The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-13
A HARD STRUGGLE.

| We of the Twenty third BRUSH Pioneers
supported by half of the Fifth regiment OF
Goorkas, had the advance as we moved out
| of Peshawur for Cabul. Skirmishing be
gan as soon as we ware out of the fortified
tions, and for four hoars we were pestered
and ANNOYED and put to considerable loss
| of life. Then 1--we reached the mountain
| pass known as the Kashwa, and here road
came In from the north called the Dark
| Way. While the column rested 200 of us
| Pioneers pushed up this way for a mile on
| a reconnaissance, and found small but
strong stone fort which had just been de-
serted by the natives. Word was sent
back, and the result was that B company,
which numbered forty-seven men, was de-
tailed TO occupy the fort. which we at once
christened Fort Baker.
| The officer in command was Lieut..
Frayne, seconded by the orderly sergeant
and a first corporal. We had been badly
| broken up in the campaign and our COM
| missioned and non-commissioned officers
| were badly scattered, some dead, some in
| the hospital. others on detached service
| l was the corporal alluded to above. The
| fort was built at a spot where the way or
road left the hills and crossed a valley
| about half mile wide. We were at the
southern edge of this valley on detached
| hill, which was higher than any other
ground within gunshot. There was fine
spring on this hill, and the natives had in
closed il in square fort covering one hun
dred square feet of ground.
The garrison of this fort had been called
out to assist in holding the main pass
against our army, and it had departed in
such hurry that we found four hundred
pounds of powder, six hundred pounds of
lead, forty muskets. sixty blankets and a
large stock of provisions left behind.
There was also both shell and grapeshot
for the fieldpiece. Not doubling that we
should be besieged as soon as the army
was out of sight, we set to work to make
everything snug. The gateway was blocked,
the extra muskets loaded, and the men
assigned to positions in squads. We took
possession about noon, and up to o'clock
the sound of fighting in the main pass
came plainly to our ears They had scarce
ly died away when we caught sight of six
ty Afghans approaching us by narrow
pathway from the west They had been
down in the Kashwa fighting our column,
but had been driven off. They were por-
ton only of the garrison; the balance had
been killed by British bullets. These fell
lows approached US without the slightest
suspicion, and their first warning was a
volley which knocked over full dozen
On that famous march to Cabul the
watchword was, "Pass on" In more than
a score of instances the British army left
native garrisons to the right, left or rear of
them. There was about as much danger
IN the rear as in the front It was constant
orfo
We knew pretty we'll what to look for, and
were in no wise disappointed when the sun
went down to find ourselves besieged by a
force of at least 300 natives Our coup had
dumfounded them, however, and not gun
was fired during the afternoon or night.
They must plan how best to overcome us.
And the problem no doubt worried them.
We had four stout walls ten feet high,
oceans of the purest water and provisions
for sixty days. 1t was hard to figure
against that, and we turned in that night
with feeling that we would be left undis-
turbed. Nothing whatever occurred to
alarm us, and during all next forenoon we
did not catch sight of native. Exactly at
noon native bearing flag of truce came
across the valley. As we did not want him
to know our strength, l was sent out to
meet him ten PAGES from the gate
81 demand the surrender of the fort" he
said in broken English.
"And if we surrender" asked.
"You will all be put to death"
"But if we refuse?"
"It will be death just the same" =
"Then we refuse"
The native stalked off 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
the cover Of mass of rocks and bushes
about six hundred yards away. Every ball
struck the north wall, but they might as
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 at Peshawur, went to the loop
holes and dropped two gunners apiece in
side of two minutes. This caused the bat
terry to withdraw in hurry, and 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 to have been brought in for
and had used some of it for our
fires. 1t now occurred to the lieutenant |
that there were not enough loopholes in |
the wall to accommodate even our small |
force, and that the natives had brought in |
that stuff to erect platforms. He at once |
set the whole force at work, and we did not !
knock off until midnight. Then we had a |
solid platform against the north and east |
walls, being about seven feet high. This |
would enable us to use the top of the walls |
AS breastwork. The other two sides of |
The fort could not be scaled because of |
the nature he ground
The night passed quietly, and some of |
Dur men began to think the natives had
withdrawn from our locality to 90 to the
'front.'. Those of US who had fought them
before knew better. At 8 o'clock l got
upon the platform with a spyglass. and
cooking into the thicketS on the other side
If the valley, was sure l could see at
east five hundred natives That was
'eally only half the number. From the
of those / could see felt car
ain they were about to charge, and had
scarcely reported this when they broke
over with yells and shrieks and dashed
It the fort. The idea of the platform
must have been an inspiration. But for it
he fort would have been taken.
As the natives broke cover the loopho,es
we're manned and the rest of the force or
Tered on to the platform. Running ahead
# the m ain line were thirty or forty men,
ach with great stick in his hand After
hem came as many more dragging rude
adders, the rungs of which were made of
ines. AT the very first dash, and without
osing over three or four men, the fellows
plugged up every loophole, and minute
alter their ladders were set against the
vail. Without orders, realizing the situa-
ion, the seventeen men at the loopholes