There was the greatest joy among the Pioneers, when they received
instructions to prepare for an advance to Khusalghar. Officers and
men alike were in the highest spirits, and not the least pleased
was Lisle, who had begun to tire of the monotony of camp life. The
mention of the place at which they were to assemble put an end to
the discussion, that had long taken place, as to route to be
followed. Six days' easy march along a good road would take them to
Shinawari and, in three or four days more, they would get into the
heart of the Tirah.
Illustration: Map illustrating the Tirah Campaign.
Much would depend on the conduct of the Orakzais, a powerful tribe
whose country lay between Kenmora and that of the Zakka-Khels. The
latter had indeed declared against us, but they were known to be
very half hearted; for they felt that, lying as they did close to
the British frontier, they would be sure to suffer most if we
obtained the upper hand. It was hoped therefore that, after making
a show of resistance, they would try to come to terms with us.
The regiment was told that it would have to provide its own
carriage, and two or three days were spent in buying up all the
ponies and mules in the neighbourhood. All the heavy baggage was
packed up and left in store, and the regiment marched from the town
in light order, with their drums and fifes playing a merry march,
and the men in high spirits.
"It is worth two years in a dull cantonment, Bullen," one of the
lieutenants remarked to Lisle.
"It is glorious," Lisle said, "though I expect we shall have some
hard fighting; for they say that the Zakka-Khels and their allies
can place fifty thousand in the fighting line and, as our column is
reported to be twenty thousand strong, we shall all have our work
to do. In the open they would, of course, have no chance with us
but, as the fighting will be done in guerrilla fashion, from hills
and precipices, our task will be no easy one. The guarding of the
tremendous convoy we must take with us will, in itself, be
extremely difficult."
"Yes, I expect we shall get it hot. The loss is almost sure to be
heavy, but that will not prevent us from turning them out of their
fastnesses."
"I wish they would let us all carry rifles, instead of swords,"
Lisle said. "It will be beastly having nothing to do but wave one's
sword, while they are potting at us. I don't think I should mind
the heaviest fire, if I could reply to it; but to be compelled to
stand by idly, while the men are blazing away, would be enough to
drive me mad."
"I dare say when the fighting begins, Bullen, you will soon find
that there are plenty of rifles disengaged; and I don't see any
reason why an officer should not pick up one of them, and take his
share in firing, till he has to lead the men on to an attack."
Lisle was now nearly eighteen, of medium height, with light active
figure, and likely to be able to undergo any hardships.
On their arrival at Khusalghar, they found that several regiments
were already there, with an enormous amount of stores and baggage.
The officers lost no time in examining the fort, that had been so
nobly held by a party of Sikhs who, having for a long time held the
enemy in check, had fought to the last when they burst in. One by
one the noble fellows fell. One wounded man, lying on a pallet,
shot three of the enemy before he was killed; and the last survivor
of the little force shut himself up in a little chamber, and killed
twenty of his assailants before he was overcome. Not a single man
escaped, and their defence of the little fort is a splendid example
of the fidelity and bravery of our Sikh soldiers.
After a few days' stay at this place, the regiment marched on to
Shinawari; and here remained for some little time, until the column
was made up. It was known that the Zakka-Khels and their allies had
marched down and taken up their position near the Dargai hill; and
that the Orakzais had, in spite of the pressure brought to bear
upon them by the other tribes, determined to remain neutral. This
Dargai hill must not be confused with the hill, of the same name,
at which fierce fighting took place in the expedition to Chitral,
two years before.
At last the welcome news came that the advance was about to take
place. General Lockhart, with another column, was at Fort Lockhart,
some thirty miles away; but the intermediate ground was so broken,
and the force of the enemy watching him so strong, that no
assistance could be obtained from him. The force assembled at
Shinawari was a strong one. The King's Own Scottish Borderers, a
battery of Royal Artillery, the 1st Battalion of Gordons, 1st
Dorsets with a mountain battery, the Yorkshire Regiment, the Royal
West Surrey, and a company of the 4th Ghoorkhas were all there. The
3rd Sikhs, with two guns, moved to the left in the Khuram Valley.
