The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-09-21

attend the funeral he was pleased t
decorate Lord Roberts with the Orde
Of the Black Eagle. The gallant Irisl
soldier of Indian nativity has also re
ceived the thanks of the British Par
lament together with grant of 100
600 pounds sterling; and is entitled I,
the letters X. c. B.. G. C. B., G. C.
E., G. C..S. l.. ard X. P
Best of all, he Is affectionatel,
known to every soldier In the British
army as "Bobs." He is also the prout
wearer of Victoria Cross, and the
possessor of second cross for which
his only son stained the South Afri
can veldt with his life-blood.
| The idol Of the British army was
but a lieutenant when he won his
cross in the bloody days of the Indian
Mutiny. and at the time was serving
| on the staff of Sir Colin Campbell
| the commander-in-chief of the British
forces in India. He had already been
mentioned in dispatches. had been
wounded, and also knocked over by
the "windage" of round shot.
A column was moving upon Fate
garh to restore order through a strip
of disordered territory, so that COM
munication might be opened up be-
tween the Punjab and Bengal. Riding
with the horse artillery and cavalry,
'Bobs" came upon large body Of
the enemy occupying the village Of
khundagani. 1t became necessary to
dislodge and destroy this force If pos
sible, as it was understood that in the
ranks of this particular body of Sc
poys were many who had taken
more or less prominent part in the
Cawnpore slaughter
Three guns were pushed across a
partly destroyed suspension bridge
over stream. They engaged the enc
my while planks were laid across the
stringers for the passage of the main
body of the column.
Fearful lest Sir Colin Campbell
should favor the Highlanders by or
dering them to lead, the SD regiment,
composed mostly of impulsive Irish
men. charged the village without wait
ing for orders. Nothing remained but
to support them.
AS the yelling troops advanced up
on the village calling upon one anoth-
er to Remember Cawnpore!" the Sc
poys wavered, then hastily. limbcred
up their guns and retired. This gave
the mounted troops an opportunity to
follow up the retreat and inflict q sum-
mary punishment
"Threes eft-trot-marchI" came
the order
And with "Bobs" well in the van
guard, the 9th Lancers led the pur.
suit. When within three hundred
yards of the Sepoys the charge" was
sounded, and within another minute
came the shock. Seven guns were Ia
ken within five minutes.
The line Numbered on, overtaking
groups of the enemy, who every few
paused to kneel and fire into
the British. Finally the last body was
overtaken. The Sepoys halted and
fired volley at close range.
Lieutenant Younghusband. riding |
near "Bobs", fell; but the future field |
could not ride to his assis-
lance at that moment, for close by |
him Sepoy was attacking one of his |
men with fixed bayonet. With a
stroke OF his saber ..Bobs" put the /
5epoy out of commission and was
about to give his attention to the fall
an officer when he saw two Sepoys
running away with regimental stan
lard in their possession.
Putting spurs to his horse. he over
ook the mutineers and ran one Of
hem through. He was wrenching the
lag out of the hand of the man he had |
ut down, when the other Sepoy
placed the muzzle Of his musket close
o Roberts breast, and pulled the trig-
ger. Fortunately for the gallant Iieu-
enant 1t missed fire, and he lived not
'nly to receive the Victoria Cross from
he hands Of the Queen at Bucking- I
lam Palace in June Of 1859, but also
o receive from the same hands, some
orty years later, a Victoria Cross
to his dead son, killed upon |
he battlefield Of Colenso in desper-
tie attempt to save battery from
alling into the hands of the Beers.
In writing of these heroes of the
ross, 1t would not be fair to dismiss
he subject without mentioning the ex-
lofts Of Field Marshal Sir George
'tuart White, who in 1870 won a cross,
nd the following year was awarded a
lasp in addition. equivalent to a sec
nd cross.
White, who succeeded "Bobs" as
in India, became
n ensign of the 9th Inniskilling regi-
tent in 1853. Ten years later he be-
anne captain in the famous 92d
egiment of Gordon Highlanders. A
lajor in 1879, he and his regiment
,rmed part of the avenging column
rdered to Afghanistan to punish the
lurderers of Cavagnari.
At the battle Of Charasiah, with
,ere handful Of Highlanders. he won