The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-17

despatched him upon such duty as this ?
Yet he sent the Prince Imperial, the heir
to the throne of France, the guest OF
England, lad new to soldering, who
could have known nothing whatever OF
the duties of scouting and the care neces-
sary to be observed upon such an expe-
dition as that on which he was engaged.
Nor does the officer who accompanied
him appear to have been more instructed
in his duty, if it be true that the party
unsaddled their horses and sat down for
an hour in the heart of Zululand without
even taking the precaution of putting a
man on duty to act as scout.
CASES OF HERoIsM.
"But, sir, unhappily, this terrible blum
der of British staff officer in high posi-
tion is not the only, nor indeed the most
lamentable and disgraceful, feature of the
affair. Englishmen cannot read the ac-
count of the struggle itself without a
deep feeling of shame. The party had
just saddled their horses when the alarm
of the Zulus was given. Each leapt
upon his horse and galloped for his life.
There was no thought of the brave young
Prince; no one looked round to see if
the whole party were together, or had
thought for any one but himself Con-
trast this selfish fight with some of the
heroic incidents of the present campaign
which have been published. Think of
Major Leet, at Zlobane, hotly pursued by
the Zulus, yet sticking by his dismounted
friend, Lieutenant Smith, who ran by his
side holding on by the saddle, and from
time to time turning round, shot with his
revolver those Zulus who came within
assegai reach. Hotly pressed, and with
Smiths strength failing, Major Leet made
a great effort, and by main force hauled
his comrade up to his horse behind him
and bore him off in safety. Think, again,
of Captain Brown at Kambula, who
when volunteer who had dismounted to
fire was unable to regain his seat, his
horse being frightened by the advancing
Zulus rode back and held the mans
horse and assisted him to mount when
the advancing line of the Zulus was just
closing round him. Contrast these cases
with the 8auue qui peut of the officer and
men who accompanied the Prince Impe- |
rial. Nor was the desertion and panic
merely momentary. We are informed
that it was not till they reached the deep
cutting, 300 yards away, that they looked
around, and finding the Princes riderless
horse following them, concluded that he !
was killed. At that time no Zulus ap-
pear to have been close on their track,
but not one of them thought of turning |
horse to see if the Prince was near. Had |
they done so, had they even waited for |
minute, they would have saved his life,
for it was in this very cutting that his
body was found. He had apparently |
kept ahead of his pursuers on foot thus
far, and had the horsemen waited-still
more, had they ridden back to meet him
he could have been saved, as Lieuten-
ant Smith and the volunteer above spok-
en- of were saved.
THE FIRST BLUSH.
No comment on my part can deepen
the feelings of shame which every officer
in the British army must feel at perusing |
this narrative. 1t is but too evident that |
the persistent maintenance at his post of
q commander-in-chief wholly unequal to
the position has acted most deleteriously |
upon the staff officers and troops employ
ed under him. The one have been alter
nately incapable and reckless, the other
have imbibed that overwhelming dread |
of the enemy which has distinguished |
Lord Chelmsford's operations ever since
the fatal day of Isandula. Had the young |
Prince who has been sacrificed to the
recklessness of British staff officer and
and to the want of calm cool courage on |
the part of those who we're with him been
q subaltern of our own army, the occur
ence would have not been less disgraceful,
but it would have been less notorious.
AS it is noble young prince has fallen a |
victim, and the circumstances will be dis |
cussed and criticized by every officer in |
Europe. 1t is needless to say what the
comments will be. Up to this time we
have sustained many military disasters
and have made many military blunders,
but never before this occasion have
blushed at signing myself, sir, your obe-
dient servant, A BRITISH OFFICER"
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