THE SIEGE OF CHITRAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXV, Issue 4254, 3 July 1895, Page 5

THE SIEGE OF CHITRAL.

A TALE OF BRITISH HEROISM. Mr Robertson has reported from Chitral to the Indian Government that Colonel Kelly arrived there on April 20. After the 3rd of March all the Chitralis outside the fort were compelled to join Sher Afzul, and it waa believed by the garrison that the Ameer had joined in a religious war against the British, and that the situation was desperate. Mr Robertson says Amir-ul-Mulk was only temporarily recognised as Men tab. on February 14, and that he virtually resigned the Mehtarship on March 2. He was found to be making overtures to Umra Khan, and has since been in custody. Our special correspondent, who succeeded in reaching Chitral Fort on Saturday night in advance of the troops, sends some interesting details of the siege. From his account and the official telegrams we are able to give the following particulars of the defence, which has excited universal admiration. On March 3 Captain Colin Campbell was aent to reconnoitre to the south. He was attacked by the troops of Sher Afzul and Umra Khan in great force. These held the British force in front and worked quickly round their flanks, so that our men had to fight their way back to the fort, fired on all the way at close quarters from the garden walls. Captain Campbell was first wounded, but, choughshotthrough theknee, hemounted his horse and conducted the operation of retirement in the most gallant manner. Captain Baird was then severely wounded, and was momentarily lost sight of, but Surgeon-captain Whitchurch appeared carrying him. He was not, however, able to do this without interruption, but bad to leave him every few minutes to go off and rush a wall at the point of the bayonet, so as to make a way home. In this manner Captain Baird was conveyed to the fort, where he expired next morning, after strongly urging Mr Robertson to bring Surgeon-captain Whitchurch's bravery to the notice of the authorities. In this action General Baj Singh and another Cashmere officer were killed, and the total loss that day was about 60. The siege of the fort then commenced, the enemy occupying a garden practically touching the walls of the forfc. Every night almost attacks were threatened, which required constant vigilance. The besiegers, who consisted largely of Umra Khan's men, and were under the direction of Umra Khan's cousin, Majid Khan, employed every possible device in besieging the fort. Three times they fired the towers. They prepared sealing ladders of great size, and constructed a pent roof to move up to the foot of the wall. They mined up to within 10ft of the tower of the fort. They also constructed a breastwork all round the fort, and regularly sapped up to it. Throughout the siege they showed themselves expert marksmen, no defender being able to put his head to the loopholes for a moment without being shot. In addition to this they fought extremely well, showing great military aptitude in taking cover and in the middle of a fight throwing up heavy breastworks of fascines. They had large numbers of Sniders and Martinis and large quantities of ammunition. The Chitralis also fought bravely. On the side of the defence equal resource was shown. Mr Robertson was ever devising some new plan to outdo the besiegers. At night the besieged would throw out fireballs and light fires on platforms all along the walls. They also built walla to protect the inside of the fort, the wooden materials for which had to be brought in under fire and demolitions outside. Until these walls were constructed no one could move inside the fort, as it was commanded from the surrounding hills. Machieolated galleries were also arranged so as to get the fire of the rifles on to the edge of the walls. Countermines were started so as to surround the tower so that the enemy's mines might be discovered. Carpets, tents, etc., were hung up to cover the defenders from view. Where no substantial cover was possible mule saddles, empty ammunition boxes, and every imaginable article were piled up behind the parapets to cover the riflemen. " Waterspouts " (ammunition boxes full of water) and other devices for putting out fire were also prepared, fire being the great danger to which the besieged were liable. The walls of the fort, although 25ft high and Sft thick, are mad J of stones filled in between a framework o wood, so that if fire could be applied to that the whole wall would come down. On the Bth of March the enemy attempted to burn the water-tower. They made a feint at another part, and then actually got inside the tower and set fire to the waterway to the river — a most important point, and one very strongly defended. They were driven off, however, and the fire was put out. On March 14 the enemy attacked the east side of the fort, but failed. On sth April the enemy occupied a summer-house in the garden, within fifty yards of the gun-tower ; on the next day they advanced their sangar up to forty yards from the main gate. On the 7th they attacked at 5 a.m., and set fire to the gun-tower. On this occasion also the enemy had made a feint attack on another part. They then rushed up from the summer-house and piled up burning fagots against the tower, setting it on fire. This took eight hours to puc out, and several men were killed and wounded during the process. On the Bth of April the enemy attempted to fire the gun-tower for the second time, and on the 11th April they made an attack on all sides of the forb, but failed. 17th April sortie ; summer-house taken and enemy's mine (within a few feet of wall) 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-five were bayoueted. The event of the siege was the sortie under Lieutenant Harley with the Sikhs on April 17. They drove the enemy from the summer-house and blew up their mine (within a few feet of the wall), bayoneting thirty or forty men, with a loss of eight killed and thirteen wounded on our side. Even then the enemy only retreated 100 yards and fired on the Sikhs as they withdrew inside the fort again. On the last day of the siege, April 20, the enemy's leaders wished to have one more desperate effort, but. their men had lost heart after the prolonged resistance of the garrison and the successful sortie. Colonel Kelly was also advancing from the north, Sir R. Low was coming from the south, and General Gatacre's advance party was near Dir. The besiegers therefore withdrew without making any further attack. Mr Robertson was wounded in the shoulder on April 11. There was much sickness from bad food, excessive work, and exposure. The garrison ran out of surgical stores and drugs. Their heavy casualty list (101 wounded, forty fatally) was due to the wonderful markmanship of the enemy, to the fort being commanded on all sides, and to the enemy's sangars being close up to the walls. The discipline, devotion, and fortitude displayed by all ranks under circumstances which required all those qualities was beyond praise. Mr Robertson emphasises the steady and persistent bravery of the company of the 14th Sikhs, under Lieutenant Harley, both in covering the retreat in the action of March 3 and throughout the siege. As the others grew depressed they only became more enthusiastic and determined, and the officers talk of them as the sheet anchor of the defence.

The Queen sent a telegram from Darmstadt expressing her admiration at the gallantry displayed by her troops in Chitral, and her sorrow for the loss of life which has occurred.

' The Times ' in its leading columns says : — "At last we are in possession of an authentic story of the siege and relief of Chitral Fort, and Englishmen as they read it must feel their hearts swell with patriotic pride. In Simla they are comparing the defence of Chitral ( in a manner ' to that of the Residency of Lucknow, and the mere fact that it should recall, however faintly, that glorious episode in our annals show how high is the estimate formed in India of the achievements of Mr Robertson and his comrades."