On the twenty-seventh of July, 1880, we were encamped at
Khushk-i-Nakhud, in Afghanistan. At 4 a.m. that day we--Battery
E, Battery B Brigade--marched with the rest of the force on
Maiwand to meet Ayub Khan. About 9 a.m. we came in sight of him
in position under the hills. We were on the open plain. Major
Henry Blackwood, commanding my battery, gave the order "Action
front." I was a limber gunner that day. We began firing with
common shell from the right of the battery. After we had fired a
few rounds, their artillery replied. The first shot struck the
near wheel of my gun, killing a gunner, wounding another, and
Lieutenant Fowler.
The limber box upon my gun was smashed by a shell which also
killed the wheel horses, but did not touch the driver. Several
riding horses of my battery were killed, and a good deal of
damage done to guns and carriage. Four gunners and Sergeant
Wood, the No. 1 of my gun, were killed, and two men wounded,
leaving only three men to work the gun. I took Sergeant Wood's
place.
At about 1.30 p.m., some of Jacob's Rifles, who were lying down
about ten yards in rear of the trail, began to be
panic-stricken, and crowded round our guns and carriages, some
getting under the carriages. Three got under my gun. We tried to
drive them away, but it was no use. About that time we ceased
firing a little, the enemy having set the example. During that
pause the enemy on the left got pretty close. To check them,
General Nuttall formed up the 3rd Bombay Cavalry and the 3rd
Scinde Horse to charge. Gunner Smith of my gun, seeing what was
going to be done, mounted his horse and joined the cavalry.
General Nuttall led the charge, Gunner Smith being at his side.
After going about 300 yards, the enemy being about 200 yards
off, the whole line, with the exception of the General, the
European officers, and Gunner Smith, turned tail, forming up
when in line with the guns. General Nuttall with the officers,
finding themselves deserted, returned, General Nuttall actually
crying from mortification. Gunner Smith dashed on alone, and was
cut down.
About 4 p.m. a large body of the enemy's infantry charged the
left of the battery, the men of the left division 5 and 6 being
compelled to use their handspikes and charge staves to keep them
off. Major Blackwood on this ordered the battery to limber up
and retire. When Lieutenant Maclaine heard this order he said,
as I was afterwards informed, "Limber up be damned! Give them
another round." We limbered up and retired at a gallop about
2,000 yards. In the meantime Major Blackwood remained behind
with Lieutenant Maclaine's guns and was killed, Lieutenant
Osborne by his side, Lieutenant Maclaine fighting to the last.
At length, seeing no use in stopping, he galloped after us--we
had got separated from the right division--and called out to us,
only two guns, "Action, rear." We fired two rounds with
shrapnel. Captain Slade, who had been in temporary command of
the smoothbores, finding Major Blackwood dead, came up with his
smoothbores and took command of all the guns. Colonel Malcolmson
a moment later ordered Captain Slade to retire, saying, "Captain
Slade, if you and the Lieutenant keep those two guns, he will
lose them the same as he has lost his own." We then limbered up
and went off. Just then a shell burst open our treasure chest.
Many of the troops and camp followers stopped to pick up the
money and were overtaken and killed. Just after that some of the
enemy's cavalry caught up the guns. One of them wounded me on
the left eyebrow as he passed. He wheeled round and came at me
again; I took my carbine, waited till he was within four or five
yards, and let drive, hitting him on the chest and knocking him
off his horse. As he fell his money fell out of his turban, and
Trumpeter Jones jumped off his horse and picked it up. He
escaped, and is now corporal R.H.A., and wears the Distinguished
Service medal for his conduct at Maiwand.
It was now beginning to get dusk, and I got off to walk by the
side of my gun. Seeing a village close by, and some men at a
well, I followed them and got some water. Just as we got to the
well the enemy charged and drove us off, killing a good many.
On my return I missed my gun, and picked up with No. 2, which I
stuck to till I reached Candahar. It was now dark, and we were
with a stream of men of all regiments, camp followers, camels,
and waggons. Going along I saw a lot of sick and wounded lying
by the side of the road, and I picked them up and put them on
the gun and limber. I had about ten altogether; they were all
66th men, and a colonel whose name I do not know and never heard
of.
