The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-06-03
SOMERSET, "A, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1891

The position During night We built a
Oomb-proof, hauled in large supply OF
ire-wood, and not one of us got wink
Of sleep. Day had scarcely broken when
We found ourselves surrounded by at
Ieas. thousand natives. The first move
on their part was to demand surren-
der. This was promptly refused, and
fire was then opened on the
fort We made no return, but avoided
the port holes as much as possible, cook
ed breakfast, and most of the men slept
until noon.
told you our fort was on the crest Of
q steep hill. The earth shnted away
from II in all directions for about forty
rods before there was any cover for an
enemy. So far as musketry vas concern
ed they might blaze away for year and
not hurt any one, bur We knew they
would soon bring up ield-pRces against
us. There was only one spot where they
could plant the guns to get the proper Ell
ovation on US, and that was .nst opposite
the north center of the fort, on little
plateau forty feet above tle travelled
trail. During the day We backed this
wall with other blocks ofstoIe and made,
it as secure as circumstances would per-
NIT. and when night came the enemy
had fired 5000 bullets at Us without in
Aicting the least damage.
We hadn't the lumber To build plat
forms around the walls, but We had suf-
ficient TO build three lookou stations at
three corners, and three sentinels took
their stations when darkness fell. What
we feared vas a night attask on scaling
ladders, AMI that was exactly what they
were planning for. Instead Of taking
time to make ladders, however, they
made rush on US about o'clock in the
morning with detail of nen, carrying
long poles TO rest against tn. walls. The
sentinels gave u timely notice, and
standing on blocks of stone 20 as to bring
US nearer the enemy as he ihowed up on
top of the wall, we tumbledhim off with
bullet and bayoiet so raFdly that he
drew off in great confusion
That attack was good thing for US
The enemy gave Us credit fr three times
our actual strength, and therefore deci-
ded to move with more cation in the
future, and it gave US the dea that our
position could ie defended against big
odds. During tle next daythe Afghans
kept up a slow ald irregular fire against
US, simply wasting their lead, and all the
men, except those on necessary duty,
were permitted to sleep. When night
came again we discovered he cause OF
their apathy. We plainly heard them
clearing away the mail trees on the pla-
team, and using thtspade, and knew they
were going TO plan artilleryto use against
US. The artillery branch o'the Ameer's
service was very weak, the guns being
Of light calibre ard the ammunition gen.
orally poor, but ID one coud doubt that
If gun or two WIS brought to bear on
us, and the enemy would Seep pegging
away, the shot ant shell wald in time
effect breach
We had about c, 300 roundsof cartridg-
es, as our slaughtered comrdes had left
three-quarters Of their store jehind them
and the sergeant ordered u; TO man the
ten portfolios on that side ad keep up a
steady fire on the plateau. t was firing
at random in the darkness, ut We doubt
less knocken some of them yer and GER
tainly delayed the work. 'hen morn
ing came we could see TIT they had
cleared the ground and beun to throw
up a small fort to hold gus. Our fire
had driven them off. Dring the day
they made bullet-proof screns of boughs
and mats, and paid US bu little atten-
ton. When night csmethey set uI
their screens and worked ebind them
and though our fire might ave inflicted
some slight loss, it did nobrevent then
from getting two guns in psition. They
had an earthwork six feet lgh to protec
the gunners, and as the sgeant looked
out and saw what had ben done, he
grimly said
We shall have a fewlays less tt
live"
While we were at breakast the gum
opened fire with solid she They wer
only forty rods away, anGyet the gun
merry was 50 poor that ie first min
shots were thrown away When the,
began to strike, however, e realized tn
damage they might inaic The stone
we're but little harder thaBandstone an
while too heavy to be hued down the
faxed and crumbled und- the impact
we manned the portfolio and fired a
the embrasures, and in thiway We chok
ed, though we could not Hence the fir
They got the guns trainedbn one partie
ular spot, and before nigi came We sa'
that they could breach in two day
more. As darkness close in their fiji
was suspended. They coid see the pr
gress which they had nde, and thel
was no need of hurry.
We had with US natTs born Yanke
who had fought under snost every fs
) and taken the oath alleiance to four ,
five governments and esly in the evel
ing we noticed him overauling the pi
of poles We had dragged n for frewoo
He at length selected ot four or f'
| which had all the sprir of America
hickory, and then unfoled his idea
the sergeant. 1t was simle enough, bV
: no one but a Yankee wuld have ev'
thought of it. We frstaid five sho
3 poles on the ground al pinned the
fast. Then three feet inhe rear Of the
! We elevated five other sbrt poles abo
I two feet from the grour, on crotche
, when the end of long pie was put ov
one Of these and rested against the ol
e On the ground, we had nat would ha'
| been a spring-board, ifthere had be-
| auy board about it. Wfhen nailed b
covers to the other ems of the polk
made ropes fast to bendhem down, al
E we had principle mad use of in "
o 1900 years ago.
a Now, then, pull dow the end OF t
d pole, place a stone on IL pole and let
, and the spring sends ie sto:e ayil
v skv high, to come dowrwith crash