Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-05-28
between the British and Zulus' du-
ring the relief of Ekowe:

! III VIZ
The site of the Gingholova camp
- commanding, and wood and wa
tor are plentiful in moderately close
proximity on all sides except the
rear. The ground falls away gent
~ into the broad valley of the In
yezane, which hereabouts is some
what thickly wooded with con-
siderable belt of the stunted mimo-
sa. The long grass round about Is
very luxnriant, and at distance
of about 500 yards of the camp
waved IA mellow field of Kailir corn
inst ripe for the sickle. On every
face of the position, at only few
stems from the shelter trenches,
there are numerous little hiIlockS
aud clumps of bush, not capable
of afTording much cover, but sui
(lcient to conceal an advance upon
the camp.
From an early hour yesterday
morning april 1sO it had been
streadily threatening for rain, ana
laarer was scarcely formed when
the storm came down upon us.
Everybody sought what poor shelf
or they could find under the lee OF
the Wagons, and for half an hour
or more the rain fell in torrents
the thunder pealed its loudest, and
the heavens were all ablaze with
the purple lightning. 1t was -four
o'clock when the storm cleared
away, and the condition in which
il left the lager and its inmates
NAV be better imagined than de-
sc,ibed. Six thousand human be-
inrs and 5000 head of oxen, horses
and mules all pent mp within mar
row space not more than 200 yard
square, all knee deep in mud, form
ed n picture of perfect wretched
ness and discomfort; while tn
ground remained in so damp con
di,ion that cooking was all but In
possible; and the General becam
, a very popular man when it wa
announced that he had ordered I
he served out to each man-na
= tiyes alone excepted-a liberal ia
9 ton of grog. Inc hrs
raw of the rising sun disclosed I
view on the slopes OF the MI
about two miles away on our r'gl
front a long heavy column OF IL
b enemy, estimated by competei
1 men at ten or eleven thousand
D Before entering the bush in IL
, valley below, two wings had brancI
, ed off. and the whole force had a
" but completed deploy moveme'
J. before il emerged on the plains b
+ low us. 1t was quite easy to pc
ceive, however, that a larger nun
u. Der issued from the bush than hi
:, originally entered it, and the ge
:, eral opinion seemed to be that
- least half of the entire impi W
, held in reserve. The CELEBRITY
|, the enemy's movements evoke
, more than little admiration al
T. surprise. From the moment wh'
- he was first sighted the advan
~ was maintained without any hi
- - or divergence, and so rapidly d
70 the circle formed around us dimi
;. ish i'm extent, that the front line
= skirmishers was within range
l. both rifle and cannon almost /
=, fore the reality of the attack h
IN become quite understood, and t
- defenders of the lager had settl
81 into their proper position. 1t W
10 hoped that the enemy would be
-. lowed and encouraged to come
- close quarters, for we were not
" short of seven thousand ril
with a couple of nine-pounde
the same number Of Calling gu
and four rocket tubes, with
o. enormous advantage of bel
strongly intrenched; while agail
" us were pitted less than our o
IS number of naked savages provid
DIS with inferior arms, and attack
he as we have since discovered, agai
he their own better judgment. L
- it was determined otherwise, a
y at n distance of about 1000 var
IL the ball was opened by dischai
ne from the Boadicea's Calling, plaC
in at the southeastern angle OF
CIV position. The enemy was not 81
l. to reply, and shortly the whirr O
"' and the whiz, the ping and the d
n thud of the various missiles, W
Nv to be heard at every point of
es lager.
h The attack was fully develop
., before twenty minutes after
''0 the Zulus having come on at
at double in most magnificent styl
{ indeed the attack was so unqr
,or tionably bold, that British troop
ev than whom we have not yet les
=. ed to believe there are better in
''' whole civilized world--couldn't h
ice done any better, if so well.
for civilized soldier avails himself
ur- anything that may offer in the
les of protection from the missile
=. his antagonist; and if he contir
w. to advance in the teeth of II
ma derous fire, it is because of
hat moral support he derives from
the mediate contact with some one W
rn- in hands reach who stands in
90 same perilous position as him'