It was the largest of three military columns created in November 1878 at the start of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880), each of which invaded Afghanistan by a different route.
[1][2] The Peshawar force initially consisted of around 16,000 men,[3] a mix of both British and Indian Army regiments, under the command of Lieutenant General Sir Samuel J.
[4] Browne's force crossed into Afghanistan from India in November 1878 and advanced up the Khyber Pass in the direction of Ali Masjid.
The advance was however slow, given the difficulty in keeping communications open and the hostile attitude of the Afghan people.
The Treaty of Gandamak in May 1879 marked the end of the first phase of the Afghan War and led to the withdrawal of the Peshawar Valley Field Force to India, where it was disbanded in mid–1879.