Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-21


was to know no intermission.
THE attack on the Malakand and
the great frontier war had begun.
Six days and night of fierce fighting
followed and numberless deeds of valor
were recorded on both sides. Here is
a sample of the incidents recalled: =
"Brigadier General Meiklejohn at
once ordered party of the oath to
retake it, tthe captured Quarter
Guard). from the enemy. Few men
could be spared from the line Of de-
Tense. At length a small but devoted
band collected. 1t consisted of Cap
tain Holland. Lieutenant Chino, Lieu
tenant Manley, the generals orderly.
a Sepoy of the 45th Sikhs, two or three
sappers and three men of the oath; in
all about dozen.
The general placed himself at the
head The officers drew their revolv-
ers. The men were instructed to
USE THE BAYONET ONLY.
Then they advanced The ground is by
nature broken and confused to an ex-
traordinary degree Great rocks, I'M
dulations and trees rendered all move
ments difficult; numerous tents, sheds
and other buildings increased its intri-
cacies. Amongst all this were the fig
ures of the enemy, numerous and well
armed. The twelve men charged.
The tribesmen advanced to meet them.
The officers shot down man after man
with their pistols. The soldiers bay
oneted others. The enemy drew off
discounted, but half the party were
killed or wounded The orderly was
shot dead. A sapper and havildar OF
the Twenty-fourth were severely
wounded. The general himself was
struck by sword on the neck. Luck
lily the weapon turned in his assail-
ants hand and only caused a bruise.
Captain Holland was shot through the
back at close quarters by man con-
cealed in cent. The bullet, which
caused fou. wounds, grazed his spine.
The party was now too few to effect
anything The survivors halted.
Lieutenant Chino toon the wounded
officer back, and, collecting a dozen
more men of the Twenty fourth, re-
turned to the attack. The second at
tempt to regain the Quarter Guard was
also unsuccessful, and the soldiers re-
coiled with further loss; but with that
undaunted spirit which refuses to
admit defeat they continued their eff
forts. and at the third charge
DASHED ACROSS THE OPEN SPACE
bowling over and crushing back the
enemy. and the post was thus re-
covered. All the ammunition had,
however, been carried off by the enemy.
and as the expenditure Of that night
had already been enormous, it was a
serious loss. The commissariat lines
were at length cleared of the tribes
men, and such of the garrison as could
be spared were employed in putting
up a hasty defence across the south en-
trance of the enclosure and clearing
away the cooking house and other shell
tiers which might be seized by the
enemy.
Some idea of the spirit of the British
Indian troops can be formed from this
description
THE Guides Cavalry had already
arrived Their infantry. under Lieu
tenant Lockhart, reached the Kotal at
7:30 p. m. on the 9th. having, in spite
of the intense heat and choking dust.
covered thirty-two miles in seventeen
was accomplished without impairing
the efficiency of the soldiers who were
sent into the piquet line, and became
engaged as soon as they arrived An
officer who commanded the Dargai
post told me that as they passed the
guard there. they shouldered arms with
parade precision. to show that twenty
six miles under the hottest sun in the
world would not take the polish off
the Corps of Guides. Then they
breasted the long ascent to the top of
the pass, encouraged by the sound of
the firing, which grew
LOUDER AT EVERY STEP"
OF the examples of heroism con-
tanned in the book just published, the
following is taken, at hap-hazard:
Lieutenant Ford was dangerously
wounded in the shoulder The bullet
cut the artery, and he was bleeding
to death when Surgeon Lieutenant V
Hugo came to his aid. The fire was
too hot to allow of lights being used
There was no cover of any sort 1t
was at the bottom Of the cup Never
theless the surgeon struck match
at the peril of his life and examined
the wound. The match went out amid
a splutter of bullets, which kicked up
the dust all around, but by its uncer
tain light he saw the nature of the in
jury. The officer has already tainted
from the loss of blood. The doctor
seized the artery, and. as no other
ligature was forthcoming, he remained
under the fire for three hours, holding
a mans life between his finger and
thumb.
When at length it seemed the en-
envy had broken into the camp he
picked up the still unconscious officer
in his arms, and( without relaxing his
hold, bore him to place of safety.
His arm was many hours paralyzed
with cramp from the effects of the ex-
ertion of COMPRISING the artery.
think there are few, whatever may be
their views of interest, who will not
applaud this splendid act of devo-
ton
The book abounds in strong descrip-
tons of gallant fighting. pleasing to
ALL young or old, civilian or military
men. But space will not allow further
lifting OF the veil.
AND HE IC RIGHT