was only three days worth of supply left of food, to which the fighting men were put on half rations, while non-combatants were left to fend for themselves. By late November, the situation had detiorated to the point where horses and camels were being slaughtered for food and to reduce the number of pack animals that also needed feeding. Inside the cantonment, British officers and political commanders bickered over how to respond to the situation at hand. The situation was not much better as after Burnes's death, Elphinstone's horse stumbled and fell on top of him. Likely suffering damage to his internal organs, and already dealing with Gout, Elphinstone was forced to give orders from his sickbed. Adding on to the number of issues, Elphinstone was meant to have returned to India by this point, as a result, Shelton took this on as meaning that Elphinstone was no longer in command of the army, instead, Shelton took charge. As grain and ammunition began running out, there were attempts to purchase supplies. Two of Kabul's leaders of the Armenian community helped provide supplies to the British. Khoja Mir, the Malik of Behmaru and father-in-law of Mir Masjidi also sold flour and fodder for heavily inflated prices, then using the cash obtained to finance Mir Masjidi. Mir Masjidi however, was not happy with this action, and as a result, shortly after his forces arrived in Kabul, they occupied Behmaru. ON 10 November, Shelton clashed with Mir Masjidi's Kohistanis, defeating them and occupying Behmaru. Shelton then advanced to Qal'a Rikab Bashi, and Qal'a-yi Zu'l-fiqar Khan and seized it by storm. Shelton also bombarded the Jabbar Khel positions on the Siyah Sang with his artillery. However despite his victories, Shelton lost too much men he could not expend in these battles, as following the fall of Old Charikar a day prior to the battle at Behmaru, thousands of more Kohistanis arrived in Kabul, bringing captured British artillery pieces, muskets, and ammunition. Mir Masjidi and his Kohistanis, now reinforced, re-occupied Behmaru and cut supplies to the cantonment. The Kohistanis then entrenched themselves at the summit of Tepa-Yi-Behmaru, as they begun firing upon the cantonment, making it dangerous for anybody who wandered into the open. Despite the protest of Shelton, Elphinstone ordered him and his men to take Tepa-yi Behmaru and clear it of the snipers that were harassing the British. Before dawn on 23 November,