Sale's soldiers now fell into their places under Pollock's supreme command. By that time also the political functions hitherto discharged by Rawlinson and Macgregor had been transferred to the chief military commanders, Pollock and Nott. It was felt by Lord Ellenljorough, even more strongly than of late by Lord Auckland, that the divided authority which had wrought so much harm in the past could no longer be endured when commanders of the calibre of Nott and Pollock were in the field. The Governor-General, who plumed himself on his soldierlike sympathies, hated politicals as cordially as Nott or Nicolls, and had no eyes whatever for the merits which Pollock brought to his notice in such officers as Mackeson and Henry Lawrence. He looked upon Clerk and Outram as meddlesome amateurs, whose advice on military matters should be severely repelled. In the present case, however, his action had merely followed the line taken by Lord Auckland in his Resolution of the 6th of January.
Far more open to question was his apparent change of purpose, after he had heard of the fall of Ghazní and the repulse at Haikalzai of the small force which England had led out from Quetta, in charge of treasure, medicines, and ammunition for the garrison of Kandahár. The letters he despatched in April and May from Benares and Allahábád all pointed to an early removal of every British soldier from Afghánistán. Nott was directed to retire towards Sakhar, as soon as he had brought off the garrison of
