The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-19
A HIGHLAND REGIMENT IN a
BATTLE IN INDIA

me Attack Of tho British on tho Almost
Impregnable Position of the Tribesmen.
The Gordon H~ighlanders Dash Across
a Buliet-swept Field and Scale the
Heights-Th-ir Piper, o Through
Both Legs, Continues to- Pipe the 'Cock
of the NORTH To Urge the Men Forward.
London, November 15.-The newspa-
pers of this city have received graphic
details by mail Of the ~recapture of OAR
gal ridge by the Gordon Highlanders
on October Goth, during which that
regiment exhibited remarkable dash
and courage. In order tina the nara
tive may be complete, it is necessary
to make a brief review of details al
ready cabled. After the fighting on
Monday, October 18th, between the col
umn of British corps, commanded by
Sir Yeatman Biggs and the tribesmen
from Charru, or the Samana range,
the British retired upon Shinware, and
the enemy, greatly reinforced, reoccu-
pied Dargai ridge, which commands
Chagru.
Oh 'SNASouoy, ONtcbNA VII N'A
! eral Biggs sent the Second division to
dislodge the tribesmen from the OAR
Xkai ridge. The position was a very
strong one, and the enemy occupying
the summit of a preeipitous hill. The
top of this hill could be reached only
by a single path along which the at
lacking force, at first consisting of a
Ghurka regiment, the Derbyshire reg
iment and the Dorsetshire regiment,
was ob.ige- to climb in Indian file
while three batteries of artillery she'll
ed entertainments of the hillmen.
Dargai ridge, from the direction of
the assault, it is now more fully ex-
planned, presents a frontage Of about
a mile, the left end of which is sheer
rock for 200 yards. In spite of the diff
ficulty Of the ascent, the movements of
the British troops were fairly we'll cov-
cred, except in the case Of a low dip or
small valley, from 100 to $50 yards wide,
about half way up the ridge. This
dip was exposed to direct fire from the
summit of the cliffs. AS the Ghurkas,
supported by the Derbyshires and Dor
s~etshires, reached this fire zone the top
of the hills burst out into flame. for
1000 tribesmen had reserved the fire of
their rifles until that moment. Though
hCSCiiidlC0, lIC lllllC
reached the shelter of a fewrocks
: CGhurkas) struggled across the dip and
where they lay down under cover for
a or SO in order to recover
their breath. Then, led by their officers,
they made a rush for the cover of the
cliffside. The Dorsetshires tried to adj
vance to the support of the Ghurkas
n thirteen men struggled into the
pen space, only to drop before the far
side haven was reached. At this juno
ture General Kempster ordered the
Gordon H~ighlanders to the front. Rap
idly forming his men, n after his
now historic speech: Men of the Cor
don H~ighlanders, our general says that
position must be taken at all costs.
The Gordon H~ighlanderS will take it,"
Colonel Matthias, the commander of the
H~ighlanders, dashed out at the hea
of his gallant regiment, and in a mo-
ment they were across, carrying every
one with them in their rush, storming
the ridge that was resistless and beat
ing dow all opposition. D.
Piper Findlater, blowing his loudest
and best, was among the first to show
h way across that deadly strip Of
ground, and when, after traversing
but a few yards, he was laid low by a
shot through both legs, he managed
to prop himself up against a boulder
and continued with unabated energy
to play Cock of the North " animating
Ahis comrades by the familiar, stirring
music OF the beloved pipes.
The barriers were finally swept away,
and the enemy left their loop holes
and rock barricades and fled precipi-
lately down the reverse slopes, without
waiting for the line of cold steel which
was then nearly on the crest of the
ridge.
Piper F%indlater has been recommend
ed for the Victoria cross.
Captain Robinson, of the Ghurkas,
also acted with the greatest ~gallantry.
After leading his men across the fire
zone to the cover and finding the force
there insufficient, he returned over the
death trap alone, and vas MORALLY
wounded while leading the second rush
of the Ghurkas to support the first
body of that regiment.
Disfigurements for life by burns or
a may be avoided by using De-
Wits Witch Hazel Salve, the great
vorA10y For ri1oo or1 far al l>i~A. -