Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-04-04
THE DEFENSE OF DAMLI.

for another, the commodore had just
finished a yarn. Markham always
maintained that the atmosphere be-
came sulphurous after the commodore
had recounted a personal "Reminiscences,
but then he was given to exaggera-
ton. Still we felt grateful that the
story had passed of without the inter-
vention of a thunderbolt, and sat gasp
ing Keller and credulity. Then Mild
may, from sheer nervousness, be-
lieve, not from any desire for a recur-
renee Of the Ananias episode, stirred
up the colonel The colonel was sit
ting behind big cheroot. evidently
incubating kettle wherein to cook
the commodore a cabbage.
wonderful escape that, sir" said
Mildmay, addressing the colonel.
Yes. sir. We in the service in the
old days, before II became school for
step dancing and circus riding, used to
have experiences which the country
ie-er heard Of Adventures wc~c com
mon as bilberries. sir. in those days.
Cad, sir, a British soldier In those days
thought no more of walking 1900 miles
through the enemy's country than you
do Of step dancing around the park.
''probably. sir. you've never heard of
the defense of Fort paInliy No, sir.
don't blame you. sir, If you have not
heard of feat of arms which pre-
served half continent for her mai
esty, God bless her! We've all heard
of suppressed dispatches and lngrati-
tude in high places lest the feather
bed step dancers should be replaced by
men.
1T was in--never mind the date, sir,
and never mind the place. IL l men
toned them you would recall the cpl
sode, and it is not for me to boast by
telling the full extent of the services
it was my good fortune to render this
country.
"A foreign power mo, sir, / will men
ton no name-damme. sir! l hope l
know my duty better than to rekindie
international complications had stir
red up the niggers against US. | was
in command OF Fort Damli, sir, at that
time. with handful of men-a mere
handful-but men. sir, such as your
dancing schools do not turn out nova
days.
Fort Damh is built on a promon-
tory running out into the sea and Is
only get-at-able from one side. The
niggers had massed all their forces in
the plain in front of the fort. Twenty
thousand of them, sir-or rather. as
wish TO guard against exaggeration, |
will say that counted 19.s63-a-
swarming over the plain thick as
cheese mites in Stilton.
II had ninety-three men all told, in
GLIDING a one-eyed drummer boy, but
we laughed at them, sir. Whenever
the niggers came at the fort we loaded
our big guns with broken bottles, bed
steads, war Office regulations, which
was about the only thing they had sup
piled us with from home, and moved
them down by the dozens. When they
reached the walls my boys, giving
them cold pig. took tea with the mig
gers.
II used to sit on the powder maya
zine, smoking a chero0t, as comfort
ably as I'm doing now. Cad. sir, how
1t all comes back to me! That little
devil of drummer used to nip out
after the fight and mend his drum
with niggers' skins. After about a
+, fortnight Of it we had the niggers piled
! up three deep facing the fort.
i "well, we had held that fort for
! seven weeks--no. damme, let's be ac-
! curate, for forty-eight days-and we
looked like holding it for seven years,
or until there wasn't Niger left to
! come ON, when one afternoon, 1t was
about half-past on Feb. 21-Im not
likely TO forget that date in a hurry
i Lieut.. Simkins of the Bombardiers,
| my subaltern, came to me and said;
It's all up, sir. We haven't a round
Of ammunition left, and the niggers
I are preparing for general assault to
/ night He was brave man, was
i Simpkins-fell afterward at Seringap
! atam, cut clean in half by a cannon
/ ball-but he looked bit scared then.
"Ts that all?" | said, off-hand
Then we shall have some fun with
the bayonet. / am surprised at you
( sir, for reporting such trifie. After
this rebuke turned away, when tht
| little drummer almost ran into me In
his excitement.
Captain said he, salutingI was
! only a captain in those days-'three
/ men-of-war reported in the bay.
looked out to sea and saw, as plainly
dS Il sec JOuf oil thltt lilSatf6 6ldhh
ing on the horizon, flying the-hyini
the flag of the foreign power which
was aiding and abetting the niggers.
''Well, sir, / must admit that when
saw these ships and remembered tina
we had not a grain Of powder in the
whole blessed fort, I admit that for &
moment felt at loss. Another man
who was less anxious to keep to facts
might tell you that he never hesitated
but l, wishing TO deal with things a.
they were, confess ! felt at loss.
But only for moment. Lieu
Simpkins said. with sort of grin
Now. sir, you had better surrender II
the Fr-to the foreign power Sir
answered, drawing myself up, "a Tom
linson dies, but never surrenders'
beg your pardon? Yes, sir; quite right
BY peryersion of history these words
were attributed to Butcher at Sedan
But / hope you will allow that ough
to know when they were first uttered
Butcher may have adapted them.
make no complaint Well, as 1 said
for moment--a breathing space
felt that the game was indeed up.
sat down on one OF the now useles,
forty-pounders to review the situation
n