Altogether, something like fifty thousand transport animals
accompanied them, with sixty thousand camp followers. The transport
presented an extraordinary appearance. It included every class of
bullock vehicle, lines of ill-fed camels, mules, ponies, and even
tiny donkeys.
On October 17th orders were received, from General Lockhart, that
the division at Shinawari was to make a reconnaissance in force
towards the Khanki Valley, as the enemy had been seen moving about
on the hills. A force consisting of the 3rd and 4th Brigades moved
forward. The object of the reconnaissance was the summit of the
hill, directly overlooking Shinawari, and over two thousand feet
high. From the plain the ascent appeared to be simple but, when
they started to climb, they found that it was rugged and almost
impassable. There was no semblance of road, and the men had to toil
up the goat paths and sheep tracks.
The Dargai ridge was from a thousand to fifteen hundred feet above
the spot from which they started. On the near side it was almost a
sheer precipice, and the only means of access to the top was up
three steep waterways, which converged to the left of the position.
It was only two hundred and fifty yards' range from the summit but,
as soon as it was crossed, the steepness of the cliff afforded the
assailants shelter from the enemy's fire. From this point the path
zigzags up, until men in single file can reach the summit. The
ridge then dips into the hollow plateau where the village lies, and
then runs up two hundred feet to the cliff, making a descent of the
better part of a mile. On the far side the hill slopes away to the
Khanki Valley.
"We are going to begin with a sharpish climb," Lisle said to
another officer. "If those fellows on the top of the cliff stick to
their work, we shall have a very hot time of it."
"I expect the guns will clear them off," the other said.
"They may do that for a moment but, as we get up to the top, they
will rush forward again; if they have the same pluck as the fellows
I fought against, before."
As soon as the advance began, the enemy came into action; but the
two batteries opened upon them, and their fire slackened somewhat.
The climb was a severe one, indeed; the road became worse and worse
as they advanced and, at one place, a ridge between two spurs had
to be crossed with barely a foot of purchase way, and a sheer drop
on both sides. When they were within two hundred yards from the
summit, they had to cross an open space. The Borderers and
Ghoorkhas were in front; and the latter were ordered to carry the
position, while the Borderers covered their advance.
The Ghoorkhas advanced in a couple of rushes and, as they neared
the summit, the enemy bolted. The Goorkhas pursued; but they did
not go far, as the general, who had been with the advance guard
throughout, recalled them. It was found that a village lay in the
hollow of the plateau, and that sangars had been built all along
the summit, and high up on the hill which covered the crest.
General Westmacott waited for two hours on the summit and,
supposing that General Kempster could not make his way up, was
about to withdraw his men; as large bodies of the enemy were seen,
moving in a direction which threatened the left rear. As they did
so, General Kempster arrived. He had experienced considerable
resistance, and had lost two officers.
"That has been hard work, Lisle," his companion said, as they
returned to camp.
"Yes, but the hardness consisted more in the climbing than in the
fighting. I wonder we are brought back again. We shall probably
have a great deal harder work, next time; for all the enemy in the
Khanki Valley will no doubt be up there, waiting for us."
That evening, there was much discussion at the mess upon the
expediency of evacuating the pass, when it had once been occupied.
The general opinion, however, was that it was necessary.
General Lockhart was at the fort bearing his name, with a regiment
of the 4th Brigade. The 2nd Battalion had remained in camp at
Shinawari, and the 1st Division was still on the march to that
place. It was General Lockhart's intention to divide the great
force known to be in the Khanki Valley. The reconnaissance had been
ordered to ascertain if a road really existed, and if it was
passable for baggage. The reasons for the retirement were that a
complete brigade would have been required to take the place, that
the picketing of the road would have taken half a brigade, and that
no commissariat arrangements had been made for the supply of a
force on the plateau. Further, not a drop of water was available;
and lastly, if Dargai had been held, the enemy would have massed
their whole force against it; whereas, when the force withdrew, the
tribesmen would be compelled to divide their force in order to
watch the other road.