We had been fighting all day, marching all night and next day
without a bit of food or a drink of water. I did not feel it so
much, as I was so occupied, but I saw several dying by the
roadside from thirst and fatigue. About four in the afternoon of
the 28th, we came to a place called Kokeran, 7-1/2 miles from
Candahar; I saw a village where I could get water for the men
who were with me. I went off and brought the water back and the
men with me. On going to the village I saw Lieutenant Maclaine
mounted; when I came back I saw two horses without a rider. I
then went again for more water. I was about 150 yards from the
gun when I saw ten or twelve of the enemy's cavalry coming on at
a slow pace towards the gun. The gun went off and I lay down and
allowed the gun to pass me, and began firing with a rifle which
I had got from a wounded 66th man, in order to draw their fire
upon myself, and stop them from going forward with the gun. I
was concealed in a little nullah, and I fancy they thought there
was more than one man, for they stopped and fired at me from the
saddle. I shot one horse and two men. After firing about
thirty-five rounds General Nuttall came up with some native
cavalry, and drove them off. When I first saw the enemy they
were about 300 yards off, when they left they had got 150 yards.
General Nuttall asked me my name, saying, "You're a gallant
young man, what is your name?" I said, "Gunner Collis, of E. of
B, R.H.A." He entered it into a pocket-book and rode off. I then
followed up my gun, which I found some 500 yards distant by the
side of a river. The enemy's fire, which had been going on all
the way from Maiwand, now became hotter, the surrounding hills
being full of them. Some of the garrison of Candahar met us
about four miles from the Fort and escorted us in. I arrived
about seven p.m.
[Illustration: "I WAS LET DOWN."]
[Illustration: "I TOOK MY CARBINE AND LET DRIVE."]
On the occasion of the sortie from Candahar in the middle of
August, 1880, the fighting was going on in the village situated
about 200 yards from the edge of the ditch of the fort. I was
standing by my gun on the rampart, when General Primrose,
General Nuttall, and Colonel Burnet came up. I heard them
talking about sending a message to General Dewberry, who had
succeeded General Brooke, who had been killed. I spoke to
Colonel Burnet and said that I would take the message over the
wall. After a little hesitation General Primrose gave me a note.
I was let down a distance of about thirty or forty feet to the
bottom of the ditch by a rope. When half down I was fired at but
not hit by matchlock men about 250 yards distant, and I
scrambled up the open side of the ditch and ran across to the
village. I found the officer commanding in the middle of it, and
fighting going on all round. I delivered the note and returned.
When half way up the rope I was fired at again, one bullet
cutting off the heel of my left boot. General Primrose
congratulated me and Colonel Burnet gave me a drop out of his
flask, for what with not having recovered from the fatigues of
Maiwand and the exertion and excitement of this trip, I was a
bit faint.
I was recommended for the Victoria Cross without my knowledge
about September 10, by Sir F. Roberts, on the report of General
Nuttall and Colonel Burnet. It was given to me July 28, 1881.
(_To be continued._)
[Illustration]
_How Novelists Write for the Press._
HOW authors work--what methods are peculiar to each individual in
preparing MS. for the printer--is a question on which, we think, the
following fac-similes, of the same size as the originals, of the work of
four representative novelists of the present day, will throw an
interesting light. William Black, Walter Besant, Bret Harte, and Grant
Allen--here is a page from the manuscript of each. Mr. Black's, with
which we commence, fine and careful as it is, is however only a rough
draft, which is afterwards re-copied, with slight alterations, for the
press.
[Illustration: Fac-simile of a page of MS. from Mr. WILLIAM BLACK'S
_Prince Fortunatus_.]
[Illustration: Fac-simile of the last page but one of the MS. of Mr.
WALTER BESANT'S novel, _Children of Gibeon_.]
[Illustration: Fac-simile of a page of the MS. of Mr. BRET HARTE'S
story, _The Twins of Table Mountain_.]
[Illustration: Fac-simile of a page of the MS. of Mr. GRANT
ALLEN'S story, _Jerry Stokes_ (see next page).]
_Jerry Stokes._