THE BATTLE AT HOT SPRINGS.
1904.
For a series of years matters had been in an unsatisfactory state
between Thibet and the Indian Government. This was caused by the
non-fulfilment of treaty obligations on the part of the former.
The Indian Government made long-continued efforts to bring matters
to a proper understanding, but all without result. These efforts
were frustrated by combined duplicity on the part of the Llamas
of Thibet and of the Chinese authorities. The Thibet and Chinese
authorities having repeatedly failed to fulfil their promise of
sending properly-authorised deputies to settle matters of dispute and
disagreement, the Indian Government at last felt compelled to send a
political agent to the seat of Thibetan authority in order to have
proper parties to deal with. Accordingly, Colonel Younghusband was
despatched for that purpose, but for his protection he required a
military escort. The progress of the party was reported from time to
time, everything going on peacefully, when the country was startled
by the account of the following engagement, the British forces, under
General Macdonald, comprising 1000 men, also four guns and two maxims.
The whole history of war shows no parallel to the extraordinary action
fought at Hot Springs, the tragical romance of it being heightened
by the fact that it took place in the throne of the winds of the
world, in a secret place of the earth under the shadow of the mighty
snow-capped mountains. The Thibetan position extended for about a mile
from the road under which the springs issue. Up the steep ridge the
road was barred by a wall ending in a blockhouse. Walls were built on
every fairly level spot on the ridge. When Colonel Younghusband asked
Brigadier-General Macdonald to get the Thibetans out of their position,
if possible without firing, our force was deployed and moved slowly
up the ridge. The Thibetans manning the topmost wall, numbering about
200, surrendered without resistance, and allowed themselves to be
disarmed. The remainder, however, obstinately held their places till
our troops were within a few feet. They then sullenly retired towards
the blockhouse, where the Lhassa General and other Thibetan officials
were collected. Within a short time there was gathered between the
blockhouse and the ridge a great mob of Thibetan soldiery. Estimates
as to their number differ, but the place they occupied would have held
a battalion in quarter column, and the Thibetans were shoulder to
shoulder. The driving operation was carried out with the most admirable
exactitude, the troops showing great self-restraint in not firing,
although not knowing when the Thibetans might attack them.
When the Thibetans were all gathered together, Brigadier-General
Macdonald, Colonel Younghusband, their staffs, the press
correspondents, and others rode up to look at them. At this time the
Thibetan rear was perfectly open, and they could have marched away
if they had wished. The mob, nevertheless, stood together round
the Lhassa General in a discontented frame of mind and muttering
angry threats. Their attitude was sufficiently hostile to induce
Brigadier-General Macdonald to order up two more companies of Pioneers
with fixed bayonets. Presently there was a thin ring of Sikhs round
the Thibetans, but no one dreamt of the terrible event which was
impending. The officers got off their horses; some sat down to eat
sandwiches, and others brought out cameras. Suddenly a scuffle began
in the north-eastern corner of the ring. The Thibetans shook their
fists in the faces of the Sikhs and commenced throwing stones. The
Lhassa General himself fired the first shot, blowing away a Sikh’s
jaw. A great tumult instantly arose. The Thibetans uttered a wild
shout, drew their swords, and surged forward in all directions, firing
their matchlocks. About a dozen swordsmen made a desperate rush in the
direction of Brigadier-General Macdonald and the small knot of officers
surrounding him.
Major Dunlop had two of his fingers slashed off. This assailant was
shot down by Lieutenant Bignell. Four Thibetans made for Mr. Edmund
Candler, “Daily Mail” correspondent, who was unarmed. He received no
fewer than 12 wounds. Brigadier-General Macdonald himself shot down one
of Mr. Candler’s assailants at a few yards distance, and Lieutenant
Davys, I.M.S., promptly killed two others, thus saving Mr. Candler
from death. The other Thibetans, rushing forward, were met by revolver
fire. Meanwhile, the Sikhs in front had drawn back a few yards, and met
the Thibetans who were trying to climb over the wall with a terrible
magazine fire. Four or five of the enemy actually climbed over the
wall, and died like heroes. One old man, armed with only a matchlock,
sprang over the heaps of dead and deliberately kneeling down, well
in advance of the others fired into the Sikhs. He was riddled with
bullets. The Thibetans were so huddled together that they were unable
either to use their swords or to fire. Many of them probably killed
each other in their mad excitement. Finally the mob surged to the rear,
breaking through the ring of Sikhs.
The scenes that then followed were impressive and more awful than a
fight in the cockpit. The Thibetans, though their retreat was still
open, disdained to scatter and run. They tramped away slowly and
steadily, sullen and solemn, followed by a perfect hail of bullets. The
mountain battery came into action and tore their line with shrapnel. A
terrible trail of dead and dying marked their line of march. Finally
the last wounded Thibetan limped round the corner about 400 yards away.
The grim tragedy was over. The whole affair did not last ten minutes,
but in that short space of time the flower of the Thibetan army
perished. The Thibetan General and the whole of his personal escort,
as well as five high Lhassa officials were killed. Our own small losses
are accounted for by the fact that the Thibetan swordsmen in the front
rank could not reach the Sikhs, who had fixed bayonets, while the men
in the middle of the mob were unable to use any weapon, but they all
died game.
All those who witnessed the scene will carry for ever the memory of the
grim, determined faces lighted with devildom and savagery. The Lhassa
General himself undoubtedly provoked the fight, for in his interview
with Colonel Younghusband his attitude was that of a man determined to
either die or turn the Mission back. Part of the fearlessness shown by
the Thibetans was undoubtedly due to want of knowledge of the effect of
modern firearms, as well as contempt for the smallness of our forces.
The Thibetan soldiers outnumbered the wing of the Sikhs by six or seven
to one. The impassive stolidity of the Sikhs of the 23rd and 32nd
Pioneers deserves a word of admiration. Had they given way before the
rush of the swordsmen, or had Brigadier-General Macdonald and the small
knot of officers shown less personal courage, a disaster one does not
care to dwell upon might have taken place. Colonel Younghusband and his
staff were amongst the onlookers near the Thibetan soldiers, and were
wholly unarmed.
The total British casualties were 12, but, besides these, two or three
officers and a number of men received bruises from the flat edge of the
Thibetan swords. Immediately after our wounded had been attended to,
several officers with attendants went out among the wounded Thibetans
scattered over the battlefield, binding up injured limbs, administering
water, and applying field dressings to the wounded. Our troops provided
dressing splints, hastily improvised from the muskets and scabbards
abandoned by the enemy. The Thibetan prisoners were employed in placing
the wounded under shelter. The next day men were sent out from Turin,
and a large number of wounded were brought into a house in the village,
where Captain Baird and Lieutenant Day attended to them. They were
evidently most grateful for these attentions. Some of them were to be
seen cheerfully smoking cigarettes, and there were no signs of cringing
in their manner, which rather suggested a proud and independent spirit.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Note:
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.