The conclusion arrived at, by the members of the mess, was that the
retirement was probably necessary; but that the next advance would
assuredly meet with much greater opposition than the first.
Three days passed; and then, at half-past four in the morning, the
advance guard of General Yeatman-Biggs' column left the camp, under
General Kempster, and proceeded up the Chagru Pass. It was a long,
weary pull up the hill. The sappers had been working hard on the
road, for the past ten days; but it was still very narrow for a
whole division, and three mountain batteries. At half-past eight
the force reached the summit, and the advance guard sent back news
that the crest of the Dargai was held, by the enemy, in force. The
enemy could be plainly made out. They had with them a black banner,
which showed that they were Kambar Khels. On the far side of the
opposite range could be seen great masses of tribesmen, with a
dozen standards.
The 1st and 2nd Ghoorkhas, the Dorsets, and the Derbys were sent
on; while the Gordons took up a position to cover the advance, with
long-range volleys. As the regiments climbed up, three mountain
guns massed on the Chagru Kotal; and another one, which had come in
with the Northampton from Fort Lockhart, opened fire. The enemy
replied, at long range, upon the advance guard of the Ghoorkhas, as
they went up the centre nullah. The little Ghoorkhas came steadily
on and, at six hundred yards, opened fire in volleys. This and the
fire of the guns was too much for the tribesmen, who ceased to show
themselves. The Dorsets had now joined the Ghoorkhas and, after a
halt, again made a rush across the open to reach the cover, the
Derbys firing heavily to assist them.
Until our men showed in the open, they had no knowledge in what
force the position was held. Three companies of Ghoorkhas managed
to reach cover beneath the cliff, but the path was strewn with the
dead and dying. Captain Robinson, after getting across with his
men, tried to rejoin the main body, but fell. Then the Dorsets
endeavoured to join the three gallant companies of Ghoorkhas. Rush
after rush was made, but the head of each melted away, as soon as
the fatal spot was reached. At last, after three fruitless
attempts, the helio flashed back to the general that the position
was impregnable, and that further attempts would be but a useless
waste of life.
Matters were looking serious. It was twelve o'clock, and the enemy
still held their position. General Yeatman-Biggs realized that a
check would seriously alter the course of the campaign, and he told
General Kempster that the summit must be taken, at any cost. The
latter started at once, taking with him the Gordons and 3rd Sikhs.
It took the fresh troops the best part of an hour to climb up; and
when the five regiments of infantry, the Highlanders, English,
Sikhs, and Ghoorkhas, stood massed in the nullah, General Kempster
helioed to the guns, asking three minutes' concentrated fire on the
summit.
There were two ways to reach the cover where the company of
Ghoorkhas had been lying, for three hours. The top ridge had been
proved to be absolutely a death passage, but there was another
path, by which General Westmacott had forced his way up, three days
before, and which was shorter across the open zone of fire. A fresh
regiment was to take the lead.
The colonel collected his men at the edge of the nullah, and said:
"Gordons, the general says that the position must be taken, at all
costs. The Gordons are to do it!"
The signal was given, the batteries at once opened fire, and the
cliff was crowned with a circle of bursting shrapnel. Then the
officers of the Gordons dashed over the nullah, the pipes rolled
out the charge and, with clenched teeth, the Highlanders burst into
the open. The length of the exposed zone was swept with the leaden
stream. The head of the upper column melted away; but a few
struggled on, and others took the places of the fallen. The Sikhs,
Derbys, and Ghoorkhas followed in rushes, as the firing slackened,
and the cover halfway was won. A moment was allowed for breath, and
then the men were up again; another terrible rush, another terrible
slaughter, and the three companies of Ghoorkhas were reached.
When the enemy saw that the space was crossed, they left their
sangars and streamed down the reverse slope of the hill. They could
not face the men who had passed that terrible passage. Forming at
the bend of the perpendicular rock, they waited till they had
recovered their breath, and then proceeded up the zigzag path
leading to the summit of the hill.
