 Following this failed attempt , Blood arrived and appointed Reid commander of the forces at Malakand South , giving command of the rescue force to Meiklejohn . The rescue column of 1 @,@ 000 infantry , two squadrons from the 11th Bengal Lancers , two of the Guides cavalry , 50 sappers , two cannons and a hospital detail , rested on the night of August 1 , despite a night attack by Pashtun forces . On the following day , the relief force advanced along the road to the abandoned Malakand North in order to avoid fire from the Pashtun sharpshooters who still occupied the heights around the Malakand South " cup " . With low morale , the relief force assembled at 4 : 30 am on 2 August ; however , with the use of diversionary attacks , they were successful in breaking out of the Pashtun encirclement without loss . This led to confusion amongst the Pashtun forces , " like ants in a disturbed ant – hill " as observed Blood . The 11th Bengal Lancers and the Guides cavalry went on to relieve the threatened fort at Chakdara , while the 45th Sikhs stormed nearby Pashtun positions . The British recorded 33 casualties from the action on August 2 . 
