The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-04-12 00:00:00

THE SAVING OF THE COLOURS.

A supplement to the Laillan Gazette, issued on Friday
(April 4), contains the fotiowiDg despatches, received at the
War Office, from Lord Chelmsford :

"PletermarPzbarg, Natal, February 23.
"Sir,—l have the honour to brini under the notice of his
Royal Highness the Fteld-Marehal Commanding-in-Chief the
accompanying report received from Colonel Glyn, C 8.,
commanding No. 3 Column, showing how the Queen's
colour of the let Battalion of the 24th Foot, which had been
lost on the 22nd of January, bas since been recovered, and
giving an account of the gallant behaviour of Lieutenant and
Adjutant Melville and Lieutenant CoghW of that regiment,
until they met their deaths in the endeavour to save this
colour from falling into the enemy's hands.— I have, &c,
" CHELMSFORD, Lieutenant-General Commanding."

" ' Rorke's Drift, Buffalo River, Feb. 21.

" ' Sir,—l have the honour to report that on the 22d
of January last, when the camp of Isandlana was at-
tacked by the enemy, the Queen's colour of the Ist
Battalion of the 24th Regiment was in the camp, the
head-quarters and live companies of the regiment being
there also.
"'From all the information I have been since able
to obtain, it would appear that when the enemy had
got into the camp and when there was no longer any
hope left of saving it, the Adjutant of the Ist Bat-
talion of the 24th Regiment, Lieutenant Teignmouth
Melville, departed from the camp on horseback, carry-
ing the colour with him in hope of being able to save
it.
"'The only road to Rorke's Drift being already in
possession of the enemy, Lieutenant Melville, and the
few others who still remained alive, struck across
country for the Buffalo River, which it was necessary
to cross to reach a point of safety. In taking this
line, the only one possible, ground had to be gone over
which from its ruggedness and precipitous nature
would under ordinary circumstances, it is reported, be
deemed almost utterly impassable for mounted men.
"'During a distance of about six miles Lieutenant
Melville and his companions were closely pursued or,
more properly speaking, accompanied by a large num-
ber of the enemy, who, from their well-known agility
in getting over rough ground, were able to keep up
with our people though the latter were mounted, so
that the enemy kept up a constant fire on them, and
sometimes even got close enough to assegai the men and
horses. Lieutenant Melville reached the bank of the
Buffalo, and at once plunged in, horse and all; but,
being encumbered with the colour, which is an awkward
thing to carry even on foot, and, the river being full
and running rapidly, he appears to have got separated
from his horse when he was about halfway across. He
still, however, held on resolutely to the colour, and
was being carried down stream when he was washed
against a large rock in the middle of the river. Lieu-
tenant Higginson, of the Natal Native Contingent,
who had also lost hishorse in the river, was clinging to
this rock, and Lieutenant Melville called to him to lay
hold of the colour. This Lieutenant Higginson
but the current was so strong that both officers with
the colour were again washed away into still water,
In the meantime, Lieutenant Coghill, Ist Battalion
24th Regiment, my orderly officer, who had been
left in camp that morning when the main body
of the force moved out on account of a severe injury
to his knee, which rendered him unable to move with-
out assistance, had also succeeded in gaining the river
bank in company with Lieutenant Melville. He too
had plunged at once into the river, and his horse had
carried him safely across; but on looking round for
Lieutenant Melville, and seeing him struggling to
save the colour in the river, he at once turned his
horse and rode back into the stream again to Lieu-
tenant Melville's assistance.

"'lt would appear that now the enemy had as-
sembled in considerable force along their own bank
and had opened a heavy fire on our people, directing
it more especially on Lieutenant Melville, who wore a
red patrol jacket. So that when Lieutenant Coghill
got into the river again his horse was almost imme-
diately killed by a bullet. Lieutenant Coghill was
thus cast loose in the stream also, and notwithstanding
the exertions of both these gallant officers, the colour
was carried off from them, and they themselves gained
the bank in a state of extreme exhaustion.

" ' It would appear that they now attempted to move
up the hill from the river-bank towards Helpmakaar,
but must have been too much exhausted to go on, as
they were seen to sit down to rest again. This, I
sorely regret to say, was the last time these two most
gallant officers were seen alive.
" ' It was not for some days after the 22nd that I
could gather any information as to the probable fate of
these officers. But immediately I discovered in what
direction those who had escaped from Isandlana had
crossed the Buffalo, I sent, under Major Black, 2nd
Battalion, 24th Regiment, a mounted party who
volunteered for this service, to search for any trace
that could be found of them. This search was sue.
cessful, and both bodies were found where they were
last seen, as above indicated. Several dead bodies of
the enemy were found &boat them, so that they must
have sold their lives dearly at the last.
"As it was considered that the dead weight of the
colour would cause it to sink in the river, it was hoped
that a diligent search in the locality where the bodies
of these officers were found might lead to its recovery.
So Major Black again proceeded on the 4th inst. to
prosecute this search. His energetic efforts were, I
am glad to say, crowned with MCCUE', and the colour
and the ornaments, case, &c., belonging to it, were
found, though in different places, in the river bed.

