HEROES SOUTH AFRICA HAS COST US;

Otago Witness, Issue 2390, 21 December 1899, Page 67

HEROES SOUTH AFRICA HAS COST US ;

AND SOME WHO CAME BACK WITH GLORY. General Colley and 600 men were killed at Majuba Hill by the Boers in 1881. That J was a distastrous day for the English trcops, bul to one man it brought fame an-1 a V. C. General Colley's object was to surprise the Beer camp at Laing's Nek. On the night of February 26, 1881, his men, carrying three days' provisions, marched out of the comp at Moimt Prospect and reached the foot of Majuba Hill at daybreak. " Once on the top " of the hill — after leaving 200 men to keep up the communication on a commanding pomt — they could look down into the Boer entrenchments that scattered away to the Buffalo River, and from an elevation of 2£ooft could see our own camp four miles off as the crow flies. " For an hour the troops lay down to rest, while some were helping the sailors haul up the Gatling gun, and soon after sunrise the enemy's mounted vedettes trotted out towards them, all unconscious of their presence up on the mountain top. " Then the pickets fired, and in an instant the Boer's laager was ii]^ an uproar, making preparations for a retreat ; but the tumult sudenly ceased, and a large body advanced instead to attack us, opening on our position somewhere Tlbout 7 a.m." It was tir terrible fight, and it was not long before the English ammunition gave out. iSix hundred men fell, and General Colley perished too, while only a few escaped. The honours of the day fell to Lance-cor-poial Farmer, of the Hospital Corps, now the wearer of the V.C. "He was busily ci.gaged wit'i another man assisting Sir Arthur Loudin, A. MD., to dress the wcunded, and when the Boers made their rush was in the act of bandaging a soldier. His comrade, the surgeon, and the man ne was helping were all three hit at the same moment, and, springing to his feel, Farmer flourished the bandage in the air. naturallysupposing that \hz enemy would respect the fallen ; but ho wa.s mistaken, and Avith a ball through the right Avrist his arm fell poAverless at his side. " ' I've got another one,' he said, and up Avent the flag again, until another coavardly ball dealt out the same fate to it also, the second bullet passing through his left elboAV-joint. After that he could do no more, and being in great agony, the surgeon, himself mortally Avounded, injected morphia."

Fortunately Farmer escaped with his life, and for his brave service won the Victoria Cross. Not very long ago Farmer held a situation in Bond street, and still suffers from the effects of his heroism ; the left arm being very much wasted, and the action of the other hand impeded. Such ai-e soms of the facts respecting Majuba Hill and the winner of the V.C., as told by Mr W. H. Parry, who has become the historian of those who wear the V.C. Under the title "Britain's Roll of Glory" (Cassell and Co.) he has described the circumstances by which each recipient Avon his Oross. and a fascinating though sad story it make?.* Five others won the V.C. in our last fight -(Mt!> the Boers. Trooper Danaker i.j'jo.ved lil- V.C *V.r bravely trying to s.i\e a v. <>v . !u! man of *h« 21 -t Regiment u>-d.T {];<■ I'iiiLb Buer ;■" at El:u<(i«f.m-t-jii. 'math -i . :V;v;U, Do< .vn, i-,v gi] lUh u.-iin „,,1 ,. 4 at f. vii,"., X.', n! <!.<»• '• Vu.VllLi ,y? 1 1 \ln _r {() ,■-, In * Ml 0/t r '■ > j,,... ;, , „; , \, vtm J, is \{ ; _ and io< ve<! a ' -c.i.i<i v.oum! in <■■> <hm\j. Lieutenant-colur.d Jiil,. VC. h.-ou.-ht i\m wounded soldiers out of ~a>-m .••J J ci I _\ Nek under a heavy Boer fire. Beiorc Una he had tried to save Lieutenant Baillie, but as he was carrying him away in his arms the poor fellow was hit again and killed. Lance-corporal Murray and Private J. Osborne won their V.C.'s in similar ways. The former saved the life of a wounded private by carrying him for a thousand yards under a' heavy fire at Elamlsfonlein ; and the second" rode forward towards a strong party of Boers al Wesselstroom and brought out Private Ma3'es, who was wounded, under a heavy fire. Majuba Hill reminds us of our fight with the Zulus and the bravery of young Melville and Coghill ; of Rorke's Drift and Lieutenant Chard and all his brave companions. In our fight with Cotewayo, we formed a- camp at Isandhlwana which, as Archibald Forbes, the war correspondent, said, " seemed to offer a premium on disaster, and asked to be attacked. ' A3 Zulus were reported in the neighbourhood, a large party, under Lord Chelmsford, left the camp, and in their absence the remaining troops were almost annihilated, for the Zulus came from another direction than that in which the search party had gone. It was a terrific fight. "Fotv or none

of the first battalion of the 24th had time to fix their bayonets before a surging mass of savages was tipon them. And there was no mistaking that it was no longer a strugle for life, but a matter of dying Avith as much honour as possible.

" Officers, bandsmen, Basutos, Natal Carbineers, the Mounted Police, Buffalo Border Guard, priA*ates of the two battalions of the 24th, a feAv gunners and engineers, fought and fell. The Zulus told us lioav came the countless assegai Avounds in our men's backs ; they Avere fighting face to the foe Avhen their rear Avas stormed, and that was how it happened."

