two well-known universities: University College London and the University of Edinburgh. After finishing his studies, he became a surgeon. He joined the Bengal Army, which was part of the British East India Company. This company was a powerful British trading organization that also had its own army in India.
The Great Retreat from Kabul
In 1841, Dr. Brydon was sent to Afghanistan. He worked as an assistant surgeon for a special group called Shah Shuja's Contingent. This group was made up of soldiers from India. They were led by British officers. Their job was to protect the British-supported ruler in Kabul. This army had taken control of the city in August 1839.
In January 1842, a decision was made to leave Kabul. This happened after two British representatives were killed. The closest British army base was in Jalalabad. It was about 90 miles (145 km) away. The army would have to travel through snowy mountain passes in the middle of winter.
On January 6, 1842, a large group began the journey to Jalalabad. It included 4,500 British and Indian soldiers. There were also 12,000 civilians, like wives and children. They believed they had been promised a safe trip. However, Afghan tribesmen attacked them. These attacks continued for seven days. Dr. Brydon wrote in his diary that many soldiers suffered from frostbite on the first night. They had to be left behind in the snow.
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By the fourth day, Dr. Brydon's group of soldiers was almost completely gone. He was lucky to find some food left behind by Lady Macnaghten. She was the wife of a British official who had been killed in Kabul. The very last fight happened at Gandamak on January 13, 1842. It was in the snow. About 20 officers and 45 British soldiers, mostly from the 44th Foot regiment, were surrounded on a small hill. The Afghans tried to trick them into thinking they would not be harmed. But then, shooting started, followed by attacks. Most of the soldiers were shot or cut down.
Dr. Brydon was one of twelve officers on horseback. They had become separated from the main group before the final fight at Gandamak. This small group rode towards Futtehabad. Half of them were killed there, but six escaped. As their horses got tired, all but Brydon were killed one by one. Both Dr. Brydon and his pony were wounded during small fights with Afghan groups.
On the afternoon of January 13, 1842, British soldiers in Jalalabad were watching for survivors. They saw a single person riding towards the town walls. It was Dr. Brydon. Part of his skull had been cut by an Afghan sword. He survived this terrible blow because he had put a copy of Blackwood's Magazine inside his hat. He did this to help with the extreme cold. The magazine took most of the sword's impact, saving his life.
Dr. Brydon became widely known as the only survivor of the entire army. However, this was not completely accurate. About 115 British officers, soldiers, wives, and children were captured. They were held as hostages and later released. This group included Lady Sale, the wife of Sir Robert Henry Sale. But General Elphinstone, who led the retreat, died while captured.
Dr. Brydon was also not the only European to make the journey from Kabul to Jalalabad without being captured. A "Greek merchant" named Mr. Baness also reached Jalalabad. He arrived two days after Brydon but died the next day. A small number of Indian soldiers, called sepoys, also reached Jalalabad on foot in the following weeks. One sepoy, havildar Sita Ram, escaped after 21 months of being enslaved. He rejoined his old regiment in Delhi. About 2,000 sepoys and many civilians were later found in Kabul. They were brought back to India by General Pollock's "Army of Retribution."
This famous event was painted by the Victorian artist Lady Butler. Her painting is called Remnants of an Army. It shows Dr. Brydon riding towards the gates of Jalalabad on his exhausted horse. According to Brydon, the horse collapsed and died after reaching the city.
Life After the Retreat
After recovering from his wound, Dr. Brydon continued his work as a surgeon. He joined the "Army of Retribution" led by General Pollock. This army briefly took control of Kabul again in September 1842. During this campaign, Dr. Brydon narrowly escaped death from an enemy shell.
Dr. Brydon also fought in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852. During this war, the city of Rangoon was captured.
In 1857, during the Sepoy Rebellion, Dr. Brydon was still a surgeon in the Bengal Army. He was in Lucknow with his wife and children. Dr. Brydon survived a second major siege there, the Siege of Lucknow (June – November 1857). He was badly wounded in the thigh during this siege. In November 1858, he was given an important award, the Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). His wife, Colina Maxwell Brydon, wrote a book about their experiences during the siege.
William Brydon passed away at his home near Nigg in Ross-shire, Scotland, on March 20, 1873. He is buried in Rosemarkie churchyard. His brother-in-law, Donald MacIntyre, who was also a brave soldier, is buried beside him.
