The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-01-03
BRITISH TROOPS IN A TRAP.

to attack. The artillery, escorted by
the Fifteenth Slkhs, climbed a steep hill
on the right and, coming into action
against groups of dscernible on the
lower slopes of the mountain, speedily
dispersed them. The Dorsets We're sent
| to the left to make the flank secure,
| the Northamptons and Sappers advanc-
| ed in the center and the Thirty-sixth
| Sikhs on their right. The enemy, as
| usual, gave way before this direct at
tack, and by IL a. M the summit o.
| the mountain had been gained with on
ly trifing casualties. The survey party
at once got to work, and Sir William
Lockhart arrived later and Joined Brig
adler General Westmacott on the crest
| Of the ridge, whence fine view was
obtainable Of the country beyond.
So far so good. If only we could al
ways advance and never retire! So
long as we front our foes and attack
them and press them, no matter what
| the odds. SO long do they acknowledge
our superiority and yield to the newt
able. But our first movement in retreat
is the signal for them in turn to be-
come the assallants. And so it was
now AT 2 p. m. the retirement COM
| menced. The Sappers and the Twenty
sixth Sikhs were first sent back to a po-
sition in the rear followed later by three
companies Of the Northamptons. Thus
i five companies of this regiment were
| temporarily left on the crest by them
selves, more than enough to hold their
own against any number of Afridis, for
| there was still plenty of daylight, and
| ~ fln habind fhic roa
hardly an enemy was in sight; but as
| these companies were gradually with
drawn the tribesmen appeared as If by
magic, and, pressing on their heels,
delivered hot fire at close range, caus-
ing many casualties In the rearmost
company, commanded by Captain Par
kin. The men, however, rallied brave
ly round their officer, and with great
courage and GOODNESS kept the foe at
bay while the wounded were picked up
and brought along. Sergeant Lennon
of this company particularly distin-
guished himself by his deliberate shoot
ing, and set an excellent example of
steadiness in trying situation which
had the best effect. The result was
that the supports in rear were at last
safely reached, and the casualties UP
to this time were only ten or twelve
| men wounded.
The Thirty-sixth Sikhs, well posted
now, allowed the whole of the North
amptons to pass through them, and
when they had given them time to
reach the foot of the hill, followed
them down, easily keeping the enemy
at arms length and mourning no cas-
ualties themselves. At the base Of the
hill they overlook the Northamptons
who, encountered by their wounded, had
been able to move only slowly; SO Cap
tain Haughton, commanding the Thir.
ty-sixth, again took up positions tc
cover their further retreat. At this
point the ground breaks up into deer
stony ravines. The Northamptons I'M
fortunately elected to regain camp by
marching through one of these which
led almost directly home from this
point. / say unfortunately" because
If attacked in such a situation the best
and bravest men must be dreadeulls
handicapped; companies and sections
get broken up and separated, ana iegu
lar control or united action becomes
impossible. And something Of this kint
happened now. 1t was already close or
6 O'clock and getting dusk. The camp
was only short mile distant, and
slowly trailing its weary length ovel
the difficult boulder-strewn bed of Thu
stream, the head of the Northampton
column was almost home, while III,
tail was still at the foot of the hill il
touch with the covering Tnirty sixth
Sikhs When Colonel Haughton wa.
| I. v1a,f1 - ~ 11,,
the Northamptons were fairly started
assuming them to be In line with tht
Dorsets guarding their right flank h,
withdrew, clear of the ravine, and east
ward Of the hill on which the guns has
been in action in the morning, in orde
to fulfill the role assigned to himself o
| safeguarding the left flank of the fore,
on the homeward march Shortly afte
, seven p. IN. he reached camp with hi
/ regiment.
In the meantime tragedy had beel
{ enacted in the center. A body of At
ridis, who had from the slopes abov,
marked the situation, swooped dow
J on the Northamptons entangle1 in III
ravine, and, firing from the high bank
on the western side, they shot dow,
: the stretcher-parties who were nobJ,
: engaged in carrying off and protectin!
their wounded; and though officers ant
men battled bravely FOR honor's cause
yet they were not fighting on equa
terms, and the desperate struggle wen
heavily against them. At this iunctur
! a company of the Thirty-sixth Sikhs
under Lieutenant Van Someren Ono
one of those that had been with C3lone
Haughton, but one that had previousl,
g been detached to support the guns, re
: turned to their aid, and, taking the en-
envy in flank and rear, extricated tn
n Northamptons from their perilou
k plight. On reahing camp, at about half
e past seven, the roll was called, AMI i
4 was found that Lieutenant Wadde
# and six men were killed. Lieutenan
: Trent and thirty-one men wounded
and Lieutenant Macintire and fiftee
:. men missing. / may say here tina
d these missing" were all killed. !
search party found their bodies tn
= next day in the ravine where the figh
t occurred. They had, of course, bee
If stripped of clothing and arms and som
It of them slashed with swords, but thei
n bodies had not otherwise been mutt
i ated.
The further casualties incurred o.
n the 9th We're: Dorsets-Lieutenant
At Ingham and Mercer and six me
wounded Fifteenth Sikhs-Three me