The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-17

sourcefulness and courage, recall scenes
in the great Indian mutiny. For eight
DAYS the garrison was hard pressed,
and at times even unable to signal or
telegraph. Completely isolated and
surrounded by blood thirsty Pathans,
the troops never appear to have lost
head or heart under the most terrify-
ing circumstances. Who that reads the
account of the gallant defense can
withhold their admiration for officers
and men, spending watchful days and
sIeepless nights, and with, at the best
only limited means of communication
with Malakand:
"On the afternoon of the 26th large
gatherings of Pathans were seen on
both sides of the Swat river above
Chakdara, and they gradually drew
nearer was playing polo at hhar,
was warned of their coming and rode
back with some Sowars and only ar
rived at Chakdara just in time to re-
sumo command before the enemy clos
ed the approaches to the fort. The gar
rison consisted of myself, as command
ing officer, and Lieut.. Wheatley, OF the
Forty-fifth Sikhs, Surgeon Capt. Hugo.
with two companies of the Forty-hfth
Sikhs, and twenty-five SoWars, EleV-
enth Bengal Lancers. A hav1ldar OF
the Dir levies, who asked to be allow
ed to do some spying, was sent out
with orders to strike light when the
enemy were about to attack After
dinner. at about 1920 p. m, we were
standing on the verandah when we saw
a light f1ickering out of the darkness.
The alarm was at once sounded, and
almost Immediately afterwards the at
tack began. Three times during the
night the enemy tried to scale the walls
by means of ladders taken from the
civil hospital, and 'sniped' all night;
but it made no effect on the defense
AT dawn the enemy retired, and at 8
a. m. Capt. Wright came in with Capt
Baker, transport officer and forty-two
SoWars Eleventh Bengal Lancers-a
welcome addition, as even with them
the fort was very much undermanned.
cat II a. M on the 9th the enemy
again came on to the attack, but were
repulsed, and, for the rest of the day,
contented themselves with trying to
pico off the defenders. The signalers
on the signal tower showed what
Sikhs can do, as most of the messages
sent to Malakand had to be hello
range. Besides this, the signal tower
had to be supplied with water, ETC.,
from the front, and until the 31st this
was done between the attacks, the
enemy usually giving us a respite for
few hours every morning. But after
the 31St the investment was so close
that, with the paucity of men, it was
impossible to send them anything
Indeed, on Aug. 2 the men on the sig
nal tower had been without water for
fifteen hours
'At IL p. m. on the 9th the attack
began again on all sides. AS on the
previous day, it was noticed that a
crowd was coming down the road
from Uch, and at a range of about
200 yards case shot was fired from
the nine-pounder gun, which must
have accounted for about fifty of the
enemy and effectually checked the ad-
vance After this the attack dWin-
hills, and sniped' away all day with
died away into desultory firing until
dawn when the enemy retired 70 the
out effect. The morning was spent in
providing head cover and strengthen
ing the defenses. AT $50 p. m. the
enemy, who had been largely rein
forced, advanced again with a sea Of
standards, and came by rushes to
within $50 yards of the fort. They all
made attempts every now and then
10 Cross III6 wire OuI-
side the lower yard by means of big
bundles of grass. Next morning, as
we were left alone, we busted our
selves putting up traverses to protect
the men at the fort gate, Who had
been hotly fired on from the other
side of the river. Capt. Baker, Second
Bombay grenadiers, who took charge
of the erection of defenses, toiled all
day long through the heat Of the day,
and through his strenuous efforts in
putting up head cover, etc, must have
as matters turned out, saved the lives
of a large percentage of the defend
ers.
"At 8 p. M on the 29th the enemy,
who had been again largely augment
ed in numbers, attacked as before on
all sides Enormous numbers collect
ed near the signal tower, defended by
a havildar and sixteen men of the
Twenty-fifth Sikhs, and at 4 p. m
made determined assault on it
which was again repulsed. Again, al
p. m, they came on and set fire tc
a grass chaffar within six feet of the
lower tower. Seeing this, the crowds
round set up shout of victory, but