Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-06

SIR WILLIAM LOCKlIARr.
Dargai ridge, from the direction of
the assault, it is now more fully en-
planned, presents d frontage Of about
q mile. the left end of which is sheer
rock for 200 yards. In spite of the diff
fculty of the ascent, the movements Of
the British troops were fairly well COW
cred, except in the case of the low dip
or small valley, from 100 to $50 yards
wide, about half way up the ridge.
This dip was exposed to the direct fire
from the summit of the cliffs.
AS the Ghurkas, supported by the
Derbyshires and Dorsetshires, reach
ed this fire zone, the top Of the cliffs
burst out into flame. for a thousand
tribesmen had reserved the fire OF
their rifles until that men Though
decimated, the little mountaineers
(Ghurkas) struggled across the dip and
reached the shelter of a few rocks,
where they lay down under cover for
a moment or so In order to recover
their breath. Then, led by their off
GERS, they made a rush for the cover OF
the cliffslde. Bat the others could not
follow, and the enemy, with true mill
~J $500 q ttNl lItll llt.
Though the remainder of the Ghurkas.
the Derbyshires and the Dorsetshlres
appeared on the fringe of the dip, yet
to step into the fire 0 n was to court
death. But the Dorsetshires again
tried to advance to the support of the
Ghurkas, II thirteen men struggled
into the open space, only to drop be-
fore the far side haven was reached.
Already the little dip was strewn with
corpses, and SO b~loodthirsty were the
enemy that a Wounded man had but to
move q limb to become the target for
a dozen marksmen.
Many a man struggled to his knees
or to his feet, only to be struck down
again, and many sacrificed their own
lives while trying To save their com
rades. 1t was in reality "a passage of
death"
Then reluctantly the senior officer
photographed down to the main body
of the British troops that the passage
could not be made.
At this juncture Gen. Kempster or
dered the Gordon Highlanders to the
front.
The time had arrived for desperate
action, for it was then 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, and the dead and wounded
were lying thick OF every side. Over
100 men had already fallen, and the
enemy were shouting their defiance
and waving their battle flags or stand
ards and beating their drums, conf
dent OF the impregnability Of their po-
sition and certain Of their success.
C,1t fhS rorI~- l--
to be reckoned with. Rapidly forming
his men. and after his now historic
speech, Men of the Gordon Highland
ers: Our general says that the position
must be taken at all costs. The Cor
don ~Highlanders vill AXE it," Col.
Matthias, the commander of the High
landers dashed out at the head of his
gallant regiment and in a momen
they were across, carrying every one
with them in their onrush, storming
the ridge with a resolution that was
resistless 4 betating down all oD-
position.
When Col. Matthias gave the order
to advance he and his officers leaned
into the open, and the pipers of the
Hlghlanders followed, striking IN
Cock OF the North" and with a shout
the leading company of killed men
was into the fire zone. 4 stream of
lead swept over, through and past
them bullets churI.ing up the dust
which hall hid the rushing bodies.
Piper Findlater, blowing his loudcst
and best, was among the first to SHOW
the way across that deadly strip Of
ground, and, when, after trayersjrg
but q few yards, he was laid low bv a
shot through both legs, he managed 10
prop himself up against a boulder. and
CONTINUED, with ulabatcd energy To
play "Cock of the North" animating
MS comrades by the familiar, stirring
music of his beloved pipes.
But the fire Of the enemy was most
deadly; the leading line melted away,
n 1t seemed that the Gordon High
landers would be annihilated. More
men. however, sprang into the passage,
q the leaders struggled across to the
cover. There then was a lull, and, as
one paper remarks, one had time to
see how cruel had been the slaugh-
ter"
Then with a second cheer the mixed
troops, Highlanders, Dorsetshires,
Gkurkas, Derbyshires and sikhs,
streaned across, and the enemy, see
ing the barrier had been swept away,
ieft their ~loophoIes and rock barricades