The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-16

London, Nov. 15.-The newspapers of
this city have received graphic details
by mail of the recapture of Dargai
Ridge by the Gordon Highlanders on
oct. 20, during which that regiment
exhibited remarkable dash and cour-
age.
On Wednesday, Oct 20. General Biggs
sent the second division to dislodge the
tribesmen from the Dargai Ridge. The
position was a very strong one. the
enemy occupying the summit of a pre-
cipitous hill. The top of the hill could
not be reached except by q single path.
along which the attacking force, con-
sisted of GhooTka regiment. the Der
byshire regiment and the b'OrestShire
regiment, was obliged to climb in In
dian Gle. While three batteries of artil
lery shelled the breastworlls of the hill
men.
DARGAI RIDGE.
Dargai Ridge, from the direction of
the assault presents a frontage of
about . mile, the left end Of which is
sheer rock for 20O yards. In spite of
the difficulty of the ascent. the move
ments Of the British troops We're fairly
well covered except in the case of low
dip, or small Valle.-. from 1GG to $50
yards wide about half way UP the
ridge. This dip was exposed to direct
fire from The summit eff the cliff
As The GhOorkas, supported by the
nerbyshires and Dorsetshires reached
this ire zone, the top of the cliffs burst
out into fame, for a thousand tribes
men had reserved their fire until that
moment. Though Gecimated, the Ghoor-
ed the shelter Of few rocks, where
they lay down under cover Tor 4 mo-
-ment in order to recover their breath.
Then led By their officers. they made
rush Tor The cover OF the cliff-sfde,
But the others could not follow and the
enemy, With true military instinct re-
served their fire.
Through the remainder of the Ghoor-
kas, The DeTbyshires and the Dorset
shires appeared on the fringe of the
dip. vet to steD into the fire zone was
to court death. But the Dorsetshires
again tried to advance to the support
of the GhOOrl1as and 10 men struggled
into the open space, only to drop before
the far side had even been reached.
Then. reluctantly. the senior officer he
liOeraphed down to the main body of
the British troops that the passage
could rot be made.
CHARGE OF THE FIGEILANDERS.
At this juncture General Kempster
ordered the Gordon HiEhlanders 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 we're lying thick on every side.
Over 100 men had already fallen and
the enemy were shouting their defiance
and waving their battlenags and beat
ing their drums. confident OF the i'm
pregnability Of their position and GER
tain 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 Highland
ers: Our general says that position
must he taken at ali costs. The Gordon
IIighlandeIs viii take it Colonel Ma
thias the commander OF the Highland
ers. dashed out at the head Of his gal
liant regiment, and in a moment they
We're across. carrying everyone with
them - their onrush. storrling the
ridge with resolution that was re-
sistiess, and beating down all opposi-
ton. When Colonel Matthias save the
order to advance, he and his officers
leap5d into the open and the Pipers fol
lowed. striking up Cock of the North.
and with q shout the leading company
OF killed men was into the fire zone.
INTO A HE'LL FIRE.
a stream of lead swept over. through
and past, the 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
q few yards. he was laid low by a shot
through both legs, he managed to prop
himself against a boulder and contin-
ued with undated energy to play
Cock of the North" animating his
comrades by the familiar, stirring
music Os his pipes
But the fire of the enemy was most
deadly: the leading line melted away,
and = seemed that the Gordon High
landerS would be annihilated. More
men. however. sprang into the passage,
and the leaders struggled across TO the
center Then there was q lull. and. as
one piper remarked, "one had time TO
see how cruel had been the slaughter"
FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY.
Then. with a second cheer. the mixed
troops HighlanGers. DorSetshires
GhurkaS Derbyshires and Sikhs.
streamed across, and the enemy. seeing
that the barrier had been swept away
left their loopholes and rock barricades
and fed precipitately down the reverse
slopes, without waiting for the line of
cold steel which was then near the
crest of their ridge.
Piper Findlater has been recommend
eS for the Victoria cross. Captain Rob-
inson. of the Ghoorkas, also acted with
the greatest gallantry. After leading
his men across the fire zone to the
cover. and finding the force there insult
fieient he returned over the death trap
alone. and was MORALLY wounded while
leading the second rush of Ghoorkas to
support the first body of that regiment