National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-08
An Unfortunate Regiment.

IL has been frequently mentioned, says n
London correspondent, in connection with the
Twenty-fourth Regiment, which has had such
an awfulexpericnce in Zululand, that it was
cut to pieces in jungle at ChillIanwallah
during the Sikh war, where its colors were
captured. There has been good deal of cor
rcspondcnce in the journals about this tragic
incident and, as the story is now coming out
in hard facts for the first time, II is interest
ing as a matter of history to preserve it, as a
companion picture to the one which is now so
fresh in the public mind
The battle of Chillanwallah was fought Jan
uary -, 1919. Lord Cough, at the head of %, 900
mon aud l25 guns, came upon the sikh army of
10000 at this village. and fierce engagement
was fought The English at the close held the
field of BATTLE having lost 2,269 in killed aud
wounded, the Sikhs 5000 killed and 1909
wounded. II fell to the lot of the Twenty
fourth Regiment to advance upon the strongest
position OF the enemy, defended by twenty
guns, with 6,000 infantry in position behind
the guns, and n body of cavalry to encounter
the attacking column in case 1t forced the pc.
sitiOn. The Twenty. fourth had to march upon
the guns through u jungle, thick with stumps,
trees, and brush, and here and there knee
deep in water. IL could not advance in
the time under fire. The men were plowcd
down by grapeshot and musketry. Those who
were left when they reached the guns charged
with the bayOnct and carried them. The two
lieutcnant -colOncls in command were killed |;
the senior major fell every captain except
one was killed the junior major was seriously
wounded. The captain who escaped had ridden
into action because he was n lame man to begin
with As he charged with the rest his horse
was wounded with a round shot, and the reins
were cut in his hands, but still he fought his
way through and got home. The gallant
regiment was unsupported either by
the native infantry regiments brig
AIDED with them or by artillery or
cavalry. 1t was, in It's way, q Balakava charge
-" somebody had bundered." regiment had
been told off to do the duty of an army. The
guns were taken, but they were not held, aud
| but few of the column returned to tell the
story of the defeat. Five hundred and fifty
men aud officers were killed and wounded
-twenty-threc officers out of thirty.two.
Sir Colin Campbell who commanded the
division to which tho Twenty fourth be.
longed, the day after the battle said to the
officer of the regiment In temporary command
The Twenty. fourth was sent to do impossi
bilities, and it accomplished rs much as human
beings could" In his historic account of the
battle, written, l believe, when he was LORD
| Clyde, .he wrote of the incident: "The regi
| lhcnt ulsplayeu devotion TO duty Whlch mas
been rarely oqualed, nd never surpassed; It'll.
impossible, indeed, for any troops to have sur
passed Her Majcstys Twenty fourth Foot in
the gallantry displayed at the assault" In re
gard to the loss of the colors, they did not fall
into tho hands of the Sikh chief Shere Singh
| The flag which was lost was either overlooked
by the victors or carried away by camp follow
ers When the two ensigns who defended th,
| flag were killed, private soldier seized it
| wrannpl IL round his arm and fall mOrtally
wounded. He would not give it up to his com
rades and in their retreat through the jungle
the poor fellow was lost. Such is the sad story
of the Twenty-fourth at Chlianwallah.