The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-01-20

My horse, while crossing river, was
slightly wounded and fell, and in doing
so my sword fell from my hand and
cut my left thumb badly" AS Q. M. G..
of Hope Grants column, Roberts
reconnoitred the road, and had the
honor of leading the army in the ad-
vance from the Tlumbagh to Dlkoosha,
which initiated the operations resulting
in the relief of the beleaguered garrison
But it was at Mess House that Roberts
surpassed all his previous feats of cool
bravery, and his own very modest and
self-effacing account of the incident is
this: II took the flag OF the Second
Punjab infantry, by Sir Colin Camp
BELLS orders, and placed it on the Mess
House, to show Outram and Havelock
where we were. The enemy knocked
the flagstaff down three times, break
ing the pole once" But it was just as
often put up again by the dauntless
Roberts, who stuck to his object amid
hail of bullets.
On another occasion, at Lucknow,
while following up the retreating enc
my with the ardor of fox-hunter, Rob
erts saw two Sepoys marching off with
standard. Putting spurs to his horse,
he overlook them just as they were
about to enter village, and made for
them sword in hand. They Immediately
turned at bay, and presented their mus
kets at him. 1t was critical moment
as one of them pulled the trigger, but
the cap snapped almost in Roberts face,
and the next instant he had laid the
Sepoy carrying the standard dead at
his feet with tremendous cut across
the head, Selling the trophy as it fell
from his liieless grasp Meanwhile his
companion made off to the village"
But finer exploit OF the same kind
ensued. Following the rebels Rob-
erts came up with a group consisting
of a Sikh Sowar and rebel Sepoy, stand
ing at bay, with muskct and bayonet
Roberts, not counting the odds, rode
straight at the Sepoy, and with one
fierce slash across the face killed him
on the spot" These two acts OF per-
sonal proves gained for him the much
coveted Victoria Cross-a fact herecord
of which Lord Roberts himself mod
estly relegates to the obscure position
Of a foot-note in his charming reminis-
cences Of ''Forty-one Years in India"
Roberts" wrote Admiral Oliver
Jones, SIS as good as he is brave He
is one OF those rare men who, to TN
common bravery and daring in the field
and unAinching discharge OF duty in the
camp, adds the charm OF cheering and
unaffected kindness and hospitality in
the tent, and his acquaintance and
friendship are high prizes to those who
obtain Them He was ever to the
front, as usual, in all the operations
against and around Lucknow; and
when at last the fortress was relieved
and the backbone OF the rebellion broll-
en-, his health, never robust, gave way
from the lack of stirring action to sus-
tain it, and he was invalided home,
handing over his duties to Captain Gar
net Wolseley, his compeer in fame.
After years rest in England Rob-
erts returned to India, and was recon-
mended by Lord Clyde to the viceroy,
Lord Canning, to take charge of his
camp. Those camp-marsl,al duties
Roberts had to interrupt in 1868 when
he was told off to take part in the Um-
beyla campaign in the far northwest,
where he had gained his first experience
in Indian warfare.
1t had frctted the heart OF Roberts
that he had not been able to go the
front in Abyssinia and share in any
fighting that befcll; but now he had not
long to wait for one Of those little
vars which are to Indian soldiers what
the grand autumn maneuvers are to
continental armies. Having organized,
he was appointed senior staff officer OF
the expedition which, about the time
that France and Germany we're strip
ping for a fall, was sent to chastise and
subjugate the turbulent Loosllai tribes
on the southeastern confines OF the In
dian empire toward Burmall. But staff
service pure and simple would not con-
tent him, and we find him leading the
advance against stockadc' in very
difficult and dangerous country. The
taking OF Taikoom, which ended the
campaign, was mainly due to the fact
that the attacking column was led i'll
person by Robcrts-the first time he had
commanded in action. Lieutenant
Colonel Roberts untring energy and
sagacity,'' wrote the commanding gen
eral, "are beyond all praise. He works
without guides, even without map OF
geography, and thwartcd the Looshais
whose game was to delay Our progress
He never seemed at loss"
A year or two later Roberts was made
quartermaster general in India, and or
his shoulders rested most OF the respon,
sibility for the preparation of the camps
and durbars nccessitatcd as we'll by the
Prince OF Wales visit to India (1875
1880, .as by the proclamation OF tl1e
queen as Kaiser-i-Hind Nor was he
less useful and energetic in the field o
fighting than in the field of famin,
ftQ,orQ-a\ 1,,1,ara tl,ic wo c to,u no IN