San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-10-28
BESIEGED By AFGHANS.


As a soldier under two Governments
have fought Sepoys, Beers, Hottentots
Maoris, Indians, Malays and civilized
white men, but for real, downright
ferocity and logged perseverance 1 give
the medal to the Afghans. Such thina
as eowardice is unknown among them
They are ready for fight at a moment,
notice, and they can stand the cold stee
and grape and canister longer than any
white troops l was ever opposed to
They are fanatics to the last drop Of
blood, and when an enemy fully believe,
that death on the battlefield means eter-
nal praise for his name and eternal rest
for his soul, he becomes doubly danger
Gus.
In the march to Cabul, which won
laurels for the British arms only that
they might be covered with the disgrace
OF bad diplomacy, we found the Afghan
on his own soil and on battlefelds of bis
own selection, and, though we could
drive him in every instance, each victory
cost US some of the best blood in the
English army.
One Of our outposts, as the column
was encamped in the Coota Valley to re-
eruit its strength and bring up supplies,
was nine miles to the north, where it
covered n strategic point. a detach-
ment of 100 men was kept there for if
teen days, being relieved every five days,
and went out with the last detachment.
We were all infantry, and we had 100
rounds OF ammunition for our muskets.
The post was not in the valley, but
mp among the hills, where 1t covered
three different passes, aud it was a ter
ribly lonesome spot. It was among the
ruins Of an old temple, and the first COM
panies holding it had used the great
blocks Of stone to build a fort. This
structure was about 100 feet square.
GROWING 4 steep hill, and the walls were
shout twelve feet high. Two sides of it
were the walls Of the old temple, strength
ened q little, and while it was a rude
affair as g fort it was a stout and safe re-
treat in case Of few men beng hard
pressed.
The blunders made in that historic
campaign are too numerous to be re-
corded. The most impartial historians
are agreed that incompefency was the
leading feature. We had been at the
post two days when the Captain in com
mhnd took fifty of the men for what he
called 3 reconnaissance up one of the
passes to the north of Us, and at the
same time sent twenty-five men on an
other fools Grand to the east. We had
been put there simply and solely to
prevent the enemy from coming down
the pass right at our door and entering
the valley. What was beyond US did
rot matter. There was muttering among
the men as they we're marched out, each
carrying twenty-five rounds of ammuni-
ton, and they called farewell" to the
twenty-five of US behind. half an hour
after they had passed out CT sight we
heard sharp firing to the north and east,
and not one single man ever returned to
US. They were ambushed in the defiles
and slaughtered, Just as might have been
expected.
On this very same day the main army
decided to advance. A courier was dis
patched 10 notify an outpost, but he
never reached US, either turning back
through fear or having been picked of
by some concealed rifeman. About five
O'Clock in the afternoon the natives ap-
peared ia large numbers, both above and
below Us. and then we knew what had
happened; indeed, they tainted us with
the annihilation of our comrades, aud
gave US the news that the main column
had moved on and deserted US. An old
Sergeant, who had passed twenty-five
years in the service, was in command of
US, and as soon as he fully realized the
disaster which had come about he called
the men together and said:
I'VE have no choice in this matter. A
thousand men could not push their way
down into the valley now to try and
ovegtake the column. We must remain
and do what we can.
''But what can we dot" asked cor.
poral.
"Dieir replied the Sergeant. THAT
what we were sent out here for, any
now. We are twenty-five to hundreds
and thousands. We must kill as many
as we can and then lay down ourselves. u
There wasn't glimmer of hope. We
knew the Afghan. In that long aud
bloody campaign neither side bothered
with prisoners. II we captured one, ten,
fifty, or a hundred it was puff bang
and they were left lying dead as we
marched on. il one of our men fell
into their hands his head was Topped of
or spear sent through him before he
could wink twice. They'd have the life
Of every man, even If they yielded up
twenty lives for one. Some would fol-
low on after the column, but hordes
would be left behind to harass the out
posts left along the line of communica-
ton.
Il stood US in hand to make good use
Of the few hours left to US. The Afghans
were elsted and excited and showed no
disposition TO attack that evening, but
we knew the morrow would open a siege
which might last until there was no
longer a man to defend the fort. As
there were five days ratIons for 100 men,
the twenty-five Of US had close upon a
months provisions. As for water, there
was spring bubbling up within the
fort, and all the preparations we could
make consisted in strengthening the po-
sition. During the night we built a
bomb proof, harled in large supply Of
firewood, and not one Of US got wink
Ofsleep- Day had scarcely broken whea
we found ourselves surrounded by at
least thousand natives. The first move
on their part wss to demand q surren-
der. This was promptly refused, and
mrsketB fire was then opened on the