The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-21
THE HIGHLAND HEROES.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

Inc Ninety-eecond Gordon Highlanders
the Cay Gordons,' as they are loyin Civ
known In the British army, have added one
more honor to the battle fag Long ago II
cropped with the weight of glory on II
Dargal Ridge and the men who swept over
IL are now known wherever the telegraph
runs Piper Findlater, who blew Cock o.
the North, shrill ana clear to an accom-
paniment OF rafting musketry and the
weird screams OF comrades, dying Ms they
charged, is probably lying invaliled in
ield hospital in Northwestern India But
his name as hero has sent glow 10 the
heart and thrill TO the hand OF every
manly man in the world. Once more the
Killed soldiers have been the forlorn hope.
Once more the humble rlper's plaid has
proved the hero's mantle.
No such stirring story OF war as the
taking of Dargai Ridge. told in the tele-
grams yesterday morning, has been penned
about British soldiers for fifteen years
AT that time the liighlanders and their
pipers We're also the men who did IL They
took the trenches at Tel Ell Kebir, in lower
EGYPT, in silence. Only the triumphant
Iibroch of the bagpipers urged them on.
They are the only men who fight to music
In other regiments. the bandsmen, on ac-
tive service, become stretcher bearers and
buglers. But wherever the 'kilties' 20
the piper goes with them, and alwaye TO
the forefront of the fight. The piper soes
into battle with nothing to defend himself
but long dirk at his belt. ,He has been
driven TO such extremitias rs to use his in
strument---as bully might swing chair
in self-defsnse. But his lack Of arms never
serves as an excuse for lack OF courage.
He leads the men to battle. And so In the
piping times of peace he las earned the
right to strut and swagger like q peacock,
as he always does when his pipes are skirl-
ing for war over his shoulder.
1t was the Highlanders who made ",he
thin red line in the Crimea. 1t was the
Highlanders who went through blood and
the Indian mutiny II was their pipes that
Jessie Brown, dying In the bcleaguered
residency there, caught the echo OF and
cried "Dinna ye hear them, oh! dinna We
hear?" 1t was the Highlanjers who. under
Roberts, made the famous forced march
from Cabui to Candahar In Afghanist,n
twenty years ago. 1t was the HIghlanders
who died to a man lighting the Beers on
Majuba hill. 1t was the Highlaniers who
held the square against the wild rush o.
the Arab hosts at Ell Teb on the Nile, and
1t was the Highland brigade who stormed
the trenches at Tel-El- Kebir and drove
Arab Pasha out Of Egypt. And wherever
the Highlanders fought the pipers went
also. their wild music sounding high above
tho. eiiecrr-uf- the charging men behind
them Cock o. the North" blue Bon
nets" "A Hundred Pipers an a." or "Pi-
brooch O. Donald Dhn," 1t does not matter
what the tune might be, the stirring strains
were the glory OF the heithered covered
hills far away, the memory OF centuries OF
renown and the fair name of that little
rarish in the distant valleys from which
the regiment came. 1t war the voice OF
their kin calling on them 20 fight And they
have always answered the call.
In the dawn of September morning the
Highland brigade was drawn up en- the
sands Of Egypt over decade ago. FOR
half the night they lad marched in silence.
A hot. dusky, choking night it was. under
a sky OF velvet blackness in which the Dig
tropic stars were wiuking as II in tears
for the brave men marching SO resoirtely
TO their death. Commands came In Wills
pers. There was feeling IN the air that
an immense crowd was in motion in the
darkness on either hand But no man
knew just how much Of The army was IN
der way. The "si.t. sift' OF thousands q
feet in loose sand. the choking cough Inc
stumble OF men in the darkness. the clash
of steel against steel. the rluttered OATH
the smell Of perspiration from men keyed
up 10 excitement--that was all the privates
could understand.
That and the fact that extra ammunition
IN the pouches tugging at the belts probably
,neaut battle. Halt" came the whis-
pered command. and there was the rattle
OF eunboats on gravel as the regiments
came to standstill. Then there were more
sounds, the noises that always come from
men getting ready 70 fight the next min
ute. BELTS were tightening. Helmets were
being pushed firmly down. Ammunition
POUCHES were being swung clear. Then
came the whispered order that the
trenches Of the Egyptians were right IN
front. They were 10 be carried with the