The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-08 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF MAIWAND.

The London Gar": eL Dec. Slat, contains various de-
spatches respectlhg the Afghan campaign. Lieut.-Colonel
Primrone, ih a despatch dated Candahar, October 1, thus
refiaiss to the "gallant and determined stand" made by the
officers and'men of the 86th Regiment at Maiwand t

"The officers and men nearly all fell fighting de-
sperately for the honour of their Queen and country.
I have it on the autlimity of a colonel of Artillery of
Ayoob Khan's artny, who was present at the time,
that a party of the 66th Regiment, which he estimated
at 100 officers and men, Made most desperate stand
in the garden marked 'A 'in the accompanying plan.
They were surrounded by the whole Afghan artny,
and fought on until only 11 men Nl.re left, inflicting
enormous loss upon t!le entity. Those 11 charged
out of the garden nd died with their faces to the foe,
fighting to the death. Such was the nature of their
charge and the grandeur of their bearing that,
although the whole of the G halls were ass'embled
around them, not one dared approach to citt them
down. Thus standing in the opth, back to back,
firing steadily and trul, every shot telling, sur-
rounded 14 thoto.ahcis, these 11 officers and men died;
and itt wto tot until the last man had been shot down
that. toe Ghazis dared advance upon them. He further
adds that the conduct of these men was the &imitation
of all who witnessed it. This h the testimony of a
roan who witnessed the steno, and who gave the in-
formation .before Hrigadier-General Daubeny pro-
ceeded to Mai Wand. From an examination of the
groin from corroborative evidence, and from the
position in which the bodies were found, I have not
the least hesitation in stating that this account is true;
and I think his Excellency will agree with me when I
say that history does not afford any grander or finer
instance of gallantry and devotion to the Queen and
country than that displayed by the 66th Regiment on
the 27th July, 1880.

"A nominal roll of the officers and men who fought
and died thus nobly has been already forwarded to
you; and inquiries from survivors elicit the following
facts :—Lieutenant-Colonel James Galbraith was last
seen on the nullah bank, kneeling on one knee, with a
colour in his hand, officers and men rallying round
him; and on this spot his body was found. Here, too,
fell Captain William Hamilton M'Alath, a gallant
soldier, and one who would, had his life been shared,
have risen to distinction in Her Majesty's service.
Close by Second Lieutenant Harry James Outram Barr
was shot dead over one of the colours. Captains Ernest
Stephen Garratt and Francis James Cullen were both
killed on the field in front of the nullah, up to the
last moment commanding their companies and giving
their orders with as much coolness as if on an ordi-
nary regimental parade. Captain Walter Roberts was
mortally wounded in the garden, where the last stand
was made; and here, also, fell Lieutenant Maurice
Edward Rayner, Lieutenant Richard Trevor Chute,
Second Lieutenant Walter Rice Olivey, and Second
Lieutenant Arthur Honywood. The two latter officers
were seen holding up the colours, the pole of one of
which was shattered to pieces, as rallying points;
and Lieutenant Honywood was shot down while
holding a colour high above his head, shouting,
"Men, what shall we do to save this?" Sergeant-
Major Alexander Cuppage was shot dead out-
side the garden while carrying a colour; and
many other non-commissioned officers and men
laid down their lives in the attempt to save the
colours of their regiment on that day. With the
gallant band who male this last grand effort fought
and died Mayor George Frederick Blackwood, Royal
Horse Artillery ; Lieutenant Thomas Rice Henn,
Royal Engineers; and Lieutenant Charles William
Hinde, Ist Bombay Grenadiers, Native Infantry,
with some of his men. The men of the 66th on
baggage guard, under the command of Captain J.
Quarry, did excellent service during the retreat. The
party told off to man the smooth-bore battery under
Lieutenant G. De la M. Faunce worked their guns
steadily and well during the fight."

The names of the under-mentioned officers are given
in the London Gazette as inadvertently omitted from
the list of those enumerated in the despatch of -Lieu-
tenant-General Sir F. S. Roberts, G.C.8., V.C.,
C.1.E., dated the 26th of September, 1880, as having
rendered specially good service during the march from
Cabul to Candahar, and in the action near the latter
place on the Ist of September, 1880 :—Lieutenant-
Colonel G. N. Money, Bengal Staff Corps, command-
ing the 3rd Sikh Infantry; Quartermaster J. Walsh,
72nd Highlanders, Provost Marshal of the Cabul
Candahar Field Force

GENERAL ROBERTS IN LIVERPOOL.
On Monday evening General Roberts was enter-
tained at a banquet at Liverpool, a numerous and dis-
tinguished company being present. The Bishop of
the diocese observed that no class of men felt a keener
interest in the gallant deeds of the General than the
clergy. Sir Frederick Roberts, in responding to a
complimentary toast, urged the citizens of Liverpool
to do all they could to elevate the status of the
private soldier, and to disabuse him of the impression
that military service was a barrier to civil employ-
ment.

Lord Derby responded for the Lords, and Sir R. A.
Cross for the Commons, the latter remarking that the
Conservative Party would give the fullest and fairest
consideration to the Ministerial proposals for the
remedy of Irish grievances.