The most dramatic scene was that in which Adjutant Melville made a dasb with the colour. " Seeing lioav things Avere going, Colonel Pulleine called to him, saying : ' Melville, as senior lieutenant, take the colour and make the best of your way.' And then, turning to the remnant of the battalion, after he had shaken hands with the lieutenant, he said : ' Men of the First Battalion 24th Regiment, we are here, and here Aye stand to fight it out to the end." So Melville and Lieut. Coghill dashed off, pursued by seme of the enemy, and made for the river, -hoping to reach the Natal side. Both reached the river, and Coghill swam his horse across, but Melville was not so fortunate. He lost his horse, and was being Avashed down stream Avith the cumbersome oilskin-covered standard in his hand. And in the meantime the Zulus had arrived in force at the river bank, and ATere firing at his scarlet patroljacket.

Coghill might ha\ r e escaped, but he turned to his comrade's help. " Hardly had he splashed into the stream again Avhen his last hope was taken from him. His horse plunged wildly, struck by a bullet, and floated away dead, and, in spite of all their efforts, the colour AA'hich Melville had struggled so hard to save Avas Avrenched by the merciless current ard washed out of sight." But they managed to reach the Natal bank — turned Avith their revolvers to the enemy, killing the first t\vo.

''I can go no farther," naid Mc'ivi'".?, who was very much done up. " Nor I," said Coghill. And they went no farther. " The history of the next feAv moments can never be penned," for no one knows it. But up to this point a third had been present, and _he got safely aAvay. Later on Coghill's ring and the adjutant's spurs Avero found, and the battered colour Avas picked up in the stream. The London Gazette announced that the Victoria Cross of Honour would have been theirs. Now a cross of granite marks their last resting place, and as the Avandering horseman draws rein beside that lonely grave he reads the simple legend :

"' In memory of Lieutenant and Adjutant Teignmoulh Melville and Lieutenant J. A. Cochin, -Ist Battalion 24th Regiment, avlio died on this spot, 22 Jan., 1879, to save the Queen's Colour of their Regiment."' And on the othpr side : " For Queen and Country — Jesu Mercy."

As for those up in the camp at IsandhlAvana, 800 were found dead, for the most part on their backs, with arms extended and hands clenched. One had seven assegai stabs in him, another had a bayonet jammed to the socket in his open mouth. That is what the search-party found in their camp when they returned. No one Avas living.

The memorable incidents at Rorke's Drift took place not far from Isandh'Avana, Avithin a feAV hours of the incidents just told, for AA-hen the Zulus left Isandhlwana they made for Rorke's Drift. At this place was the hospital, with 45 patients ; but Avhen they heard the news 22 took up their armVbut the remaining 23 Avere unable to fis^lit, and six men were told off to «uard them. "The windoAvs of the hospital had hardly been barricaded by blankets and mattresses, and much still remained to be done tc the walls and barriers, when the scouts came in with the news that the enemy Avere upon us, and round the end of the mountain. There, about half-past 4 on a dull afternoon, 20 black figures appeared, followed by many more. who. k'd by two tall, muscular chiefs, began an attack on the wall between the tAvo buildines. and were received with i heavy fire, half of them swarming round the back of the hospital and trying to rush the bags in front of it."

A terrific fiirht ensued. " More than ne charge Avith the cold steel did Lieutenant Bromhead lead to save the hospital ; but, fearing that the enclosure Avas too large for the tiny garrison to hold, an inner line of defence had been formed of biscuit boxes, two boxes high, from the front angle r>i rlip «.toiehouse to che m.- ill u.iP

" S').>!i,~hoAvever, the sv,,nin clo'-etl i omul il'e <Jl". uted TJuTldin^, and .i iimr "> '< k]'iv_' ovei'icul told that the Lli itch w ,»•- huinini; Dnsi-n out by the heat. I'riv,.le Uo.t'c was (■billed to leave a wounded man t.> hii f,tt<\ and hicj charred remain.' %\eiv -ei'ti (!>fio '•(..ct <!<iy."

Hmik oAvned to four c v five dead Zak's in the hospital doorway and several more outside. "An assegai pierced his helmet, grazing the parting in his hair, and several more stuck in the wall at the end of the room behind him ; one savage clutched the muzzle of his rifle, and he Avas fortunately able to press in a cartridge and pull the ti'igcrar before another rush Avas made, and the Zulu sank doAvn dead ; but so wary Avas the private's giey eye, so strong the arm that plied the reddened steel, that seven out of eight wounded Avere safely ,ransferred into another room.

Mr Parry says that the odds Avere nearly 30 to 1, but not a man flinched. Hid the Zulus been as pood shots as they were spearsmen, Rorke's Drift Avould have been another Isandhlwana.

" Presently the Zulus were seen mubtering inside our first line for an overwhelming rush. The fire had burnt itself out ,by 10 o'clock or . K o ; there had been short pauses and more terrific stampings ; and chaiire after charge had been driven back by the splendid volleying of our men, whose green cuffs were black with smoke and sweat, and avlio Avere exhausted by the piotractcd struggle.

" Brave as the Zulus were, -mr still bold front impressed them ; the rush resolved itself into more desultory firincr. which, to

the inexpressible relief of every man there, gradually died away about 4 o'clock. " A patrol went out and collected some 400 assegais and about 100 guns and rifles, and then had time to look around at the slaughter. Redcoats dotted the space, but they were few in comparison with the black corpses lying among their jhields and spears beyond the mealie bags. " Between the storehouse and the smoking end of the hospital building a few of the unhappy wounded lay where they had been shot in the last sad crawl for life, and one man of ours, named Horrigan, still knelt at the barrier of sacks, his rifle pointed at the plain outside.'

Fifteen of our troops had been killed outright, and two of the 12 wounded died afterwards. About 350 of- the dead lay around the post.