The fighting was over, but the loss had been great. Four officers
had been killed and ten wounded, one of them mortally. The total
casualties were a hundred and ninety-four killed and wounded. Of
these thirty were Gordons, and the majority of the remainder were
Dorsets and Ghoorkhas. Few of those who fell wounded escaped with
their lives. Their comrades made desperate efforts to carry them
off; but the storm of bullets, fired at so short a range, rendered
it impossible; while the wounded who attempted to rise and return
were riddled with bullets, as soon as they moved. When the fight
was over, the whole force encamped on the Chagru Kotal.
The assailants were unable to make out why the enemy did not defend
the zigzag path. Only two men could climb it abreast, and the
advancing files could have been destroyed by a dozen marksmen with
breech loaders. The only reasonable supposition was that, having
been engaged for five hours, their ammunition was practically
exhausted.
Several acts of heroism were performed in the battle. One of the
pipers, Lance Corporal Milne, was shot through both legs; but still
continued to play his pipes, in a sitting position. Four other
pipers played right across the fatal passage, three of them being
wounded. Lieutenant Tillard was the first man across. He was a fast
runner, but he stopped to encourage his men, midway.
By the 25th, the whole of the two divisions were encamped on the
two low hills at the mouth of the Kapagh Pass; while the stream of
transport came gradually up. By that day six thousand four hundred
British troops, eleven thousand two hundred and eighty native
troops, seventeen thousand followers, and two thousand four hundred
camels were gathered there.
In the morning a foraging party went out and, when they were
returning to camp with supplies, and also with a hundred head of
cattle, the enemy lined the neighbouring heights. The mountain
battery came into action, and the rearmost regiment covered the
retreat by volleys; but the tribesmen had all the advantage of
position and, with the utmost determination, they followed. They
even opened fire on the camp, causing several casualties, the total
losses being over thirty.
By this time the troops were all convinced that the campaign would
be a most serious one. Before them lay a country of which they were
absolutely ignorant, into which no Englishman had ever penetrated;
and defended by an enemy who were, for the most part, armed with
first-class rifles, and were marvellous skirmishers. If the
tribesmen kept to guerrilla warfare, there was no saying how long
the campaign would last.
Lisle had passed through the fight unhurt. He had been almost
bewildered as he crossed the fatal path, running at top speed, with
men falling thickly around him. Halfway across Lieutenant Blunt,
who was one of his great chums, and had joined just before him,
fell. Lisle sheathed his sword and threw himself down beside him,
pressing him to the ground to prevent him from moving; while he
himself remained perfectly still. When the next rush of men came
along, he lifted his wounded friend with great effort on to his
back, and then ran on. Blunt was again twice hit; but Lisle
escaped, almost by a miracle, and arrived at the foot of the
precipice a minute after the last man got in. He was loudly
cheered, by the men, as he did so.
He had the satisfaction of knowing that Blunt's wounds, although
serious, were not considered mortal. When the regiment halted on
the plateau, Lisle was warmly congratulated by the colonel and
officers on the feat he had performed; but he disclaimed any
particular merit.
"When Blunt fell," he said, "it was the most natural thing in the
world that I should go and pick him up; and I did so almost
mechanically. Luckily he was a light man but, even if he had been a
heavy one, I don't think I should have felt his weight. I was
scarcely conscious of the bullets whistling round me. When he fell,
I knew that the tribesmen would shoot any wounded man who tried to
rise, and that the only chance was to lie perfectly still, until
another batch of men came along."
"You showed no end of coolness," the colonel said, "and the idea of
pressing him down, and yourself lying quietly beside him showed
that, in spite of confusion, your brain was clear, and that you had
all your senses about you. It was a gallant action, which I shall
not forget to mention when I send in my report. You deserve the
V.C., but I don't suppose you will get it; so many gallant deeds
were done that only a few can get the cross."
The two divisions marched on the morning of the 28th. The
Northamptons and 36th Sikhs had been detached to an extremely high
hill, to cover the advance. It had already been found that,
although the Afridis could fight well, so long as they had the
advantage of position, they were nevertheless extremely careful of
their skins. After the heavy firing into camp, on the night of the
return of the reconnaissance, the place had been greatly
strengthened; and the positions were changed every night, a fact
which so entirely surprised the enemy that, for a time, night
attacks ceased altogether.
