The Portland daily press., 1897-10-21
HALF The MEN DROPPED.
Brave Charge Of British Troops
Across Fire Z,ne.
HALF FELL BUT REMAINDER
GAINED THE POSITION.
Troops Under Gen. Briggs Drive Tribesmen
From Strong Retreat-He win Con-
tinue to Advance to Hold Frontal Hills.

Troops Under Gen. Briggs Drive Tribesmen
From "a Strong Retreat-He Win Con
tinue to Advance to Hold Frontal Hills.
Simla, October 0.-Acoording to a de-
vice from Fort Lockhart, the tribesmen
having occupied Dargai ridge, which
commanded Chagru, on the SANTANA
range. Gen. Sir Biggs sent the second
division this morning to dislodge them
The position was strong one, on the
summit of precipitious hill, reached
only by g single path along which the at
lacking force, consisting of the Gurkha
regiment and the Dorsetshire regiment
was obliged to climb in Indian dle, three
batteries meanwhile Smelling the Sangers.
The British suffered temporary check
when they reached the open space and
were exposed to an accurate fire. After
prolonged artillery fire the Gurkhas were
reinforced by the Gordon Highlanders.
Then followed magnificent rush across
the open space in the teeth of a murder
GUS 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 NELL.
The losses of the Gurkhas and the Gordon
Highlanders we're severe
According to later advices Gen. Biggss
division advanced at day break by way OF
Chagru-kotal, with Brigadier General
Kempsters brigade leading. 1t was nearly
ten 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 support the first line. firing volleys at
long range. The tribesmen reserved their
fire till the Gurkhas reached the zig-zag
path under the perpendicular cliff, where
Major Jennings Bromley was killed on
Monday in the fighting between the Biggs
brigade and the insurgent tribeslnen from
Chagru on the SANTANA range.
Three British companies crossed the
zone Of fire at a rush, sustaining heavy
loss, while the remainder deployed to the
left to intercept a flank attack threatened
by some seven thousand of the enemy
from that direction. The Dorsetshire
regiment attempted to support three COM
panies of Gurkhas, but was kept back by
the enemy who remained cool and re-
served their fire until the British were
well exposed.
At 1870 p. M, matters looked serious,
as the British gun fire, though aided by
mountain battery from Fort Gullstan
had failed to dislodge the enemy. General
Kempster thereupon went forward in
person, moving up the Gordon High
landers and the third Sikh regiment on
to the fighting line. A systematic assault
was then organized, and 1000 men with
fixed bayonets stood waiting for the order
to advance.
Three minutes before the word of com
mand was given Gen. Kempster hello
graphed back instructions to the batteries
| to concentrate their fire. The eighteen
pieces of artillery responded and under
cover of this fire, the leading company OF
the Highlanders, amid perfect silence
rushed into the fire zone.
| Half of the men dropped, but the re-
mainder pushed CALAMITY on till they
reached the cover where the Gurkhas lay.
The rest of the force streamed 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 a moment to take breath
again advanced to the assault, and
twenty minutes later the position was
won. Gen. Sir Yeatman Biggs, will con-
| tinue the advance SO as to hold the
| frontal hills and then rush on to
Kharappa. where he will be joined by Sir
VIM. Lockhart. Throughout yesterday
the tribesmen continued their work Of
building breastworks on the summit.