The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-10-28
FIGHT IN THE HILLS.
6rave Charge OF British Troops on
Samara Range.


Simla, Oct. 22.-According to adj
vices from Fort Lockhardt, the tribes
men having occupied Dargari ridge,
which commanded Chagru, on the Sa-
mara range, General Biggs sent the Sec
ond division this morning to dislodge
them. The position was very strong
one, on the summit of a precipitous
hill, reached by a single path along
which the attacking force, consisting of
the Guerka regulars and the Dorsetshire
regiment, was obliged to climb in In
dian file, three batteries meanwhile
Smelling the ranges.
The British suffered temporary
CHI eek when they reached the open
space, and were exposed to an accurate
fire. After a prolonged artillery fire,
the Guerkas were reinforced by the
Gordon Highlanders. Then followed a
magnificent rush across the open space,
in the face of a murderous fusillade.
The enemy stood their ground until the
British reached the rocks below, down
which the tribesmen could not see to
fire, and they fled pell-mell. The
losses of the Guerkas and the High
landers were severe.
/. According to later advices, General
Biggs advanced at daybreak, by way of
Chagru Kotal, with Brigadier- General
Kemster's brigade leading. 1t was
nearly 10 o'clock when the enemy be-
gan a long-range fight. The three
mountain batteries massed on Chagru
Kotal replied, while the Gordon High
landers pushed through to support the
first line, firing volleys at long range.
The tribesmen reserved their fire until
the Guerkas reached the zigzag path
under the perpendicular cliff, where
Major Jennings Bromley was killed on
Monday in the fighting between the
Biggs brigade and the insurgent tribes
men from Chagru.
Three British companies crossed the
zone of fire at rush, sustaining heavy
losses, while the remainder deployed to
the left to intercept flank attack
threatened by some 1000 of the enemy
from that direction. The Dorsetshire
regiment attempted to support three
companies of Guerkas, but was kept
back by the enemy, who remained cool,
and reserved their fire until the British
were we'll exposed.
At P. M. matters looked serious,
as the gun fire, though maintained by
a mountain battery from Fort Gulistan,
had failed to dislodge the enemy. Gen
eral Kemster thereupon went forward
in person, moving up the Gordon High
landers and the Third Sikh regiment
into the fighting line. A systematic
assault was then organized, and 1900
men, with fixed bayonets, stood wait
ing for the order to advance.
Three minutes before the word of
command was given, General Kemster
telegraphed back instructions to the
artillery company to concentrate their
forces Eighteen pieces of artillery re-
sponded, and, under cover of this fire,
the leading company of the Highland
ers, amid perfect silence, rushed into
the fire zone Half of the men dropped,
but the remainder pushed CALAMITY on
until they reached the cover where the
Guerkas lay. The rest of the force
strearned after them and the tribesmen,
seeing that most of the troops had
passed the fire zone, fed up the hill,
and collected under cover Of the cliffs.
The Highlanders and mixed regi-
ments, after pausing a moment to take
breath, again advanced to the assault
and 20 minutes later the position was
won. The ridge was stormed at 3
O'Clock, From noon until that hour,
the tribesmen, sheltered in the sugars,
stood the commandment, beating their
drums, waving their standards. shout
ing defiance, and maintaining hot fire
on the advancing soldiers.
General Biggs will continue the ad-
vance so as to hold the frontal hills and
push on to Kharappa, where he will be
Joined by Sir William Lockhardt.
Throughout yesterday the tribesmen
continued their work of building breast
works on the summit.