General Westmacott's brigade advanced up the Khanki nullah to the
foot of the Sampagha Pass. General Gazelee's division moved along
the hills, and halted at the village of Ghandaki. In the afternoon
a reconnaissance pushed forward, and returned with the news that
the pass appeared to be simple, and the road a good one. Tribesmen
were seen upon nearly every crest. They were apparently building
sangars upon the roadway.
General Gazelee was to make his attack next morning. General
Westmacott, General Kempster, and General Hart, with the batteries
of both divisions, were to occupy a knoll at the foot of the pass,
to support the advance. The troops moved forward in the following
order: the Queens, the 2nd and 4th Ghoorkhas, Yorks, and 3rd Sikhs
were first; and they were followed by the 30th Sikhs, the Scottish
Borderers, and the Northamptons.
In the dim light of the early morning, the distant crests were
marked by the fires of the enemy. Some delay was caused by the
batteries missing the tracks, but by daybreak they advanced. At
half-past six the enemy fired the first shot, and then fell rapidly
back. The regiments in the first line moved steadily on and, at
half-past seven, the guns opened. A few shells were sufficient for
the enemy's advance party, and they scuttled back. When the
Ghoorkhas and Queens reached the first ridge in the pass, the enemy
opened fire; but they could not stand the accurate fire of the six
batteries.
A mountain battery pushed up the pass, and came into action on the
enemy's first position. The pass widened out from this point, and
the two leading regiments moved forward to the sloping crest of the
third position. The Queens had advanced on the right, with the
Ghoorkhas on their flank. The pathway was covered by the fire of
the enemy, hidden behind rocks; and this was so accurate that men
could hardly show themselves on the path, without being immediately
shot down. The Sikhs and Borderers, however, pushed up the hill and
drove the enemy out.
The defence of the pass was not so determined as had been expected,
after the stand shown at Dargai. The reason, no doubt, was that
though they were good skirmishers, the enemy did not care to expose
themselves, either to artillery fire or close-quarter fighting.
When the last crest had been gained, the force proceeded down into
the Mastura Valley. The tribesmen had deserted, and set fire to,
their homesteads. The villages were only a few hundred yards apart,
and were well built. The valley contained many beautiful groves.
There was little food in the camp, and the Ghoorkhas set to work to
make chupatties, with coarse flour found in the villages.
There had been very few casualties during the day, and the men
began to hope that, after the lesson taught the enemy at Dargai, no
other resolute stand would be made. After a day of rest in the
valley, orders were issued for the 3rd and 4th Brigades to move, at
daybreak. The 2nd Brigade was to follow, the 1st being left to
garrison the camp. The path was across a low ridge connecting
higher ones, and offered no great facilities for resistance, and
was overcome with the exchange of a few shots, only.
From the top of the Karanghur Pass was seen the valley of Maidan,
the spot which the Afridis were wont to boast no infidel had ever
gazed upon. The view was magnificent. From the foot of the slope
stretched a valley, broken here and there by ravines and nullahs.
Every inch of it seemed to be cultivated; and it was one wide
expanse of terraced fields, sprinkled with groves and dotted with
countless habitations. There was scarce an acre which had not a
fortified block house, as each family built a homestead for itself,
and fortified itself against all comers.
As the column entered the valley, they found that their arrival had
not been expected. The livestock had been removed, but every house
in the valley was stocked with supplies. Indian corn, wheat,
barley, and other grain were found in abundance; and there was an
ample stock of honey, potatoes, walnuts, and onions.
Bagh was the tribal centre, the Afridi parliament ground. Its
mosque was situated about four miles farther up the valley. It was
at this spot that orders were issued to make war upon the British.
It was an insignificant building, with a mud roof supported by
twenty-one pillars. The mosque was not interfered with.
