The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-11
THE MARCH TO CABUL

/ knew the Afghan. In that long anc
/ bloody campaign neither side bothered
I with prisoners. If we captured one. ten
fifty. or a hundred il was pun! bang
and they were left lying dead as We
marched on. If one of our men fell into
/ their hands his head was chopped off oil
a spear sent through him before he could
wink twice. They'd have the life OF every
man. even if they Welded up twenty
for one Some would follow on after the
column. but hordes would be left be-
hind to haraSs the outposts left along
! the line of communication.
Ii stood us in hand TO make good use
of the few hours left TO us. The Afghans
were. eIated and excited. and showed nc
DISPOSITION TO attack that evening. hui
We knew the morrow would open siege
v INCH might last until there was no
longer a man to defend the fort. As
tGcTe were five days rations for l0G mer.
the twenty-five of us had close upon
months provisions AS for water, there
Vas spring bubbling up within the
tort and all the preparations We could
ma ko consisted in Strengthening the po-
sitiou. During the night we built bomb
proof. hauled in large supply OF fire
wood and not one of us got wink OF
sleep. Day had scarcely broken when We
found ourselves surrounded by at least
a thousa nj natives. The first move on
their part was to demand surrender. This
was promptly refused, and musketry hre
was then opened Oh the fort. We made
much as possible. cooked breakfast. and
most of the men slept until noon.
| told You our fort was on the crest
on steep hill. The Garth slanted away
from it in all directions for about forty
rods before there was any cover Tor an
enemy. So far as musketry was con-
cerned. they might blaze away for year
and not hurt any one. hut We knew they
would soon bring up fteldpieces against
us. There was only one spot where they
could plant the guns to get the proper
elevation on us. and that was just op-
posite the north center of the fort. on
little plateau forty feet above the
travelled trail. During the day we
backed this wall with other blocks CT
stone. and ma lie il Is secure as circun-
stances would permit and when night
Us without inflicting the least damage.
We hadn't the lumber to build plat
forms around the walls but we had
sufficient to build three lookout stations
at three corners. and there sentinels took
their stations when darkness tell. What
we feared was a night attack with
scaling ladders, and that was exactly
what they were planning for. Instead of
they made rush on us about l o'clock
in the morning with a detail of men
carrying long poles to rest against the
walls. The sentnels gave us timely no.
as to bring us nearer the enemy as he
showed up on the top of the wall, we
tumbled him off with bullet and bayo-
net So rapidly that he drew Off IN great
confusion.
That attack was a good thing for US.
The enemy gave us credit for three times
our actual strength and therefore de-
cided to move with more caution in the
future. and II gave us the idea that our
position could be defended asainst, big
odds. During the next day the Afsiians
kept up a slow and irregular fire against
us, simply wasting their lead. and ali
the men except those on necessary duty
we're permitted to sleep. When night