"'I cannot conclude this report without drawing the
attention of his Excellency the Lieutenant-General
Commanding, in the most impressive manner which
words can command, to the noble and heroic conduct
of Lieutenant and Adjutant Melville, who did not
hesitate to encumber himself with the colour of the
regiment, in his resolve to save it, at a time when the
camp was in the hands of the enemy, and its gallant
defenders killed to the last m9n in its defence, and
when there appeared but little prospect that any
exertions Lieutenant Melville could make would
enable him to save even his own life. Also, later on,
to the noble perseverance with which, when struggling
between life and death in the river, his chief thoughts
to the last were bent on the saving of the colour.

" ' Similarly would I draw his Excellency's attention
to the equally noble and gallant conduct of Lieutenant
Coghill, who did not hesitate for an instant to return
unsolicited, and ride again into the river under a heavy
fire of the enemy, to the assistance of his friend,
though at the time he was wholly incapacitated from
walking, and but too well aware that any accident that
might separate him from his horse must be fatal to
him.

"'ln conclusion, I would add that both these offi-
cers gave up their lives in the truly noble task of en-
deavouring to save from the enemy's hands the Queen's
colour of their regiment; and, greatly though their
sad end is to be deplored, their deaths could not have
been more noble or more full of honour.—" I have,
"'B.. T. GLYN, Colonel, Commanding 3rd Column."

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state of affairs at that time. Lord Chelmsford states that his
last communidation from Colonel Pearson is dated February
24th; but from Colonel Wood be received constant reports.
There is also a communication from Cetewayo to
Bishop Schroder, asking him to explain to the Colonial
Government that he never desired war, and also
what he had done to avert an invasion of his country.
He says the fighting at Isandula was brought about
accidentally. The English horse attacked outlying
parties of Zulus, who returned their fire, more came
up and Joined in the fray, until the battle became general.
The King protests that he never ordered his army to attack
the English column, and his Induna Unvumengwana is in
disgrace for having permitted it. As regards lnyezane,
Cetywayo contends that Colonel Pearson provoked the attack
made on him by burning kraals and committing other acts
of hostility along the line of march. He asks that both sides
should put aside their arms and resume the negotiations
with a view to a permanent settlement of all questions
between himself and the Government.

On the subject of "Saving the Colours," a corres-
pondent ("W. J. W. M.") writes to The Times :

Sir,—Perhaps the remark one bears most commonly
made with regard to the Isandlana disaster is that no sucn
calamity has befallen our arms since the retreat from
Cabal in 1842, but I do not think a somewhat striking
coincidence between the two has been noticed. I refer to
the devotion evinced on both occasions by a Lieutenant
Melville in endeavouring to save the colours of his regi-
,ment. In :the vivid account given in Lady Sale's journal
of that terrible week, when, between the eth and 13th of
January, the British force was annihilated is the story

how a Lieutenant Melville guarded the colours of his
regiment, the 5411 a Native Infantry. Seeing the native lieu-
tenant who carried them wounded, he seized them. PHs
horse was killed, and, failing to tear the colours off the
staff, he fought on with them on foot, a conspicuous object
to the foe. Felled by a spear wound and severe sword cut
on the head, he managed to rise and press on, only to be
soon struck down again by a stab and a second spear-thrust.
Surrounded by a dozen Ghilzais, with none but the dead and
dying near, he gave up all as lost, when his assailants,
suddenly attracted by a box of treasure on the other side
of the pass, left him for the moment. Dragging himself
slowly through the deep snow, he contrived to overtake the
column, and was helped on to the centre, where the remains
of the 44th Foot and one gun kept up some order. He was
tied to the gun, but as it had shortly to be brought into
action, he was lifted on to a bank, and the column passed
on. Providentially one of the leading pursuers was an
Afghan horseman whom he had known in Cabal, and who,
recognizing him, strapped him on to his horse and took him
to the Afghan chief's fort, where he was afterwards joined
by the few otheestrvivors.
A similar act of devotion performed by Captain Souter
and the Quarternasater-Sergeant of the 44th Foot Is given a
few pages farther on. In the final scene but one they tore
the colours of their regiment off the staves and wrapped them
round their bodies. The former fought his way on to the
last; the latter fell with his precious burden.