It was thought that, as such little opposition was offered in the
last pass, the enemy had lost all heart; but a foraging party, the
next day, found the tribesmen in great force at the other end of
the valley, and were compelled to retire. Another party of the
enemy attempted to rush a picket of the 36th Sikhs; and a strong
force pounced upon the baggage train, and killed several of the
drivers; then, retiring till the main guard had passed, dashed out
again and killed three of the guards, and wounded several others.
For the present, no damage was done to the homesteads; as it was
hoped that the Afridis would come in and surrender. Next day a
foraging party was hotly attacked and, at night, there was severe
fighting round the camp. A party of elders came in, to ask what
terms would be given; and were told that the tribesmen would have
to deliver up their rifles, and pay a heavy fine. It was evident,
from their manner, that although they would be ready to pay a fine,
they would certainly not deliver up their rifles.
The troops had now settled down comfortably. They had ten days'
rations in camp, and the camel convoys were coming in daily. The
weather was delightful, and the nightly firing into the camp,
alone, disturbed them.
A small party of foragers was, a few days later, fiercely attacked.
Captain Rowcroft, who was in command, had with him only a subadar
and half a dozen sepoys, when a heavy fire was opened upon him. The
party could have retired, but one of the men was shot through the
thigh, and it took three others to carry him. He was presently left
behind, and Rowcroft went back to the body, to assure himself that
the man was dead. This pause gave the enemy time to close up, and
the subadar was shot, as well as the man tending him.
A mule was luckily found, and the subadar was sent to the rear.
After this two men were hit, one for the second time and, as it was
impossible for the four sound men to carry off their wounded, and
face the enemy as well, Rowcroft chose the best spot, and
determined to halt and wait for help. The Afridis could not bring
themselves to rush the little party, but confined themselves to
keeping up a heavy fire. Another Sikh was wounded; and the dust
caused by the bullets almost blinded the others, who could scarcely
see to reply. At last, just in the nick of time, a relieving party
arrived and carried them off.
On the 8th General Westmacott started, with his brigade, to punish
the Zakka-Khels for the continued night firing which, our commander
had learned from prisoners, was kept up by that tribe. The brigade
did its work thoroughly and, by evening, the whole of the eastern
valley was in flames. That same evening, however, Captain Watson, a
commissariat officer, was shot dead, as he stood at his own door. A
curious fatality seemed to accompany this night firing. Out of the
many thousands in camp, four officers only had been hit. Captain
Sullivan, of the 36th Sikhs, was shot ten minutes after he had
arrived in camp, having travelled post haste from England.
On the 9th a reconnaissance was ordered to Saransur, a lofty peak
to the east of the Maidan valley. Across this is a pass, on one of
the roads to Peshawar. General Westmacott, who was in command, took
with him four regiments--two British and two Sikhs--two batteries,
and a company of Madras Sappers. The foot of the hill to be scaled
was less than three miles from camp, but the intervening ground was
extraordinarily broken. It was, in fact, a series of hummocks from
seventy to a hundred feet high; which were covered with boulders,
and intersected by a river. This main nullah was also broken, on
both sides, by smaller nullahs almost every hundred yards. Beyond
this rugged ground there was a severe ascent. The hill had two
spurs; one wooded, especially towards the summit, the other bare.
The path wound up the latter, then crossed a ridge beyond, and yet
another ridge behind that, with a sheer summit very like the Dargai
cliff.
The force left camp at half-past seven. When they had gone about a
mile, desultory shots were fired at them, from a series of
well-built sangars facing the termination of the nullah. On
reaching the foot of the hillside, General Westmacott was much
concerned about the Dorsets on the left; who were engaged in
desultory firing, and were making little progress up the nullah.
Staff officer after staff officer was despatched, to direct the
Dorsets to the intended line.
A little before ten the Northamptons, and Sikhs covering them in
the rear, began the ascent. It was a stiff climb of a thousand
feet. When the first brow was reached General Westmacott called a
halt, in order that the men might get their breath and fix
bayonets. Then they climbed to the next top cover, and rushed
forward. The enemy evidently knew its range, and advance companies
found themselves under magazine fire. Nevertheless they pushed on.
An open kotal had to be passed. The men crossed it at the double
and, although a heavy fire was kept up again, there was no
casualty.
