The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-29

between the Transvaal and Natal in
the Zulu war:
Cetewayo, last of the great Zulu war
chiefs, was standing off the British
advance as the Beers have been do
ing since October and with true saw
age tactics managed to fall upon and
use up isolated detachments of the
white soldiers. One day he crossed
the Buffalo river and slaughtered the
British column at Isandlana, few
miles below Dundee, where the Beers
and Britons first fought The Britons
had crossed Buffalo river at Rorke's
Drift, making that point hospital
and supply station. While the fight
was going on at Isandlana there were
80 fighting men and SO invalids at
Rorke's Drift.
In the middle of the afternoon a sur
vivor from the massacre at Isandlana,
mounted upon a foaming steed which
reeied on his hast squirt, came to the
little camp and cried out warning
easily of Interpretation: STAND to
arms and defend yourselves! The Zu-
lus are comingv' A stone and brick
dwelling and church formed the de-
lenses of Rorke's Drift. The dwelling
served as hospital and the church as
q storehouse and stable. Outside was
kraal, and all lay open to attack. The
garrison set to work to make a curtain
for defense, connecting house and
church and kraal. Wagons and mealies
bags We're made into u rampant doors
and windows barred and loopholes
pierced in the walls.
While this was going on 10 native
troopers of Durnfords horse rode to
the Drift. Colonel Durnford had been
killed at lSandlana, and the men We're
shaky. With 200 native footmen they
were sent to the front to hold off the
Zulus while the garrison worked on
the ramparts. Lieutenant Chard,
known as the hero of Rorke's Drift,
was in command Of the post.
The Zulus had picked up some Brit
ish guns and announced their coming
by shots at long range. There were
1,50O of them under the lead Of Cete
wayo's brother. AT the first sound of
battle music the friendly natives all
skedaddled and left poor Chard and his
handful to their fate. The savages
crossed the river at distance from
the Drift and got upon high ground,
where they could shoot down upon the
buildings. But they were poor hands
with rifles and failed to do much exc
cution. Finally they charged in the
famous horn formation and surrounded
the place.
This is not story of the fight so
much as of the specimen pluck Of
Briton or two, just to show what may
be expected in the Boer war if Tommy
Atkins has not sadly degenerated in
pace with the English aristocracy. The
main fighting force lay behind the par
apet At the end Of the hospital, far
thest from the storehouse and the ram
parts, We're stationed Privates John
| Williams, Joseph Williams, Cole
and Henry Hook. The Williamses de-
Tended ward with four patients and
| Cole and Hook a room next to ward
containing six patients. When the Zu-
lus came on, Cole went out and Joined
the main body at the ramparts and was
| killed there. That left Hook alone in
his isolated corner. With Il Martini
Henry rifle he fired at the Zulus
| through the loopholes. The Williamses
did the same. After some rapid worl.
Hook found his cartridge was caught
in the heated barrel Some time was
lost forcing it down with ramrod.
and the enemy was then upon him.
| He retreated to the ward under his
| care.
| The Williamses had killed II Zulus,
| but finally a rush of savages burst a
door in, and Joseph Williams, with two
patients, was dragged out and cut to
! pieces by the savages. John mean
| while with a pick had made hole
through the wall into Hooks ward and,
| with his two patients, joined Hook.
| The main body of English had been
driven from the line of defense at the
rampant and were distributed behind
| piles of biscuit boxes and other cover,
selling life as dearly as possible. The
| Zulus broke into the hospital through
the front doors and set fire to the roof
of grass.
"Now," said Hook to Williams,
make a hole with your pick through
into the next room while defend this
doorwoy. It's our only chancew The
Zulus were already at the door An as
sagai struck Hook in the head before
he could fire II shot. but he kept his
| feet and Il cool nerve. Every time lie
fired Zulu Went down. If the rush
was too sudden for fire. he used his
| bayonct. Seven Zulus lay in front of
the door. but their fellows pushed on
as only savages can, despising death if
/ it could but follow revenge They
seized the muzZle of Hooks gun and
! tried to wrest it from his grasp. The
! overheated barrel blistered the brave
fellows hands, and overhead the fire
cracked in the straw thatch Ammu-
milton was getting low, the sick could
offer no helm. and Williams la his
i.-f