The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-15
HEROIC HIGHLANDERS.
Wonderful Charge Of the
Gordon Regiment at
Dargai Ridge.
ACROSS THE FIRE BELT
Fearful Slaughter by the Intrench-
ed Tribesmen--Bravest Of
Pipers Wins the Cross.
ACROSS THE FIRE BELT
IRx cable 10 The Associated Pregs.1


LONDON. Nov. Is, 1ss7.-The news
papers of this city have just received
graphic details by mail of the recapture
of Dargai Ridge by the Gordon Hlgn-
landers on October 2S, during winch tnal
regiment exhibited remarkable dash ana
courage.
In order that the picture may be com
plete it is necessary to make prleI re-
view of details already cahled. After the
lighting on Monday, October Is, between
the column of British troops commanded
by General Sir Yeatman Biggs ana Inc
tribesmen from Chagru on the SANTANA
Range the British retired upon Shinware,
and the enemy, greatly reinforced, re-
occupied Dargai Ridge, which commands
Ohagru. This capture and eventual re-
treat from Dargai Ridge has been pro-
nounced a military error, but, on the
other hand, it has been defended on the
ground of the extreme difficulty expert
enced in transporting supplies through
such mountainous country.
In any case, on Wednesday, October ~
General Biggs sent the Second division TO
dislodge the tribesmen from the Dargal
Ridge. The position was a very strong
one the enemy occupying the summit OF
a precipitous hill. The top of this hill
could be reached only by single path
along which the attacking force. at first
consisting of Ghurka regiment, the
DerbyShire Regiment and the DorsetShlre
Regiment, was Obliged to climb in Indian
file, while three batteries of artillery
shelled the Sangars, or breaStwork en-
trenchments OF the hill men.
Dargai Ridge, from the direction of the
assault, it is now more fully explained,
presents a frontal of about a mile, the
left end of which is sheer rock for 200
yards In spite of the difficulty of the
ascent, the movements of the British
troops were fairly well covered, except
in the case of a low dip, or small valley,
from 100 to 150 yards wide, about half way
up the ridge. This dip was exposed to
direct fire from the summit of the cliffs;
When the Ghurkas, supported by the
this fire zone, Immediately the top of the
cliffs burst out into flame, for thou
sand tribesmen had reserved 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,
or SO in order to recover their breath,
and then, led by their officers, they made
a rush for the cover of the cliffs side.
But the others could not follow, and the
served their fire. Though the remainder
of the Ghurkas, the Derbyshires and
the Dorsetshires appeared on the fringe
of the dip, yet to step into the fire
setshires 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 wounded man
d
target for dozen marksmen. Many a
man struggled to his knees or TO his
feet, only to be struck down again and
many sacrificed their own lives while
trying to save their comrades 1t was
in reality "a passage of death"
Then reluctantly the senior officer he
liographed down to the main body of the
British troops that the passage could not
be made. At this tuncture, General
Kempster ordered the Gordon Highland
ers to the front
The time had then arrived for desper-
ate action for it was 4 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 defiance and waving
their battle flags or standards and beat
ing their drums, confident of the impreg-
inability 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, Colonel Matthias, the COM
mander of the Highlanders, dashed out
at the head of his gallant regiment and
in a moment they We're across, carrying
every one with them in the impetuosity
of their onruShs and storming the ridge
with a resolution that was resistless and
beating down all opposition.
When Colonel Matthias gave the order to
advance he and his officers leaped into the
open and the pipers bf the Highianders
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 ioudest and
best was among the first to show the
way across that deadly strip of ground,
and when, after traversing but a few
Yards he was laid low by shot through
both legs, he managed to prop himself up
against boulder and continued with una
bated 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
deadly. the leading line melted away and
1t seemed that the Gordon Highlanders