Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-11-06

mother would be proud IL sne coulu
see you, wouldn't she?"
British Soldiers Firm.
With a snarl the man leaped to his
feet, rushed into the thickest of the
fray, and fought like a tiger suffering
from toothache.
OF all the fighting men the British
bluejacket or soldier is the least
liable to panic. Still, even he does
not always escape, although, in an
experience as a war correspondent
which embraces 19 campaigns and
90 pitched battles, 1 have only once
seen the British Tommy thoroughly
and utterly demoralized.
This was at the battle of Tamai,
when. through a blunder for which
General Sir Gerald Graham, V. c.,
chivalrously assumed a responsibility
that was not his the leading square
was ambushed.
1t was so neatly trapped that, be-
fore anything could be done, there
were 5000 of the enemy inside the
square. Then the men began to give.
There was no shouting, no running,
but Just a confused, struggling, aim
less walk, or roll, to nowhere in par
ticular. This lasted for seven or
eight minutes. and then a trifling in
cident caused the cord of fear to
snap like a fiddle string.
A wounded Tommay, down in the
sand, had got hold of Dervish
around the legs in such a manner
that the latter could not use his
spear. Some of the men, catching
sight of the struggle, called to the
others to turn and watch it. In a
few seconds the square was station
ary, and facing inwards, watching a
duel.
Slowly, pertinaciously, hanging on
like a bulldog, the Tommy-a very
powerful man-dragged the Dervish
down, stretched him across his knee
and broke his back in two.
Cheer after cheer greeted the feat,
and then the late Bennett Burleigh
lifted up a most unmusical voice and
beloved forth, Rule, Britannia"
That did it. Yell after yell of
Homeric laughter burst from the
ranks. Then came silent-a grim,
terrible silence, as the men spat on
their hands and went to the bayonet
killing. OF the 5000 or more Der
wishes inside the square not one came
out alive but for about ten minutes
it had been touch-and-go with Tom
my Atkins.
Colored troops, of course, get panic
badly.
At FL Teb.
was in the first battle of FL Teb,
when Valentine Baker Pasha's force
of 5000 Egyptians and some 800
Europeans was cut to pieces. over
$500 Egyptians were slain, while
was one of the six survivors out of
800 Europeans. The Informed square
broke at the first Bedouin onslaught
and then ensued a horrible panic
stricken procession back to the sea.
The enemy hung on for two or
three miles, cutting. slashing, killing
at will. for, as have said, character
istically of panic, the men made no
effort to defend themselves.
In this armageddon there will be
panics
Personally. 1 think the Latin races
will be the first to crack under the
strain. At the same time, no race
has monopoly of panic. for none es-
capes our common heritage of fear,
only some men have the panic sense
more highly developed.
What about the Teuton? The Ger
man soldier may either set an ex-
ample of moral stamina, or he may
prove to be overtrained and stale,
and therefore liable to the sudden
onrush of senseless fear.
One thing, however l can assert
with confidence: If there be man
on earth who is impervious to panic
who can avert it, or stay it once 1t
has developed. then that man is the
British officer, naval or military.
Except in his own petty or non