Gratuitous Historickal Posting - Afghan Wars Division

On the morning of January 13, 1842, the remnants of the 44th Foot, retreating from Kabul, were massacred by the Afghans at Gandamak. Of a column originally numbering 16,500, about 12,000 of whom were not soldiers but civiliian followers including a number of women, exactly one man, Dr. Brydon, made it back to the British rear at Jellalabad. (A few others of the column were taken prisoner or hostage along the way and survived as well.)

Of course, that's the official history. Some of us know that a certain cowardly young rogue also managed to make it back, just in time to help defend Jellalabad against the oncoming Afghan army and earn himself the sobriquette "the Hector of Afghanistan."