The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-07-12


paredness This white regiment was
diferent-quite different. 1t slept like
hog, and, like a hog, charged in every
direction when it was reused. It's SEN
tries walked with football that could
be heard for a quarter of mile; would
FIRE at anything that moved-even a
driven donkey-and, when they had
once fred, could be scientifically Crush
ed and laid out horror and an ofense
against the morning sun. Then there
were camp followers who struggled an6
could be cut up without fear. Their
shrieks would disturb the white boys,
and the loss Of their services would IN
convenience them sorely.
Thus at every march the hidden enc
nv became bolder, and the regiment
writhed and twisted under attacks it
could not avenge. The crowning tri-
umph was sudden night rash ending
in the cutting of many tent ropes, the
collapse of the sodden canvas and a
glorious knifng of the men who strug-
gled and kicked below. 1t was great
deed, neatly carried out, and it shook
the already shaken nerves of the Fore
and Aft. All the courage that they had
been required ito exercise up to this
point was the "2 o'clock in the morn
ing courage, and they so far had only
succeeded in shooting their comrades
and losing their sleep.
Sullen, discontented, cold, savage,
sick, with their uniforms dulled and
unclean, the Fore and Aft joined their
brigade.
seI hear you had a tough time of it
coming up said the brigadier. But
when he saw the hospital sheets his
face fell
.sThis is bad" said he to himself.
They're as rotten as sheep" And
aloud to the colonel: elm afraid we
can't spare you just yet. We want all
we have, else should have given you
ten days to recruit in.
The colonel WINGED ''On my honor.
SIR" he returned, "there is not the
least necessity to think Of sparing us.
My men have been rather mauled and
upset without fair return. They only
want to go in somewhere where they
can see what's before them. >
Cant say think much of the
Fore and Aft, said the brigadier in
confidence to his brigade major.
They've lost all their soldering, and
BY the trim of them might have marched
through the country from the other
side A more tagged out set of men
never put eyes on
ooh, they'll improve as the work
goes on. The parade gloss has been rub
bed off little, but they'll put on field
polish before long, said the brigade
major. They've been mauled. and they
quite don It understand it.
They did not All 5he hitting was on
one side, and it was cruelty hard hit
ting, with accessories that made them
sick. There was also the real sickness
that laid hold of strong man and
dragged him bowling to the grave.
Worst of all. their officers knew Just as
little of the country as the men them
selves and looked as if they did. The
Fore and Aft were in thoroughly un-
satisfactory condition, but they believed
that all would be we'll if they could
once get fair go in at the enemy. Pot
shots up and down the valleys were un-
satisfactory, and tie bayonet never
seemed to- get chance. Perhaps it was
as we'll. for long limbed Afghan with
a knife had reach of eight feet and
could carry away enough lead to disable
three Englishmen. The Fore and Fit
would like some rife practice at the
enemy-all 100 rifles blazing together.
That wish showed the mood of the men.
The Gurkhas walked into their camp,
and in broken, barrack room English
strove to fraternize with them; offered
them pipes Of tobacco and stood them
treat at the canteen. But the Fore and
Aft, not knowing much Of the nature
of the Gurkhas, treated them as they
would treat any other "niggers, y and
the little men in green trotted back tc
their firm friends, the highlanders, and,
with many grins, confded to them:
"That dam white regiment no dam
use Sulky-ugh! Dirty-ugh! Hya,
any tot for Johnnyi' Whereat the
highlanders smote the Gurkhas as to
the head and told them not to vilify a
British regiment, and the Ghurkas
grinned cavernously, for the highland
ers we're their elder brothers and en-
titled to the privileges of kinship. The
common soldier who touches a Gurkha
is more than likely to have his head
sliced open.
Three days later the brigadier ar
ranged a battle according to the rules
of war and the peculiarly Of the Af-
CHAN temperament. The enemy were
massing in inconvenient strength
among the hills, and the moving OF
many green standards warned him that
the tribes were cup in aid of the Af-
CHAN regular troops A squadron and
half of Bengal lancers represented the
available cavalry, and two screw guns.
borrowed from column 80 miles away.