GALLANT SOLDIERING.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1774, 7 June 1895, Page 4

GALLANT SOLDIERING.

THE DEFENCE OF CHITRAL. London papers of April 26th, tun tain pretty full dispatches, by telegraph from Simla, India, of the course of events during the seige of Chitral, and the gallant defence made by a small force under the British Agent, Dr Robertson. It appears that on February 14th, Dr Robertson provisionally recognised Arnir-ul-Mijilk as Mehtar of Chitral, pending confirmation by the Indian Government. Meantime Umra Khan, coming up : from tjhe Bajour Country, seized Kala Droosh, and a few days later Sher Afzul, uncle of the Mehtar, escaped from Afghanistan, ahd joined the Bajour forces at Kala Droosh. Dr Robertson sent word directly :to Umra Khan, ordering him to evacuate the place. Instead of which theßajauris commenced their march; northward, ahd by the end of February were hovering round the town in some force. Oh March 3rd the situation became serious. From all sides the hillmen were firing upon the fort. Theyhacl obtained their range accurately, and the members of the garrison could not venture beyond the fqrt without the certainty of being a target for the enemy's bullets. Dr Robertson accordingly ordered a reconnaissance jof the enemy's position, which was un r dertaken by Captain Campbell, Captain Band, and 200 of the Kashmir troops. The reconnaissance was pushed right home to the enemy's main camp. But by. that time the tribesmen had gathered in from either flank, and were getting into position in rear of our men. They /were received also by a hpt fire from the front, and had to fight their way back through an enemy emboldened by partial success. Captain Baird was shot dead. Two Kashmir officers likewise felly andthe killed and wounded in this disastrous sortie amounted to fortynine. Captain Campbell was amongst those hit. Besides the lamentable loss of life, it gave the enemy many rifles, of which he stood; so much in heed.' The investment next day was closer than ever, and the Chitralis in the villager outside were coerced into joining Sher Afzul. ■ To add to the trouble of Dr Rpbert-_ son, it was discovered that 1 there was treachery, in the camp. Messengers were found to be going between Amir-ul-Mulk for whom we were fighting, and Umra Khan, his former sprotector, and investigation proyed that, pur protege had yielded to' the 1 solicitation of Umra Khan for carrying out a plot for the destruQtion of the British garrison.. Tiye plan wajs that Dr Robertson should' be induced to retire upon Mastuj, and that the tribesmen should fall upon him in the difficult passes on the.way. : Amiy-ul-Mulk's" eagerness confirmed previous suspicions. Cross-examination proved the existence of the plot fully/ and the young Mehtar was thereupon placed under close surveillance. The enemy's attacks became more and more persistent. The garrison was continually -vvomed, and the force within was scarcely sufficient to adequately man: the walls and provide a reserve against a sudden rush. Umra Khan and his people brought their defences nearer to the. walls, daily, and then operations were covered by- rifle? men in shelter on both the north and east sides of the fort. The situation within the garrison was rapidly becom-j ing critical. The supply of ammunition; was not such that any lavish use could be made off it. The number- of wounded men increased daily, many were sick from the continual strain and the pqor quality of food, and the effective garrison was worn out by incessant watching and alarms. On one occasion the enemy succeeded in setting fire' to one of the' watch towers, but this was extinguished,; and on all other occasions when theyi attempted to rush the place they were repulsed with' considerable loss. But after each defeat the enemy only redoubled their efforts. They were apparently confident of carrying the fort. Many of their attempts were made in the nighttime and in the early morning, but the; wearied garrison always responded with alacrity to the call. The officers in the; fort never spared themselves, Dr Robertson taking his share of active duty. In ; repelling one of these attacks, Dr Robertson was struck by a bullet in the shoulder, smashing the bone, and inflicting a bad wound. Meantime, news had been brought in surreptitiously, to the garrison that' a relief expedition was pushing on towards Chitral .' It gave the defendei'3 renewed courage, andjthpugh affairs were in a bad way, and the wounded were suffering considerably from lack of medical necessities, the men never lost hope or faith in their officers. Dr Robertson, though suffering excruciatingly, never relaxed his efferts, but gave his orders to the end. On April 17th the position of the garrison was desperate. The niines were brought up to within a few yards of the wall of the fort, and from behind their stone defences the enemy kept up a galling fire. It was recognised that a great effort must be made, and, choosing his time, Lieutenant Harley, of the 14th Sikhs, with all the men available, made a sudden onslaught upon the enemy's mining works. It was crowned with success. The enemy were caught unawares, and our troops with the bayonet made short work of the tribesmen. The mine was blown up, and Lieutenant Harley brought his men back to the fort with a loss of twenty killed and wounded. The enemy's loss was 70, mostly killed with the bayonet. This was the last fight. Next day there was some commotion in the enemy's camp presumably caused by the news of Colonel Kelly's advance following on the overthww of the tribesmen in the pass near Nisagal. On the 19th Sher Afzul's force melted away, and native messengers were sent north-west with the news of Colonel Kelly, and south to the Khan.ofDir, Next day Colonel Kelly, with his gallant band marched into Chitral, He had lost many men on the march, but he pressed forward unceasingly. To his great effort the safety of the Chitral garrison is due. The fort couldnothaveheldoutmuch longer against a sudden rush, and his arrival was most opportune. Undoubtedly Colonel Kelly's arrival caused Sher Afzul to raise the seige, and his great exploit will henceforth find a place in British history. The Chifral garrison during the seven weeks' lighting lost thirty.-nine men killed and sixty-two wounded. The report by Sher Afzul that the Ameer of Afghanistan favoured his cause and would endeavour to assist him is utterly discredited here. A conviction prevails that the Ameer -is absolutely 'loyal to the British. The villages close to Chitral are ail deserted. The Chitralis know that punishment will be meted out for their attack upon the British force." Dr Robertson in his official despatch, gave a summary of this siege as follows (omitting lists of killed and wounded) : — March 3, reconnaisance found Sher Afzul in strength. (Loss through the reconnaissance 56 killed and wounded 56). "March 4, siege commenced. March! 8, enemy attempted to fire the water tower; fire extinguished. 14th March, enemy attacked east side of fort ; failed. April 5, enemy occupied summer-house in garden, within fifty yards of guntower. April 6, enemy advanced sangar j up to forty yards from main gate in the night. April 7, enemy attacked at five a.m. and set fire to gun-tower and attack | was made on water-way ; failed, fire in tower extinguished. British Agent wounded, and several men killed and wounded by enemy's riflemen. April 8, enemy attempted to fire the gun-tower for the second time. April 11, enemy made an attack on all sides of fort ; failed.- April 17, sortie ; summer-house taken and enemy's mine blown up. Loss on our side was eight killed and thirteen wounded, of which Sikhs had three killed and five wounded, and 4th Kashmir Rifles had five killed and eight wounded. Enemy's loss was about sixty, of whom thirty-live were bayonet ted. Summary of casualties, 101 wounded, 40 fatally. Much sickness from bad food, excessive work, and exposure. Conduct of troops admirable. Campbell doing well, as are all others wounded. Run out of surgical stores and drugs. No news of Edwardes

and Fowler. They arc supposed to be with Umra' Khan. Townsend, Gurdon, Harley, and White-lunch, all well in spile of excessive work and unceasing alarms. Our heavy casually list due to wonderful marksmanship of enemy to the fort being- commanded on all sides, and to enemy's sangnrs being dose up to the The discipline, devotion and fortitude displayed by. all ranks under circumstances which required all those qualities is beyond all praise. Chitral at present denuded of inhabitants, who Have' fled to the hills from fear of reprisals."