Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1902-12-27 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FAMOUS CHARGE.  "Away we went, proceeding about 500 yards, when we opened with our guns, the troops lying down on the road, where we remained for about twenty minutes under a most murderous fire,' as General Oturam styled it in his Orders next day. It i'as, indeed, most fearful; the round-shot and grape literally tore the road up, totting the brave fellows to pieces, while the bullets fell among them like a shower of hail. How I eaca.ped I cannot tell. Why I was  spared I know not. This ranch I can airy, tnat I never for a moment expected to see night, the fire was so dreadful. "It was here that the Royal Artillery were oat to pieces at their guns by the musketry fire—so hot it was, rendering them perfectly inefficient. We lay then in this fire till we were ordered to get up, and with a cheer the men rose and charged up the road, driving the enemy out of their' strorghoids; they carried away their guns, which most have been Horse Artillery from the speed with which they retreated. Well, on we went and forced our way through the grirdens and lanes, lacing men left and right; on and on, through the most intricate pieces; taking guns here and there, and forcing the cane' bridge, where they stood very steadily, firing grape and canister as our gallant fellows rushed up to the guns. The G-eneral had planned his method of approach, and halts ienumerable took place in consequence, while the roads were picked out and routes determiced. Away we went, and ebout 5 p.m. found 0111.SelVCC opposite the Palace, from the, gates of which a very heavy fire was opened, which, however, did but little damage, as we found shelter in some buildings. We were ordered on, and ileum 'Mertes', getting into shelter after paseing in front of the Palace, where, from , the loopholes, the musketry poured like ram. The foregoing account, from the pen of a Bengal Civil Servant, is a very fair and vivid description of some of that terrible day's fighting. I directed, to the best of my ability, our reply to the oonoentrated fire of four of the enemy's batteries, arid, as fast as each gun detachment was rendered inefficient, called for volunteers to replace them. In fact we were so well served in this respect, eepecially by the 84th itegiment, that we never ceased our reply, and an effective one too, with shot, shell, and oanister, to the enemy's tremendous nre. At the bridge over the canal especially, about which there has been a good cleel of controversy, it has never oeen denied that we oeaseleeely engaged five of the enemy's guns with two of cur own, at a distance of less than two hundred yards. After we got into the Residency another order came from Havelock, identical with that mentioned at the commencement of this article; and, although we received it with a certain amount of amused incredulity, a similar vote was taken, which again requited in my receiving the nomination, although this time not unenimously, which reminds me of a, conversation, overheard and repeated to me at the time, as having taken pleoe between two or three men, of never mind what corps, which shows in what light the question was regarded by them. " Well, ' said one to his comrade, who are you going to vote for?" The answer was "So and so, and who are you going to vote for yourself?" "Well!" replied the first questioner, "I think I shall vote for our Doctor." The others became curious to know why his choice had fallen upon the Doctor. Became,- sad the soldier, "I think he's the most likely man among us to live to wear it." The others asked, in an amused tone, "What makes you think that?" "Because." was the reply, embellished with an affidavit, "he takes such good cane of hieself I" Again this vote became a contribution to some officiel waste-paper basket, or an occupant of some official pigeon-hole; and I have since bitterly regretted this—not on my own accomfit but because, had I known that such would have been the case, I might have successfully recommended Eardley Maitland, as well as three or four of my men. In fact, looking back to that time, and bearing in mind how medals and honours have since been distributed, while we of Hevelook's force received never a clasp for our campaign, my principal regret is that I did not send in the names of at least ten of my tatfoxy.