St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-26
SIEGE OF CHlTRAL.
Small Garrison NobIy Defended
the Fort.


CALCUTTA, April ga dispatch
h from Simla today announces that the
contents of the diary of DIR. Robertson,
the British political agent at Chitral,
who was besieged in the fort there. and
who was relieved on Saturday last by
the flying column commanded by Col.
Kelly, which reached Chitral from Gill
git after accomplishing a brilliant mil
ltary achievement in passing over the
snoW-covered Landar pass, 1900 feet
above the sea level, has been received
there and gives an account of the
siege. He says that on March the
British garrison made reconnaissance
In force and lost twenty-five officers
and men killed and had thirty-one
wounded. The siege proper began on
March T.. On the Sth the enemy tried
to set fire to the water tower, and on
the 18th the besiegers attacked the fort,
but were repulsed. The tribesmen on
April occupied summer house about
fifty yarGS from the tower, and on the
9th they advanced sanger or stone
breastwork to within forty yards of
the main gate of the fort. On April Z
the enemy attacked and fired the tower.
While the garrison was fighting the
flames, DR.. Robertson was wounded,
and several of the British force were
killed or wounded. The enemy on
April attempted to set fire to the cita-
del, and on the 18th the fort was at
tackled on all sides. The garrison made
a sortie on April II, and captured
the summer house and blew up the enc
my's mine. The British loss was six
killed and thirty-three wounded The
enemy lost sixty killed, of whom thirty
five were bayoneted by the troops en-
gagged in the sortie. On April 10 the
British soldiers suffered terribly from
bad food and the exhaustion of the
medical stores. The heavy loss of life
suffered by the besieged was due to the
splendid craftsmanship Of the en- envy,
who picked off the British soldiers
from behind sangers, which were built
on all sides.
BRAVE CAPT. WHITCHURCH.
LONDON, April ga dispatch to
the Times from the British camp at
Dir gives the details of the reconnais-
sance on March from the Chitral
fort. Capt. Campbell was sent to re-
connoiter to the south. He was at
tackled by the troops of Sher Afzm and
Umra Khan in great force. The enemy
quickly worked their way around
Campbell's flank, thus cutting off his
retreat. The British were obliged TO
fight their way back to the fort under
a close fire. Capt. Campbell was
wounded in the knee, but remounted
his horse and conducted the retreat
most CALAMITY. Capt. Baird was then
most severely wounded and lost to
sview. Presently Capt. Whitchurch ap-
peared, carrying Capt. Baird on his
hack. The former was obliged to drop
his burden every few minutes in order
10 rush at stone walls behind which
the enemy kept up a CALLING fire until
driven out by bayonet charges. Then
|tCapt. Whitchurch would return to his
wounded comrade, pick him up and
carry him until it became necessary to
make another bayonet charge. In this
fmanner Capt. Baird was conveyed back
ito the fort, where he died the following
morning. Before his death he strongly
urged DIR. Robertson to record the
bravery displayed by Capt. Whit
schurch.
!, A Simla dispatch to the Times says
that the defense of the Chitral fort
excites the highest admiration as COM
parable with the defense of the
Lucknow residency in the days of the
Indian mutiny. The native troops cs.s-
played the greatest devotion. A
private telegram from DR.. Robertson,
states that he is recovering rapidly
from the effects of his wound, and
that he will soon be ready for any
{ amount of work. It has been decided
that he shall retain political charge
IL.
Afzul may excite fanaticism in upper
Swat.
In an editorial this morning the
Standard says that the story of the
defense Of Chitral cannot be read with
out thrilling national pride. IT adds:
If ever the Victoria cross was fairly
earned it has been earned by Col.
Kelly
The Times and other papers publish
articles this morning similar to the
Standards editorial.