Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-11-20
IHEY WON DEAIHLESS GLORY
.sTORMED THE DARGAI RIDGE
Striking Up the Cock Of the North
and with a Shout the Gordon
High!and4rs Rushed into the Fire
Zone.

London, Nov. l6.-ihe newspapers of
this city have received graphic details
by mail of the recapture OF DaIgai ridge
By the Gordon Highlanders on October
20, during which the regiment exhibited
remarkable dash and courage.
On Wednesday, October 30, Gen. Biggs
sent the second division to dislodge the
tmbesmen from the Dargai ridge. The
position was q strong one, the enemy oc-
cupying he summit Of a precipitous hill.
! Tn top of the hill could not be reached
except by 4 single path, along which the
attacking force, consisting of a Ghurka
regiment, the Derbyshire regiment and
the Dorsetshire regiment was obliged to
climb in Indian file while three batteries
of artillery shelled the breastworks of the
hill men.
The Deadly Ridge.
Daro5li ridge, from the direction Of the
assault, presents a frontage OF about q
mile. the left end Of which is a sheer rock
for 2GO yards. In spite of the difficulty
Of the ascent the movements OF the Brit
ish troops were fairly we'll covered eX
cept in the case Of low dip OF small
valley from 100 to $50 yards wide, about
half way from the summit of the cliff
AS the khulkas, supported by the Derby
sliros and Dorsetshires. reached this fire
zone. tile top Of the cliffs burst out into
flame for thousand tribesnen had re
served their fire until that moment,
Though decimated, the Ghuikas strug-
gled across the dip and reached the shell
ter OF d few rocks, where they lay down
under cover for a moment III order to re
cover their breath. Then, led by their
officers. they made a rush for the cover
OF the cliffs But the others could not
follow. and the enemy, with true military
instinct, reserved their fire. Though the
remainder Of the Ghurkas, the Derby
shircs and the Dorsetshires appeared on
the end OF the dip, yet to step into the
fire zone was TO court death. But the
Dorsct.hireS again tried to advance to
the support Of the Ghurkas, and l3 struo-
gled into the open space only to drop be-
fore the far side had even been reached.
Then. reluctantly, the senior officer sig
mailed 10 the main body Of the Brit
ish troops that the passage could not be
made.
HighIanders to t}se Front.
At this jnnct,ue General kempster or
dered the Gordon Highlanders to the
front. The time had arrived for desper
at action, for it was then 1 o'clock in the
afternoon, and dead and wounded were
lying thick on every side. But the Cor
don Highlanders had yet to be reckoned
with. Rapidly forming his men, and aft
er his now historic speech Men Of the
Gordon Highlanders, our general says that
position must be taken al all costs. The
Gordon Highanders will take it, Col
onel Matthias, the commander OF the
IIighlanders dashed out at the head of his
gallant regiment. and in a moment they
were across, carrying every one with them
on their onward rush, storming the ridge
with a resolution that was resistless.
"Cock of the North"
When Colonel Matthias gave the order
TO advance. ll9 dl!tt HIS OiliSci lSt'pS iiit'
the open, the Pipers following, striking up
Cock of the North,' and with a shout
the leading company was into the fire
zone.
\ stream Of lead swept over, through
and past, the bullets churnng up the
dust, which half hid the rushing bodies.
Piper FindIatcs, blowing his loudest and
best, was among the first to show the
way across that deadly strip Of ground,
and when. after trayersing but few
wards. he was laid low by a shot through
both legs. he managed to prop himself
and continued with unabated energy to
PLAY Cock Of the North,' animating his
comrades by the familiar, stirring music
of his pipes.
But the fire of the enemy was most
deadly, the leading line melting away,
and it seemed that the Gordon Highland
ers would be annihilated. More men. how
ever, sprang into the passage and the
leaders struggled across the center. Then
with a second cheer the troops streamcd
across and the enemy, seeing that the
barrier had been swept away, lett lhei1
loopholes and fled precipitately.
Piper Findates has been recommended
for the Victoria cross. Captain Robinson
of the Gh,rkas also acted with the
greatest gallantry. After leading his men
across the fire zone to the cover, and
finding the force there insufficient, he re-
turned over the death trap alone and was
mortally wounded while leading the sec
ond rush Of Ghurkas.
sAoInnn SufiraEe in Montana.