Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-28
A "REMINISCENCES or ROSS.
The Sword Champions Exploit in the
Zulu War.
From, the Omaha Bee.

FROM the omaha Bee.
every bullet has Its billet'' is an old
saying, but not one in a thousand hits
man, Is as true. Duncan G. Ross, the
young man who is the champion all
round athlete of America, and who TO-
day, as swOrdsman, challenges the
world TO compete with him on horseback
with sabres, when in the British army,
by his sOldierly bearing and fearless
horsemanship, attracted the attention oil
Lord Charles Berestord, or Fighting
Charley" as he is called, one of England,s
brightest young Generals. The result
was, when the troops sailed LOT
Africa to take part in the Zulu campaign,
Ross Was amongst them as chief OF head.
quarter orderlies, Lord BeresfOrd being
IN command OF the cavalry, In Africa,
on the march to the interior. fully one
third OF the troopers were laid low by
sickness, Ross undoubtedly through his
aDstemlous habits and healthy scotch
dlet IN MS youth, almost alone retaining
his gayety and vim, aiding one comrade
here, cheering another there, until Fam
buka was reached, where good water being
available, an article horses and men had
been without for thirty-eight hours, camp
was pitched, pickets posted, and the worn
out troopers sought repOse. But hardly
two hours had passed before the
alarm was sounded and every
man that was able fell into the ranks Of
his command. Lord Beresford, who is
peculiarly English In appearance and
manner, with his eye-glass in his eye, in
CURED of his chief of staff what the deuce
the black beggars meant by kicking up
SUCH an internal row just as a fellow had
got to sleep! No time was given for re-
ply, the enemy attacked in force, they
came in swarms from the cover of what
seemed an tnextricable tangle Of brush.
Quietly giving command, two hundred
men under Maj. Gillespie fell to the rear
with orders to make a detour and sur.
prise the enemy In flank or rear, des-
perate plan when 1t was estimated
the blacks were in force to
the number OF 6,000 Time
elapsed, the fighting grew hot, the nigs
fell In scores, but for every fallen one an
other was there to take his place. Beres-
ford was anxious and longed for the diver
sion in his favor the detached 200 men
would produce. He could bear it no
longer, so calling Ross, with a brief eX-
PLANTATION as to Maj. Gillespie's orders
and the probable length of mis- detour,
commanded him to bring his force into
action at once front, rear, flank, anywhere,
so that he struck the enemy. With
salute and 81 understand,
General" Ross put spurs to his horse,
put not further in the direction Indi-
Gated than few hundred yards, when,
suddenly wheeling, he made straight for
the massed crowd Of blacks, and shout
ing like veritable fend, piled his sabre
right and left, as though at pursuing
practice In the riding school. His good
angel was there with him, for at the end
or twelve minutes his horse fell dead, one
OF his boots completely cut away, but with
dubbed pistol in one hand and a
broken sabre IN the other his ire
mendous strength was making
such havoc that a panic struck his ad-
yersaries, an opportunity not lost by
Beresford, who, quickly missing his
troops, made a charge that sent all before
it helter-skelter. The upshOt was that
Ross was offered a commission, but
quietly said he preferred to remain as he
was, for he could enjoy himself and have
money to spare, but as an officer his pay
would not prevent him being always In
debt.