Omaha daily bee., 1897-10-21
SEVERE FIGHTING IN THE EAST.
british Troops Meet the Natives and
Lose Heavily,

SlMLA Oct. 2O.-Accordng to adyicee
from Fort Lockhart. the tribesmen having
occupied Dargal Ridge which commanded
Chagrau on the Samana range General Sir
featmann-Br!ggs sent the second division
this morning to dislodge them. The position
was very strong one on the summit Of q
preclptous hill, reached only by single
path, along which the attacking force. con-
sisting of the Gurkha regulars was Obliged
to G. mb in Indian file, three batteries mean.
while Smelling the Sangars. The British
suffered a temporary check when they
reached the open space and were exposed ia
an accurate fire. After a prolonged artillery
fire the Gurkhas were reinforced by the Cor
don Highlanders. Then followed magnif-
cent rush across the open space in the face
Of murderous fusilade. The enemy stood
their ground until the British reached the
rocks below, down which the trbesmen
could not see to fire, and then they fed pell
nell. The losses of the Gurkhas and the
Gordon Highlanders were severe
According to later advices General Briggs
division advanced at daybreak with Briga-
dier General Kempster's brigade leading 1t
was nearly 10 o'clock when the enemy began
long-range fight. The three mountain bat
teres massed on Chagru Kotal, replied and
the Gordon Highlanders pushed through to
the support Of the front ranks, firing at long
range. The tribesmen reserved their fire
until the Gurkhas reached the zlgzag path
under the perpendicular cliff, where Major
Jennings Brookley was killed on Monday in
the fighting between the Biggs brigade and
the insurgent tribesmen from Chagru.
Three British companies crossed the zone
Of fire at a rush, sustaining a heavy loss,
while the remainder deployed to the left to
intercept a flank attack threatened by some
1000 of the enemy from that direction. The
Dorcestershlre regiment attempted to sup
port three companies of Gurkhas, but were
kept back by the enemy, who remained cool
and reserved their fire until the British
were well exposed. At 1890 p. m matters
looked serious, as the British gun fire,
though aided by mountain battery from
Fort Gulistan, had failed to dislodge the
enemy. General Kempster thereupon went
forward in person, moving up the Gordon
Hghlanders and the Third Sikh regiment
in the front line. An assault was then or
ganzed, and 1000 men with fixed bayonets
stood waiting orders to advance. Three
minutes before the word of command was
given General Kempster telegraphed back
instructions to the company to concentrate
their fire The eighteen pieces of artillery
responded and under cover of this fire the
leading company Of Highlanders, amid
perfect silence, rushed into the fire zone.
Half of the men dropped, but the re-
mainder pushed gallantly on till they
reached the cover where the Gurkhas lay
The rest of the force streamed after them
and the trbesmen, seeing that most of the
troops had passed the fire zone, fed up the
hill and collected under cover OF the cliffs
The Highlanders and mixed regiments, after
pausing moment to take breath, again ad-
vanced to the assault and thirty minutes
later the position was wen. The ridge was
stormed at 3 o'clock. From noon until that
hour the tribesmen, sheltered iu the Sangars,
stood a heavy bombardment, beating their
drums, waving their stands shouting de-
fiance and maintaining q hot fire on the
advancing infantry.
General Biggs will continue the advance
so as to hold the frontal hills. and then
push on to Pharapara, where he will be
Joined by Sir William Lockhart Through
out yesterday the tribesmen continued the
building OF breastworks on the summit of
the hill