The advance guard was now at the foot of the sheer cliff. No news
had been received of the Dorsets, who were in a very rough country,
wooded almost to the summit; and the general could only hope that
they were working up through this. The force pushed on and, a few
minutes past eleven, the whole summit was in our possession, and
the last of the visible enemy put to flight.
The intelligence officers busied themselves sketching the country.
It was evident that the Saransur was the retreat of the Maidan
Zakka-Khels, for all round were evidences of encampments:
fire-stained walls, caves, and bags of grain. It was deserted by
the tribesmen, who had been taken by surprise, and had left
hurriedly. General Westmacott was anxious to be off, as it was
probable that the fighting men of the enemy had merely hurried off
to place their families under cover, and would return as soon as
they had done so.
At two o'clock the return march began. A company of the
Northamptons were placed within range of the wooded slope, which
should have been covered by the Dorsets, had they come up. They
were suddenly fired upon, and the men fell fast. Another company
came up to help them. The enemy could not be seen, but volleys were
fired into the wood. The 36th Sikhs went back to reinforce them,
and the whole force were withdrawn without further casualty.
As the Northamptons were retiring across the wooded zone, the first
four companies were allowed to pass unmolested; but when the fifth
reached the clear ground, they were greeted with a blaze of fire.
The carriage of the wounded delayed the retirement, and it was not
until dusk that the foot of the hill was reached.
The enemy had taken every advantage that their knowledge of the
country gave them. They had now begun to creep up the ravines, and
their number increased every minute. Men were falling fast. Each
man carrying a wounded comrade became a target. The Dorsets also
were severely engaged. The Northamptons stuck to their work, and
slowly withdrew their wounded; but the number of casualties
increased alarmingly.
Then an unfortunate occurrence took place. A party of Northamptons,
under Lieutenant Macintyre and Lieutenant Sergeant Luckin, turning
a corner, were cut off. It appeared that they sacrificed themselves
to their wounded comrades. One of the party was despatched for
help, and evidently came across a small group of Dorsets. The story
was, that the party were surrounded at short range when he left;
for, had they left their wounded and followed him, they might have
saved themselves. Next morning their bodies were found. In every
case they had been wounded by bullets, before the Pathans came up
and gashed them; which showed that they had fought till the last
man dropped.
Lisle was not one of those who returned to camp and, in the
confusion that occurred as the result of the late arrival of the
troops, his absence was not discovered until the next morning. On
enquiries being made, it was found that he was last seen high up in
the mountains. He had been sent down, with eight men, to request
the guns to direct their fire against the enemy, who were pressing
the regiment during the retreat; but as he had not arrived at the
guns, a strong party was at once sent out, to search for his body
and those of the men with him.
Lisle had, in fact, pushed down halfway to the spot where the guns
were placed, and had dismounted at the top of a nullah; when a
large party of the enemy opened fire upon him. One of the sepoys at
once fell dead, and another was wounded. It was impossible for him
to fight his way through this force. Twilight was already falling
and, owing to the rugged nature of the ground, he was by no means
sure of his position.
While the men returned the enemy's fire, he looked round for some
vantage ground. Fifty yards away there was a small blockhouse and,
when he saw this, he at once determined to shelter in it. He and
one of the men therefore lifted their wounded comrade, and Lisle
shouted to the others:
"Use your magazines, and then make a rush for the hut, keeping well
together."
The little party charged, meanwhile keeping up so heavy a fire,
with their magazines, that the Afridis who stood between them and
the house cleared off, leaving a dozen of their dead on the ground.
Before they reached the block house, two more of the men were
wounded but, fortunately, not severely enough to prevent them from
keeping up with the others. The place was untenanted, and they
rushed in and at once began to pile its contents against the door.
Lisle ordered the unwounded men to take their places at the
loopholes, which served for windows in the Afridi buildings, while
he himself attended to the wounds of the others. He warned the men
who were firing to withdraw quickly after every shot, for the
Afridis were such admirable marksmen that their bullets frequently
entered the loopholes.