Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-20
DEATH OF THE PRINCE.
THE STAMPEDE WHICH COST THE
LIFE OF A ROYAL HEIR.

An Ex-Officer of the Transvaa1 Military
Service Tells the Story of the Prince
ImperiaPs Death-An Incident in Con-
nection.
1.-The first | saw of the prince imperial"
said Commandant Alfred Awkward, an officer
OF the Iransyaal republic at the time of the
Zulu war, was in connection with an Incl
dent Which bears directly on the manner Of
MS death. His charger, gray horse, with
otaer animals belonging to the staff, was in
front OF the Royal hotel at Pietermaritzburg
awaiting staff movement by Lord Chelms-
1ofd The prince, taking a run, vaulted
from the rear on to the back of the horse,
winch, unused to such treatment, flung him
1nto the middle of the street. He would
always mount from any side, from behind or
IN front, regardless of the usual aids and
always without regard for discipline or mill
tary custom, and the spirited gray charger
was most certainly frightened by the start
ling mounts.
ION June l, 1879, the headquarters camp
of the British army was on Conference Hill,
Zululand, and Quartermaster General Carey,
OF the Eighth foot, was ordered to inspect
ana report on it new site some miles to the
front. He proceeded with two Basutos
(kafirs) and six mounted Europeans as an
escort to do this duty. The prince prevailed
on Carey to take him with the party. Al
the time the prince had no rank, honorary OF
otherwise, and no duties to perform in con
nectlon with the British army. He was a
visitor to the staff and headquarters and
came in no sense into ORDERS
The patrol, as it must be called, in a ride
OF one hour, reached suitable ground on the
left bank of tho I5yotyozi, a stream running
with about six inches of water in direction
little north of east. The ground was one,
and unrestricted, save by q field of standinr
corn and the walls of few dis;nantled native,
kraals. There were no woods near. but to
the left was range Of hills not exceeding
400 feet above the stream level, and the sum.
mits of which were distant less than l.3Oi
yards. The party intended to sketch, report
and return, and had no impedimcnts with
not even eaccls or tents-only Carcy's fell
note book and the coffee kettles of the troor,
ers. The party halted and disnounted a,l,
made coffee. They sat down for q picnic i:
the slight shade afforded by the shadow fall...
ing to tho south Of the tall corn. Tho horse
were turned loose, and 10 sentry was posec;
to protect tie party. After an hour b.,
elapsed ore of the La1ir5 warned Carey. say.
ing: Look outi l lave seen @ kaf:r. E;,,u.
But even then TO effort was made to watc,
the surrounding territory. The horses, how.
ever, were ordered to be brought closer, s-,f
some of the men caught an Gaddlei them
Ii nearly two and one-quarter hours ate:
the picnic had begun Carey consulted til
prince as to lis readiness to return to camp
which was plainly visible from whcre til
party was, the ground being level with IL,
Slight exception Of the dip into the Ityotyo-
and ordinary Typographical irregularities
Inc distance between tho prince and IL,
camp was, as the crow flies, les; than 81
miles. The prince assentcd, and tho part,
prepared to mount, the horses tails bc;.,c
toward the corn field and their heads towar
camp.
''The order Mount had not died AVA
when there calno the crack of q ittlo vollc
tired from behind and ct = rance of not NOR,
than tweaty-four feet. Sore had GAINED
their saddles and some werc still il tho ai1
when this startling Interruption took place.
Those who were fully mounted ralloped OF:
those who were half mounted scrambled OF
and followed as best they could. Two were
Hung wounded to The ground, and tho prince
imperial, who was engaged in his usual vault
ing performance, was left by his gray horse,
which dashed after tho other animals. bu.
still in their rear and liable to be overtakc,
and caught. Tho prince, O swift runner, die
catch the horse and again attempted iced
less method of mounting, this tiire scizinr
the left holster and making q spring. Tic
holster broke and down ho fell, tho horse
again getting away. Once moro was he
caught, fully 100 yards from tho place Of tic
fret m, 7
stlrrup leather, but il pulled out of its
springs, and he was thrown to tho Ground.
The horse, now thoroughly frightened. ga
olad away AID gained tao rear OF tho re-
treating party. Had Is been in CHARGE of
brave man c rescue could have been Effected
ter, tines before the final event occurred.
Carey, however, ro(:o Gway without even
counting his followers
The young prince imperial LEFT TO himself,
saw tho savaGes, who now appeared nine in
number. They killet! ore OF the men who kat:
fallen and wcroswoopins down for fresh vic
tim. lie Elado for tho river bed to get shelter,
but the Zulus, dividing, met hirl and cut off his
pathway, forcing him to reascend the SLOPE
He faced four savases, and vainly eadeavored
to defend himself with his revolver. Tho
cunning Gulus dropped to tho ground and hid
was over. when throwing their spears
(unl1oato), they in turn became assailants
Tho odds were overwhelming, and the prince
was hit il several places, stab over the eye
bringing him down. The Zulu who slew tho
prince, on rushing upon the fallen prey,
found him with bis sword in hand on his
knees, praying and feebly resisting at the
same time. The bravo and reckless youth
stabbed n death fIoo ,,d
his arms and ornaments were removed and
sent by the 2ulus to King Cetewayo, with o
report that some young officer had been over
come and the trophies forwarded as q duty
token,
''The Zulus We're not soldiers, but members
of the broken tribe of Sihayo. whose terri
tory had been causelessly overrun and de-
stroyed by Lord Chelmsford contrary to the
promises made in his proclamation and in
defiance of tho principles of war Tho zulus
had been lurking about the ruins of their de-
serted village and abandoned corn fields
when they discovered the enemy. There was
no preconcerted attack, and tho firing was
done without orders. They know nothing of
the prince imperial or of the comparative
value of lives, and simply killed because they
had been wantonly injured.
'The flying Carey, with his followers and
the riderless horses of the prince and his
companions in death, met but three miles
from the fatal spot the British cavalry under
Gen. Newdigate moving toward them. In
front rode Coils Redvers Butler and Evelyn
Woods, double Victoria Cross men. with
their light horse, Carey hurriedly reported
his scare, and, on being asked where the
prince imperial was, for the first time became
aware of the extent of the calamity
s'The body was not found until the next
morning, when, with the remains of the
other fallen, it was discovered by the Boer
light horse scouting parties, the Identified
ton Of the prince imperial being made by
Raaff, then lieutenant, but since COM
nlandant in the British colonial service."--
New York Times Interview.
The Faculty of Memory,
The faculty OF memory is the foundation
of genius. Few, comparatively, are ac-
quainted with the fine machinery Of the
memory, which is as capable O. being regu-