FIRST OF THE RISING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 208, 7 September 1897, Page 5

FIRST OF THE RISING.

BRITISH EXPEDITION SURPRISED.

A BRAVE RETREAT.

The disaster which befel a British military expedition in the Maizar-Tochi Valley in India in June may probably be regarded as the forerunner of the present rising of the tribes on the frontier, and, as such, on account of the affair written by an officer stationed in the district has an especial interest just now. The British political officer, Mr Gee, was visiting the district for the' purpose of exacting fines from the headsmen of certain villages from which raids had recently been made. He was accompanied by Lieut.-Colonel Bunny, of the First Sikhs, a force of ."00 Sikh and Punjaub infantry, two mountain guns, and a dozen native cavalry. On arriving at Maizar the party were met by Sadda Khan, the chief of the Maddar Khel tribe, who received them most amicably, and had prepared a meal for the Maiiommeuan troops. After lunch it wits decided that the

" jugah," or palaver, between the political officer and the local tribesmen, about the tines, etc., should take place, aud meanwhile the political ollicer and Captain Browne, - anil Lieutenant Higginson, rode out to a place called Dotoi, with a small escort. They returned safely, and the lying, treacherous Sadda Khan informed the political officer that the tribesmen had come to an amicable arrangement amongst themselves, and that the tine would be paid within live days. This was a deliberate lie, intended (with tbe hospitality and the safe, journey to and from Dotoi) to lull the .British force into a sense of security.

As soon as lunch was over Colonel Bunny ordered the pipers of the Ist Sikiis to play for the amusement of the villagers. One tune had been played and a second begun, when suddenly all the villagers disappeared.

Anticipating treachery, Colonel Bunny gave the order to fall in. At the same moment a signal shot was fired from the top of one of the houses that surrounded the place of halt, and then an irregular volley (as a prelude to a general attack) was fired into the midst of the Sahibs. Lieutenant Seton Browne was hit in the thigh, and Surgeon-Captain Cassidy carried him behind a stack of "bhoosa" (or chopped straw), and dressed his wound. Then Colonel Bunny was mortally wounded in the stomach, at the same time as Lieutenant Iligginson was shot in the left arm.

The guns opened lire with Case shot, and did great execution, but, alas, Captain Browne was soon mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Cruickshank shot dead. About live minutes from the commencement of the attack, the guns having expended all their ammunition, limbered up, and a general retirement was ordered from the awful death-traps via the narrow, Hanked exit, to the first of a series of bridges thatlay on the Datta Khel side. Meanwhile, Surgeon-Captain Cassidy received the wound from which he has since died, and Lieutenant Iligginson was wounded again. The carrying out of the splendid retirement from ridge to ridge, and the husbanding of the meagre ammunition—2o .rounds per man—devolved upon the two young, and severly wounded, subalterns—Seton Brown .and Iligginson, Their coolness and doggedness. though they were suffering acute torture, and had to be carried along almost, steadied the men, and the whole movement was done as if on parade. The little force held the first ridge for about five minutes, and as they were being outflanked, they all steadily retired to the second ridge, '. which was held for ten minutes, and thence to the third, which they retained possession of for half an hour. Thus they reached the sixth ridge, which they clung to, until the reinforcement (for which they'd sent four sowars galloping back to the camps) arrived, from Datta-Khel, and checked and drove off the hordes (2,000 in number) of treacherous scoundrels who thrsted for the very last drop of the " Sircar's" blood. These reinforcements consisted of one company, with mounted gun ammunition, under Lieut. De Brett, it. A., and one company, with extra rifle ammunition, iiospital dhoolies and bearers, under Lieut. E. N. Stock ley, R.E. The bodies of the murdered sahibs and all the wounded were placed in the dhoolies and then began the dreary, anxious, nine miles' night march homewards. The distance out had been covered by the reenforcing companies in the marvellously short time of 90 minutes. Fortunately the Maddar Khels knew not the actual strength of the reinforcements, and so dared not use their advantage of parallel routes and sudden descents upon the hampered little force. The rear guard did not reach camp till after midnight. Mr Gee, the. political officer, though absolutely untouched, and though standing at . Colonel Bunny's side when the latter was shot, was in the thick of the fight throughout, and gave great assistance by his coolness and courage. Next day were brofight in by friendly tribesmen the bodies of the sepoys who were killed in the action. These bodies—Hindu and Mahomedans alike—were mutilated beyond description.

That every man—Highlander, rifleman, Sikh, Pathan, Dogra, Agrula, Punjabi—of the punitive force (consisting of tw.o brigades), under General Corrie-Bird is burning for revenge on those who violated the " bread and salt," and who mutilated the bodies of their own co-religionists (Mahomedans), is a matter of no doubt.

Such is the story of the "disaster at Marzar"—such is the example of British pluck, and the devotion of our Indian troops. As the " Morning Post" says :— "The names of Colonel Bunny, Captain Browne, and Lieutenant Cruick'shank, are added to the splendid roll of those who have died at their post, iv the dull corners of the Empire, remote from the pomp and circumstance of glorious war."