The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-08
4 CAMP In ZULULAND.
Unpleasant Features Of a Laager III.
Lower Tugela Creeping zulas :
in the Grass.

CORRESPONDENT Of The Cnpe Times. III (]kh
town. gives the following account Of 60
or laager at the seat Of the Zulu var III
larger on the Amatikulu gave q specimen
the form In which, now that connandglss
cautious, laagers are formed ON the max
II was late before the rear OF the column
rived at the river, but before darknessE
quite fallen the hundred wagons were iftT
end outward. into four faces OF q qladriidtSSa
area withiti which the sixteen hsifad@
dral1ght oxen, or whereabouts, were eoilseM
and the horses of the mounted men belon1S
to the escort ricketed. In front Of each |i
and at d 1istares Of twenty-five yards of9
from the wagons. a trench had been duRiN
night we used trench OF q former laa6i
eighteen inches deep, thus forming Wilt
raised banks a shelter three feet high foEH
soldiers stationed Within. gn tnls open III
val between the trench and the waggnSa
fires were lighted to prepare the evening III
and the coolies were soon busily emDloN
converting trek oxen into soup and stew 4
making tie soldiers chief cOInfort-sttt5
fragrant tea and coffee. don't belieya III
can possibly appreciate the value vi TIL
It's perfection Of flavor, until ne mas dra1f
black and steaming out Of q tin pannika NJ
the light Of camp lire revealing the lnte4
cheering draught When nothing better IL
be- had tea Ia supremely good. But yonda
sit long over supper or dinner table ID Luz
AZ half-past 8, as the bugle sounds, all HM
are nut out ali fires extinguished. ali toms
silenced fbar WhisperiDg), and the soldisuf
like an army OF mummies, wrapped closattlI
their blankets, at the side OF the sheltHk
trench. Officers who may be lndtsp0sedA
sleep Though after d long days marehN4
Il seldom much reluctance to court nasaH
sweet reposel enjoy IN groups q social III
under the wagons, and possibly some 8N
lust and benevolent man may be found, hi
has something In q bottle. OF which d ii
drop drop does not come unwelcome, eYaH
q til mug. But all night long the strhM
silence ID maintained, except among fAsH
regular troopers, who vOclferousiy adm
each other in the language OF marinerAK
exchange nautical compliments These M
fellows must be taught land fear that&
find the lesson a severe Onel that the d
line which enjoins silence In the calnlN
night Ia too necessary for the safety aNI
troops to be evaded with fmpunity. IN
| the Zulu, who creeps through the long ex
and who has been known to pass the M
within few yards OF our outlying pitM
| the sentry must be on the alert, with aIA
quick to detect the faiutest noise, as with
eye intent to penetrate the gloom.
| half-a-dozen roaring troopers In can1p,f
sentry's ears might be- fig leaves for anys
| they can be, And SO all night everythz
| is still, except for the occasional Challenge
| d sentinel. and the cry "AlPs we'll II pas
hour by hour from post to post. An hcuEl
fore the earliest dawn the reveille ~
| through the camp, and then one adInireel
perfect discipline OF the regular soldier
| less time almost than it takes to writsi
words, the lines Of recumbent munmiAl
all astir. No word is spoken, no noise
hustle made, but at once In the tWinklI1e
/ an eye, the trenches are lined with men.t
| every rifle Is grasped In hand ready f0rl
enemy. should the enemy be disposed tel
his strength again with an fntrenched fA
On Sunday night we occupied q new laae
the wagons OF our convoy being brought D
/ to our charge. In the afternoon the EtE1
Eighth and Bluffs were hard at work WITH!
spade digging the trenches; but they Won
smartly, and the thing WAS soon done.
some reason, to an outsider inscTutabIal
officer who selected the sits for the laal
chose the upper part Of o slope OF Al e.
from the rim or summit Of which an enes
could command three sides OF the laaRef4
/ distaace OF about twenty yards Hithoutbs
expostd to fire. OF course no enemy VIZ
| pectel that night; or, seeing that we hI
force on each side Of the river the Fifty.e
enth he ling arrived from Chelmsford i1
afterno3n), in addition to the garrison Of
fort, precaution was relaxed. But, III "A
was any reason for forming lager atsI
there was q reason for forming 1t propA
and SO much depends upon habit that It'll
portant upon all occasions to take such
cautions as would be necessary on occaal
OF real peril.
But enough OF the laager. A sentIn
echoed In Its full sense by many a British
Ger who, having come to this Zulu war hCF
1 for the glorious experience OF a campaign
opportunities OF distinction, Is sickening
this weary succession OF convey dg
broken only by the wearler sameness q q
/ life In the pestilential airs exhaled from
filthy Tugela. g