Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-16
A HARD STRUGGLE.

We ofthe Twcniy.third British Pioneers,
supported by half Of the fifth regiment OF
Goorkas, had the advance ~ We moved out
Of Pcshawur for Cabul. skirmlshing be-
gun ~ soon ~ We were out Of the fortified.
lions, and for four holrs we were restored
and annoyed and put TO considerable loss
of life. Then we reached the mountain
pass known M the kashwn, and here road
came Ia from the north called III. Dark
Way. while the column rested 2OD Of rs
Pioneers pushed up this way for mile on
Reconnaissance, aud found small hut
,trong stone fort which had Just lccn de
serted by the natives. Word wa. sent
back, and tho result was that II company,
which numbered foftyseyen men. was de
tailed 10 occupy the fort. which we at once
christened Fort Baker.
The officer In command was Lieut..
Frayne. seconded by the orderly sergeant
and a frat corporal. We had been badly
brokcn up In the campaign aud our com.
missioned aud non.oommlssioned officers
wer. badly scattered, some dead. some In
the hospital. Others on detached service
was tho corporal alluded To above. Tn.
fort WINS built at u spot where the way or
road left the hills aud crossed valley
about half mile wide. We were at tho
southern edge Of this valley on n detached
hill, which was higher than any other
ground within gunshot. Therc was a line
spring on this hill. and tho natives had In
closed Il In a square fort covering one hun.
drcd SQUARE feet ofyround.
The garrison OF this fort had been called
out 10 assist In holding the main pass
against our army. and " had departed Ia
such hurry that We found four hundred
pounds OF powder. ak hundred pounds Of
lead, forty muskets. sixty blanket. and n
large stock Of provisions LETT behind.
There was also both shell and grnpcshot
for tho heldplece. Not doubling that wo
should be beslegcd as soon ~ the army
was out Of sight. We act TO work TO make
everything snug The gateway was blocked.
the extra muskeis loaded, and the men
assigned 20 positions IN squads. We took
possession about noon. and up To o'clock
the sound Of fighting In tho main pass
came plainly 10 our ears. They had scarce
~ dicd away when We caught sight VI six.
~ Afghans approaching "a by narrow
pathway from the west. They had been
down In tho kashwa fighting our column.
hut had becn driven OF. They were por-
ton only Of the garrison. the balance had
been killed by british bullets. These fci.
lows approached us without the slightest
suspicion, and their firt warning was q
volicy which knocked over u full dozen.
ON thht famous march TO cabul tho
watchword wns, Pass on" In more than
scorr OF instances the British army left
native gnrrisons to the right, left or rear Of
them. There was about ~ much danger
ia the rear ~ In the front. II was constant
warfare on line a hundred miles long.
We knew pretty well what TO look for, aud
were IN no wise disappointed when the sun
went down 70 md ourselves bcsiegcd by n
force Of ut least 800 natives. Our coup hnd
dumfounded them. however. and not gun
was fired during thu afternoon or night.
They must plan how bost 10 overcome Us.
Aud the problem no doubt worried them.
We had four stout walls ten feet hlyh,
oceans Of the purot water and provisions
for sixty days. II was hard TO figure
against that, and we turned In that night
with feeling that We would b. left undis.
turbcd. Nothing whatever occurred 10
alarm Us, and during all next forenoon wa
did not catch sight of native. Exactly at
noon native bearing dag Of truce cams
across tho valley As We did not want him
10 know our strength, | was sent out TO
meet him ten PAGES from the gate.
IL demand the surrender Of the fori,n he
said In broken English.
"And n We surrcnderw asked.
"Nou will all he put To DEATH"
"Ilut II we refusep
alt will 10 death just the same"
''Ihcn we refuse"
The native sialked OF without another
word or look, and soon disappeared across
the valley. Ten minutes later three field,
pieces opened fire on Us with solid shot from
this cover Of mass OF rocks aud hushes
about nix hundred yards away. Every ball
struck the north wall, but they might a,
well have been bullets, for all the harm
they did. We let them fire away for half
an hour, and then four Of the men who
carried elephant rifles, which had been
picked up ut Peshawur. went 10 the loop.
holes and dropped two gunners apiece In.
Side Of two minutes. This CAUSED tho bat.
terry 10 withdraw In hurry, aud we were
bothered no more that afternoon. Piled
against the eastern wall Of the fort on the
inside was large quantity Of heavy poles
and rude planks We had At first supposed
this material 10 have been brought In for
irewood, aud had used some OF II for our
hres. IL now occurred 10 tho lieutenant
that there were not enough loopholes In
The wall TO accommodate even our small
force. and that the natives had brought In
that stun TO erect platforms, lie at once
.et the whole force at work, aud we did not
knoek OIL until midnight. Then we Ind a
tolld platform against the north aud east
walls, being about seven feet high. This
would enable Ms 10 use the top of the walls
No brastwork. The other two sides OF
lhe fort could not be scaled because of
ME nature of the ground.
The night passed quietly. aid some OF
blr men began To thinl. the nntlyes Ind
.ithdraMn from our locality TO 20 To the
uSa- Ih9's " We wig bud fought ihsn,