Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-06-29

the other regiments leisureIy prepared
for the fray
The Fore and Aft waited, leaning upon
their rifles and listening to the protests
of their empty stomachs. The colonel
did his best to remedy the default OF
lining as soon as it was borne in upon
him that the affair would not begin at
once. and so well did he succeed that
the coffee was just ready when-the
men moved off. their band leading
Even then there had been a mistake in
time. and the Fore and Aft came ont
into the valley ten minutes before the
proper hour Their band wheeled to the
right after reaching the open and re-
tired behind a little rocky knoll. still
playing. while the regiment went past
1t was not a pleasant sight that open
ed on the unobstructed view. for the
lower end of the valley appeared to be
filled by an army in position-real and
actual regiments attired in red coats
and-of this there was no doubt-fring
Martini Henry bullets, which cut up
the ground 100 yards in front OF the
leading company, Over that pockmark-
ed ground the regiment had to pass,
and it opened the ball with a general
and profound courtesy to the piping
pickets. ducking in perfect time, as
though il had been brazed on a rod.
Being half capable of thinking for
itself. it fired a volley by the simple
process Of pitching its rife into its
shoulder and pulling the trigger. The
bullets NAV have accounted for some OF
the watchers on the hillside, but they
certainly did not affect the mass of enc
my in front, while the noise Of the rifles
drowned any orders that might have
been given
GOOD Godl" said the brigadier, sit
ting on the rock high above all THAT
regiment has spoiled the whole show
Hurry up the others. and let the screw
guns get of
But the screw guns, in working round
the heights, had stumbled upon a wasps
nest Of a small mud fort, which they
incontinently shelled at 500 yards, TO
the huge discomfort of the occupants,
who were unaccustomed to weapons OF
such devilish precision
The Fore and Aft continued TO go for
ward. but with shortened stride. Where
were the other regiments, and why did
these niggers use Martinisi They took
open order instinctively, lying down
and firing at random, rushing a few
PAGES forward and lying down again,
according to the regulations. Once in
this formation each man felt himself
desperately alone and edged in toward
his fellow for comforts sake.
Then the crack of his neighbor's rifle
at his ear led him to fire as rapidly as
he could-again for the sake of the
comfort of the noise. The reward was
not long delayed Five volleys plunged
the files in banked smoke impenetrable
TO the eve, and the bullets began to
take ground 20 or 80 yards in front of
the frers, as the weight of the bayonet
dragged down and to the right arms
wearied with holding the kick Of the
leaping Martini The company com-
manders peered helplessly through the
smoke, the more nervous mechanically
trying to fan il away with their helmets
.sHigh and to the leftl' bawled a
captain till he was hoarse mo good
Cease firing, and let it drift away a bit.
Three and four times the bugles
shrieked the order. and when 1t was
obeyed the Fore and Aft looked that
their foe should be lying before them in
mown swaths Of men A light wind
drove the smoke TO leeward and show
ed the enemy still in position and ap-
parently unaffected. A quarter OF a ton
Of lead had been buried a f%urlong IN
front of them. as the ragged earth at
tested
A private Of the Fore and Aft spun mp
his company shrieking with agony. an
other was kicking the earth and gasp
ing, and a third. ripped through the
lower intestines by a Jagged bullet was
calling aloud on his comrades 10 put
him out of his pain. These were the
casualties. and they were not soothing
10 hear or see The smoke cleared to a
dull haze.
Then the foe began TO shout with a
great shouting, and a mass-a black
mass-detached itself from the main
body and rolled over the ground at hor-
rid speed Ii was composed Of perhaps
500 men. who would shout and fire and
slash if the rush Of their so comrades
who were determined to die carried
home. The so were Ghazis, half mad
dened with drugs and wholly mad with
religious fanaticism. When they rushed
the British fire ceased, and in the lun
the order was given to close ranks and
meet them with the bayonet.