The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-16
HEROES OF DARGA| RIDGE
Gordon Highlanders Prove Their
Courage and Bravery.
THROUGH A RAIN OF LEAD
Graphic Description of the Re-Capture
OF the Strong Military Position.
Piper Findlater Booked tor
the Victoria Cross.

London. Nov. l5.-The newspapers of
this city have received graphic details
by mail Of the recapture uf Dargai
ridge by the Gordon iIirhlanders IN
oct. 20, during which that regiment rN-
hibited remarkable dash and courage.
On Wednesday, Oct. -. General biggs
sent the second division To diSludse Ino
tribesmen from the Dargai ridge. The
position was very strong one. the
enemy occupying the summit of rre-
cipitous hill. The top oi The hlll could
not be reached except by a single path.
along which the attacking force. inst
c, insisting of Ghurka regiment, the
Derbyshire regiment and The Forest
shire regiment, was Obliged la climb ~
Indian file, while three batteries ot ar
tillery shelled the hrCastwOrks of the
hill men. Dargai ridge, fiom the direc-
tion of the assault, presents a frontage
Of about a mile. the left end ot which ls
sheer rock for 200 yards. In spite OF The
difficulty of the ascent the movements
of the British troops were fairly Wei
covered except I'm the case of a lower
dip. or small valley. from 100 tn 100
yards wide. about half way from the
summit OF the clid.
As the Ghurkas, supported by the
Derbyshires and Dorsetshires. reached
this fire zone the top of the cliffs hufst
out into flame. for thousand tribes
men had rested there until that mo
ment. Though decimated. the 6hurkas
struggled across the dip and reached
the shelter of few rocks. where they
lay down under cover for a moment In
order to recover their breath. Then.
led by their officers. they made 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 Derbyshires and the Dor
s.tshir.s appeared ON the fringe of the
dip. yet To step into the fire zone was To
court death. But the porsctshires
again tried to advance to the support of
the Ghurkas and ~ men struggled into
the open space only Ia drop before the
far side had even been reached. Thelo
r. luciantiy. the senior officer s'Fnaleu
down 10 the main body of the British
troops that the passage could not he
made.
Al this jifnctu. General kempster
ordered the Goa.fn aiighlanders To the
front. The time had arrived for dos-
perate action. for II Was then O'Clock
in the afternoon and the dead and
wounded We're lying thick on every
side. But the Gordon Highianders had
yet To he reckoned with. Rapidly form
ing his men, and after his now historic
speech, Men of the Gordon Highland
srs, our general says that The position
must be taken al all costs: the Gordon
Highlanders viii take II. Colonel
Matthias the commander of the High
landers. dashed out at the head OF his
gallant regiment, and In n moment
they We're across. carrying everyone
with them in their onward rush. storm
ing the ridge with resolution that was
icsistless. when Colonel Matthias gave
the order to advance. he and his otii-
GERS leaped into the open. the pipers
striking UP the 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 churning up the dust. which
half hid the rushing bodies.
Piper Findlater. blowing his loudcst
and best. was among the first To- show
the way across that deadly "trip of
ground. and when. after tfaversinr but
n few yards he was laid low by shot
through both legs. he managcd tn proi'
himself and continued with nnabaied
energy a. play the Cork nf the North,
animating his comrades by the familiar,
stirring music ~ his pipes.
But the fire of the enemy was most
terrible. the leading line melting away,
and Il seemed that the Gordon High
landcrs would he annhilated. More
men. however sprnng through the pas
rage and the leaders struggled across
the center Then, with a second cheer.
the troops STRAINED across and the
enemy. seeing that the barriers had beer
swept away. left their lnopholes and iiod
precipiiately. Piper Findlatcr has been
recommended for the Victoria cross
Captain Robinson of the Ghurkas also
acted with the greatest gailantry. After
leading his men dcross the fire zons
to thu cover and finding the force there
insufficient he returned over the death
trap alone. and was morlally wounded
while leading the second rush of Ghur-