The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-12-13

which sloped ut a sharp descent.
The night passed quietly and some Of
our men began TO think the natives had
Withdrawn from our locality TO 60 to the
front Those OF us who had fought them
before knew better. At eight O'Clock
got upon the platform with spyglass,
and looking into the thiokets on tho
other side Of the valley | was sure I
could see at least 500 natives. That was
really only half the number From the
movement OF those could see felt Ger
tain they were about to charge, and had
scarcely reported this when they broke
cover with yells and shrieks and dashed
at the fort. The Idea Of tho platform
must have been an Inspiration. But for
1t the fort would have been taken Ia five
minutes.
AS the natives broke cover the loop
holes were manned and the rest OF the
force ordered on to the platform Rum
ming ahead OF the main line were thirty
or Dirty men, each with great stick IN
his hand After them came as many
more dragging rude ladders, the ruugs
which were made OF vines. At The very
first dash, aud without losing over three
or Four men, the fellows plugged up
every loophole and minute later their
ladders were set against the wall With
cut orders, realizing the situation, the
seventeen men as the Ioopholes made
their way to the platform. Each of us
had over two-feet of space TO cover,
making long thin line. The natives
swermed mp the ladders like so many
monkeys, and though we had great adj
vantage in overlapping them, they
showed such recllessness thatwe had four
men killed and two wounded before we
repulsed them. After emptying our
muskets W. used the bayonets alone
and some OF our men killed seven or
eight Of the assailants. As they became
demorsiized and started to retreat we
opened on them with the extra muskets,
aud when the last gun had been fired We
counted 1893 dead men in sight. But for
the platform tnoy would have swarmed
oyer the walls like SO many bees.
From this out the real siege had en-
tered upon. Bodies Of natives were sta
tionod on every side Of us within musSet
range, and steady and harrassifig Gre
was mOintaiued night and day After
the flrst two days artillary was employed
Although it was not hoavy enough to
break the walls, it answered the purpose
for annoying us. Our killed we had to
bury inside the fort, nor could we get
outside to do anything with the Afghan
dead All lay upon about half an acre
OF ground, aud so near us that after
thirty six hours we began to scent the
taint in the air. 1t was The plan of the
enemy TO eaye their dead here to work
our destruction, and for time it seemed
as II success would attend 1t.
About noon, while rummaging in the
underground storehouse, | came across
barn el of alcohol, which had been cap
tured with some other baggage a month
before. If the Afghans knew what it
was thay had not touched it. in case
beside the barrel was quantities OF quin-
inc, morphine, ealomel, and other drugs,
which our hospital corps had lost at tho
same timo. When / reported the find
/ 70 toe hiea4Snant ! also made a reque~t
Of him, and after considerable argument
it was granted. Night came on with a
strong wind from the north and an over
!
when was let out of the gate with two
pailfuls OF the alcohol. The natives
We're firing away as usual and as walk
ed down among the dead ] heard tho zip
OF bullets all around me- ! had sntu-
rated cloth over my mouth and cotton
In my nostrils and Icould stand the odor
very we'll. There was considerable
grass and brush on the field, aud / die
trihuted the alcohol pretty literally
over both the soil and the dead 1t took
four trips to empty the barrel. IL Yves
| then knocked to pieces and the mate
rial carried out. The last aot was 10
light match and set fire to poper,
and minnie later / was safe in the
fort and the field of the dead was all
ablaze. Before midnight we had wiped
out the threatened danger, much TO the
chagrln and indignation OF the natives.
The relief came too late, however, for
some Of our poor follows, Within the
next three days wo had five deaths,
every one Of them, no doubt, due to the
pestilential odor, aud tho constant
strain Of watching had begun to tell up
on all the living.
We had been afraid the natives would
bring up a mortar and drop shells into
the tort, but we had been besieged for
three weeks before they got one into
position. They opened FIRE one after
noon, but OF ten shells sent into the air
10 drop down on ourheads all went wild.
Then the mortar burst, killing all around
it, and we were safe. On the fortieth
day from the hour we entered the fort
the natives made another dash at the
walls. Our force was now reduced to
thirty-one men and four Of those wero
down with fever and unable to raise
their heads. We had warning OF the
DASH and we're prepared for It. Every
man on the plaiform had three loaded
muskets. " Q took thirteen loaded shells
belonging TO the gun cut the fuses short,
and laid them on the wall. Beside each
was piece OF lighted punk. It was es-
tlmated that there were fully 800 natives
in the attacking party, and they carried
about fifty ladders. The fight didn't last
ten minutes. II was the shells we rolled
down among 'em which did the work !
believe the dead and wounded We're fully
200, but they could afford that loss
better than the three we had killed out
right.
The cool weather had now come and
on the night Of the fght snow fell TO The
depth Of six inches, For two days after
not a shot was fred, Then, for the next
twenty, we had no rest day or night
They did not attempt another assault
but cody calculated to wear as out A
few more days would have accomplished
this. On the seventy-frst day of our in.
vestment We we're relieved by a British
force, but there were only eight men o
us able to stand on our feet. In all, only
, twenty-five Of US we're alive On the day
Of The relief fifty Aighans could hav,
, scaled the wells and taken the fort.-N
Y. Sun.