New-York tribune., 1900-05-13
BRITISH BATTLES FoUGHT AT CHRrsrH4s
From Tid-Bits.


Now that wars and runors OF wars are the order
OF the day. il is interesting 70 recall other occa,
with bIoodshed and so many homes in ENGLAND
rendered desoate by The absence OF those who VIII
certain amount OF luck attached 10 battles we have
fought Yuletide. for. although we usually come
out victorious only in one case have we met with
reverse which was az Bronkers Spruis n the last
The first Christmas battle OF which We have any
record was fought az Clifton Moor IN 17i5 between
fiet was bloody one and both sides lost heavily;
loden the following year
T791, although The news did not reach England
until the New Year. and during the war with
the arrival OF the tidings that TouIon had been
festivities Immediately gave way 70 national
Nor 1in 1888 did We night aaothsE Christmas bat
br2ted the season by completely routing the Aus
trans on the memorable field of Ninci0 n 1880; and
battle with the European allies az PuItusk- In IS0s
1 10Tese1 me 0gi5hS3I action az saasln came o..
feated far larger force of the enemy
In. 1S13 troops in the Peninsula spent Christ
mas In forcing the passage OF the Niye- The ac~
fortnight afterward Wellington's kept Up
heavy skirm!shing with the French and beat them
During Christmas week .GsID two battles were
treaGheroqs Indian Rajah rose IN revolt againss
f0rce NbicE ~ hI-rJe.3 arqi-Sr On sIeufIs- ors
The drsr battle came OF a Alehzdp0re Deceu-
Der q and the enemy was repU.sed with lOsa
only to return REINFORCED ana atfack rs az Nag
pore Christmas eve. We had etgh,eeu thousand
all told. and the enemy we're about four tines
that number; nevertheless Os,r troops not only
held their own but gained brilliant victory and
Not tin queen Victoria came TO the throne did
We partlctp 1te in another Nulecide campaign but
the festivities OF Isis. : far army
cerned. were disturbed BY the Mahratta War. Sir
Hugh Cough was al the head Of our Indian army.
the day. himself defeating their force
OF eighteen thousand men, including three thousand
and General Grey makins short work of another
body OF twelve hundred Mahrattas al PUnniar-
Two years later SIR Hugh Cough was again az
enough. the TWO battles he fought with them both
took place during Christmas wees The first
az Moodkee, where the enemy We're beaten back
not night put end 70 the Struggle. a day later,
December 80 the battle was renewed at Ferozeshah
Thousands OF Sikhs fell. and when the fighting was
over fewer than 24i5 and Us officers belong
ing 10 the British Army lay dead on the held-
with cur troops n the Crirnss, for the Russians
made sOrtle from Sebast0pOl upon the trenches
on December p. and the conflict Went on far into
enemy
In 1886 we were aghting the Persssns at Christ
been concluded and December . found troops
in hot pursuit OF the retiring foe.
ing the Afghans, and on Christmas Eve the follow
ing year Sir William Lockhart entered Cabul az the
head OF his Victorious army, after having avenged
the murder OF Sir Louis CavagnGrt
General (EOrdOns last Christmas spent in
warfare. for At that time-iu lsSf-he was hemmed
IN at KhartoUIn by the Mahdfs forces. and died
Is the only Christmas battle that has beer
fought in the Soudan and in which Englishmen
routed b. General Grenfen al saskim asrtno
Christmas week