The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-21
SEVERE FIGHTING.
British Suffer Heavy Losses in a Fight
with Tribesmen.

win IF1Desmens
SIMI.A Oct 20-Oficial advices from
Fort Lockhart say that after the fighting
on Monday last between the British troops,
under General Sir Yeatman- Biggs, and the
insurgent tribesmen from Chagru, on the
Samana range, the British force returned
to Shinwari, and the tribesmen, greatly re-
inforced, reoccupied in force the heights
west of Chagru. The Third Brigade of the
punitive expedition, which advanced to-day
to Kharapha, expects to have lively time
in clearing the heights.
According to advices from Fort Lock-
hardt, the trbesmen having occupied Dar-
gai ridge which commanded Chagru, on the
Samana range, General Sir Yeatman Biggs
sent the Second division this morning to
dislodge them. The position was a very
strong one on the summit of precipitous
hill, reached only by single path, along
which the attacking force consisting of the
Gurlha regulars dhe Dorsetshire Regi-
menD was obliged to climb in Indian file,
three batteries meanwhile shellng the Sam
gars. The British suffered a temporary
check when they reached the open space
and were exposed to an accurate fire. After
a prolonged artillery fire the Gurkhas were
reinforced by the Gordon Highanders.
Then followed a magnificent rush across the
open space in the face of a murderous fusil-
lade The enemy stood their ground till the
British reached the rocks below, down
which the tribesmen could not see to fire
and then they fled pell-mell. The losses of
the Gurkhas and the Gordon Highlanders
were severe.
According to later advices General Biggs's S
division advanced at daybreak by way Of
Chagru Kotal, with Brigadier General
Kempster's brigade leading It was nearly
10 o'clock when the enemy began a long
range fire. The three mountain batteries,
massed on Chagru Kotal replied while the
Gordon Highlanders pushed through to sup
port the first line, firing volleys at long
range. The tribesmen reserved their fire till
the Gurkhas reached the zigzag path under
the perpendicular cliff, where Major Jen-
nings Broomly was killed on Monday in the
fighting between the Biggs brigade and the
insurgent tribesmen from Chagru, on the
SANTANA range. Three British companies
crossed the zone Of fire at rush, sustain
ing heavy losses, while the remainder de-
ployed to the left to intercept a flank at
tack threatened by some seven thousand Of
the enemy from that direction. The Dorset
companies of Gurkhas, but were kept back
by the enemy, who remained cool and re-
served their fire until the British were well
exposed.
At 1890 p. m. matters looked serious. as
the British gun fire, though aided bv a
mountain battery from Fort Gulistan, had
failed to dislodge the enemy. General
Kempster thereupon went forward in per-
son, moving up the Gordon Highlanders
and the Third Sikh Regiment into the fight
ing line. A systematic assault was then or
ganized and two thousand men with fixed
bayonets stood waiting for the order to ad-
vance Three minutes before the word of
command was given General KemDster
photographed back instructions to the bat
terieS to concentrate their fire. The eigh-
teen pieces of artillery responded and tln-
der cover of this fire, the leading company
of the Highlanders, amid perfect silence,
reached into TIKI fire zone. Half the men
dropped, but the remairder pushed gallant
ly on TIL they reached the cover where the
GurkhaS lay. The rest of the force
steamed after them, and the tribesmen,
seeing that most of the troops had passed
the fire zone fled up the hill and collected
under cover of the cliffs The Highlanders
and mixed regiments, after pausing q mo-
ment to take breath, again advanced TO the
assault, and twenty minutes later the po-
sition was won. The ridge was stOrmed at
o'clock From noon until that hour the
tribesmen. sheltered in the sangars stood
q heavy bombardment beating their drums
waving their stands, shouting defiance and
maintaining hot fire on the advancing in
fantry.
General Biggs will continue the advance
so as to hold the frontal hills and then push
on to kharappa, Where he will be joined
by Sir William Lockhardt Throughout
yesterday the tribesmen continued their
work Of building breastworks on the sum
nit