The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-16
DARGAI RIDGE DASH
GRAPHIC STORY OF THE GALLANT
CHARGE OF THE GORDON
HIGHLANDERs
Bss
INTO A RAIN OF LEAD.
NO HESITATION WHEN THE Or
DER WAS GIVEN TO MOVE
FORWARD.
THE VICTORIA CROSS FOR A PIPER
Shot Through the Legs, He Propped
Himself Up and Cheered His
Comrades On.

LONDON, Nov. 15.-The newspapers
Of this city have received graphic de-
tails by mail Of the recapture of Dar-
gal Ridge by the Gordon Highlanders
on Oct. 20, during which that regiment
exhibited remarkable dash and cour-
age. On Wednesday, Oct. 20 Gen. Biggs
sent the Second division to dislodge the
tribesmen from the Dargai Ridge The
position was a very strong one, the en-
envy occupying the summit Of a pre-
cipitous hill The top Of this hill could
not be reached except by a single path,
along which the attacking force, first
consisting of a Ghurka regiment, the
Derbyshire regiment and the Dorset
shire regiment, was obliged to climb
in Indian file, while three batteries of
artillery shelled the breastWorks of the
hillmen.
Dargai Ridge, from the direction of
the assault, presents frontage of
about a mile, the left end of which is
sheer rock for 200 yards. In spite of
the difficulty Of the ascent, the move
ments Of the British troops were fair
ly we'll covered, except in the case of
low dip, or small valley, from 100 to
$50 yards wide, about half way up the
ridge. This dip was exposed to direct
fire from the summit of the cliffs. AS
the Ghurkas, supported by the Derby
shires and Dorsetshires, reached this
fire zone the top of the cliffs burst out
into flame, for a thousand tribesmen
had reserved their fire until that mo-
ment. Though decimated, the Ghurkas
struggled across the dip and reached
the shelter of a few rocks, where they
lay down under cover for moment in
order to recover their breath. Then,
led by their officers, they made rush
for the cover of the cliff side. But
the others could not follow, and the
enemy, with true military instinct, re-
served their fire Though the remain
der Of the Ghurkas, the Derbyshires
and the Dorsetshires appeared on the
fringe of 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 thir-
teen men struggled into the open space,
only to drop before the far side haven
was reached.
Then reluctantly, the senior officer
photographed down to the main body
of the British troops that the passage
could not be made.
At this juncture Gen. Kempster Or
dered the Gordon Highlanders to the
front. The time had arrived for des-
perate action, for it was then o'clock
in the afternoon and the dead and
wounded were lying thick on every
side. Over 100 men had already fallen,
and the enemy were shouting. their de-
fiance and waving their battle flags
nd Of
the impregnability 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 High
landers: Our general says that posi-
ton must be taken at all costs. The
Gordon Highlanders will take IT," Col.
Matthias, the commander OF the High
landers. dashed out at the head of his
gallant regiment, and in a moment
they were across, carrying every one
with them in their on-rush, storming
the ridge with a resolution that was
resistless and beating down all oppo-
sition.
When Col. Matthias gave the order to
advance, he and his officers leaped
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.
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
a shot through both legs, he managed
to prop himself up against a boulder
and continued with unabated energy
to play Cock of the North" animal,
ing his comrades by the familiar, STIR
ring music of his pipes.
But the fire of the enemy was most
deadly; the leading line melted away
and it seemed that the Gordon High
landers would be annihilated. More
men, however, sprang into the pas
sage and the leaders struggled 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 and Silxhs
streamed across, and the enemy, see
ing the barrier had been swept away,
left their loopholes and rock barricades
and fled precfpitately down the reverse
slopes, without waiting for the line of
cold steel which was then nearly on
the crest of the ridge.
Piper Findlater has been recon-
mended for the Victoria cross. Capt.
Robinson, of the Ghurkas, also acted
with the greatest gallantry. After
leading his men across the fire zone to
the cover and finding the force there
insufficient, he returned over the death
trap alone and was MORALLY wounded
while leading the second rush of Ghur-
kas to support the first body of that
regiment.