St. Landry democrat., 1879-11-15
Am Irish Pal1dll1.
THE HEROIC DEATH OF LIEUT.. HAMILTON
AT CABUL-HOW HE WON TIE VIC
TOEIA CROSS.
boston Her3M.l


For the second time the Victoria Cross
has been laid upon q grave. The pre-
ccdent for decorating tho dead with the
most honorable distinction in the gift
Of the British Queen was set last May.
when the London Gazette announced
that tho badge of yalor had been earned
by Lieuts. Melville and Coshill the
young officers who fell in a desperate
attempt TO bear off the colors Of the
Twenty fourth Regiment from the fatal
field of Isandlana. Our latest European
files report another cmalnpIc of pOsthu-
nous reward. The Gazette of the
seventh instant contains an official
notification that the Queen, as the
courtly phrase runs, has bceu gra-
ciously pleased to signify her intention"
to confer the Victoria Cross upon Lieut..
Walter Hamilton, the gallant Irish
soldier who sold his life at Il heroic
price to the savage muttineers of Cabul.
In this instance the distinction WAS
secured not by the deed that brought
death, but by an earlier achievement.
The exploit which Won the cross for
Lieut.. Hamilton is well worth describ-
ing, both as Il splendid, feat OF arms,
aud because the story will give our
readers a fair idea of the work that
| is cut out, every now and then, for
officers who serve the Queen in India.
Last spring, when the khyber column
| was moving against Cabul, force Of
cavalry and horse artillery marched in
! advance under another glories Irish
soldier Gen. Cough, himself Il wearcr of
the Victoria Cross.
On April 2 the khugianS,. Il warlike
Afghan clan, mustered their strength
~, ;ot Il Of E,1tt t/,I,.
illusions with this body OF horse. The
action was very brisk fora time Three
troops of the famous regiment of Puniab
Guides we're hotly engaged, under their
major, Wisram Rattye. At Il critical
moment Major Battyc was unlorscd.
In the twinkling of an eye the fiery
! Pathans swarmed forward and cut him
down. Lieut.. Hamilton fonnd himself
the only European officer left with tho
regiment. He proved entirely equal to
| the emergency. RallyinS the disordered
| troopers, he inspired them to instant
vengeance, and led them against the
! khlgianis ln a charge which will never
be forgotten by that turbulent clan.
! The Guides, after breaking clear through
! the Afghan masses, reformed their ranks
Oh the other side, and Whirled back in
an even line OF red and gray that liter
! ally swept the enemy of the face OF the
/ earth. In the heat of the clalge IL
i trooper named Dawlut Ram went down
under his horse. While thus entancled,
! hc was set upon by three Afyhans. and
assuredly was il lost man, but for Lieut..
Hamilton, Who flung himself upon the
! assailants and killed all three. That
rescue won the cross for the valorous
dcliverer. 1t is said that the Irish
paladin cut down eight men to his own
! sword during the onslaught and pursuit.
! AS he had lived, so he died. The closing
struggle at Cabul was entirely worthy
of his reputation. When the mutineers
! blow down the gate OF the rcsidcncy,
Lieut.. Hamilton charged through the
gap into the street with his two Euro
I pean companions and the survivors of
! the G1lides. There is q flavor of old
| time fighting about that hopeless sally.
! The readers Of the Nibelungelied will
be reminded of Dankwart's cry when
! the Burgundians were besieged in the
Kings house by an innumerable host :
Let lis out. Few though we 'bo, we
do not grudgo to die; but let us breathe
! the air again, and fall in fight like war
riors." With the same martial purpose
to meet death in close fighting and un-
! der the open sky, Lieut.. Hamilton led
bis doomed command against the over
whelming array, and killed five nu-
tineers with his own hand before he
fell Well might Sir Stafford North
cote, in his speech at the Mansion House
banquet, in Dublin, assure his svmpa-
thctic hearers that young Hamilton
fell with Il courage which will long be
remembered, Never was a more prom
islug or more gallant subject lost to her
Majesty by being 80 suddenly cut off,