Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-15
A DASHlNG CHARGE
highlander Daring Bush Across a
Death Valley.
VICTORIA CROSS FOR The, PIPER
Most Thrilling Incident of the War
in the East.
DIsLODGED THE TRIBEsMEN

ELI 1t1E i HlDEOME Elm
LONDON. November 15.-The newspa-
pers of this city have received graphic de-
tails by mail of the recapture of Dargai
ridge on the Afghan frontier by the Cor
don Highlanders October 20, during which
that regiment exhibited remarkable dash
and courage
After the fighting Monday, October 1S,
between the column of British troops COM
manded by General Sir Yeatman Biggs and
the tribesmen from Chagru on the SANTANA
range, the British retired upon Shinware,
and the enemy, greatly. reinforced, reoccu-
pied Dargai ridge. which commands Cha
CRU. This capture and the eventual re-
treat from Dargai ridge has been pro-
nounced by some to be military error, but
on the other hand it has been defended on
the ground of the extreme difficulty expe-
rienced in transporting supplies through
such a mountainous country.
On Wednesday, October 20, General BiggS
sent the I'd division to dislodge the tribes
men from the Dargai ridge. The position
was very strong one, the enemy occupy
ing the summit of precipitous hill. The
top of this hill could be reached only by
single path, along which the attacking
force, at first consisting of a Ghurka regi-
nent. the Derbyshire regiment and the
climb in Indian Gle, while three batteries of
artillery shelled the sangars or breastwork
entertainments of the hill men.
Dargai ridge. from the direction Of the
assault it is now more fully explained,
presents frontage Of about mile, the
left end of which is sheer rock for 2UW
yards. In spite of the difficulty Of the as
cent, the movements of the British troops
were fairly well covered, except In the case
of the low dip or small valley. from 100
to $50 yards wide, about half way up the
ridge. This dip was exposed to the direct
fire from the summit OF the ellis.
Across the Death Valley.
AS the Ghurkas, supported by the Derby
shires and Dorsetshires, reached this fire
zone the top of the cliffs burst out into
fame for a thousand tribesmen had re-
served the fire of their rifles until that
moment. Though decimated. the little
mountaineers (Ghurkas) struggled across
the dip and reached the shelter of a few
rocks, where they lay down under cover for
a moment or so in order to recover their
breath. Then, led by their officers, they
made rush for the cover of the cliffside.
But the others could not follow and the
enemy with true military instinct. re-
served their fire. Though the remainder
of the Ghurkas. the Derbyshires and the
Dorsetshires appeared on the fringe or
the dip, yet to step into the fire zone was
to court death. But the Dorsetshires again
tried to advance to the support of the
Ghurkas, and thirteen men struggled into
the open space, only to drop before the
far side haven was reached. Already the
little dip was strewn with corpses. and SO
bloodthirsty were the enemy that a wound
ed man had but to move a limb to become
the target for a dozen marksmen.
Iany man struggled to his knees or to
lis feet only to be struck down again. and
many sacrificed their own lives while try
ing to save their comrades 1t was in
reality "a passage of DEATH
Then reluctantly the senior officer hello
graphed down to the main body of the
British troops that the passage could not
be made.
Highlanders to the Front.
At this juncture Gen. Kempster ordered
the Gordon Highlanders to the front. 80
The time had arrived for desperate ac-8
ton, for it was then o'clock in the after
noon, and the dead end wounded were
lying thick on every side over 100 men
bad already fallen, and the enemy were
shouting their defiance and waving their
battle flags or standards and beating their
drums confident of the impregnabhity of
their position and certain of their success
But the Gordon Highlanders had yet to
be reckoned with. Rapidly forming his
men, and after his now historic speech,
Men Of the Gordon Highlanders: Our
general says that position must be taken
at all costs. The Gordon Highlanders will
take it," Col Matthias, the commander If
the Highlanders, dashed out at the head
of his gallant regiment and in a moment
they were across, carrying every one with
them in their onrusn. storming the ridge
with a resolution that resstless and
beating down all opposition.
When Colonel Matthias gave the order to
advance he and his officers leaped into the
open, and the pipers Of the Highlanders
followed, striking UP Cock of the North"
and with a shout the leading company Of
killed men was into the fire zone. A stream
of lead swept over through and past them
bullets churning up the dust, which half
hid the rushing bodies.
The Piper In the Lead.
Piper Findlater, blowing his loudest and
best, was among the first to show the way
across that deadly strip of ground, and,
when, after traversing but few yards,
he was laid low by shot through both
legs. he managed to prop himself up
against boulder and continued with I'M
abated energy to play Cock of the North,''
animating his comrades by the familiar,
stirring music of his beloved pipes.
But the fire of the enemy was most dead
ly; the leading line melted away and it
| seemed that the Gordon Highlanders would
be annihilated. More men, however, sprang
into the passage, and the leaders strug-
gled across to the cover. There then was
a lull, and, as one paper remarks, lone
had time to see how cruel had been the
Slaughter
Then with a second cheer the mixed
troops, Highlanders, Dorsetshires, Ghurkas,
Derbyshires ard Sikhs streamed across.
| and the enemy, seeing the barrier had been
swept away, left their loopholes and rock
barricades and fled precipitately down the
reverse slopes, without waiting for the
| line of cold steel which was then nearly
on the crest of the ridge. ,a~
Piper Ftndlater has been recommended
! for the Victoria cross. "a qi.rr
| Captain Robinson of the Gbiirkas also
acted with the greatest gallantry. After
| leading his men across the fire zone to the
| cover and finding the force there INSULT
Gent, he returned over The death trap.
| alone, and was mortally wounded while
leading the secoI.d rush of Ghurkas to sup
port the first body Of that regiment