" What
could be more attractive?
At four o'clock in the afternoon Major Stuart Beatsen, commanding the
11th Bengal Lancers, arrived with his leading squadron. He brought a
small supply of ammunition, which the garrison was in sore need of, the
expenditure each night being tremendous, some regiments firing as much
as 30,000 rounds. The 35th Sikhs and 38th Dogras under Colonel Reid
arrived at Dargai, at the foot of the pass, in the evening. They had
marched all day in the most intense heat. How terrible that march must
have been, may be judged from the fact, that in the 35th Sikhs twenty-
one men actually died on the road of heat apoplexy. The fact that these
men marched till they dropped dead, is another proof of the soldierly
eagerness displayed by all ranks to get to the front. Brigadier-General
Meiklejohn, feeling confidence in his ability to hold his own with the
troops he had, ordered them to remain halted at Dargai, and rest the
next day.
The attack came with the night, but the defences in the centre had been
much improved, and the tribesmen were utterly unable to cross the
cleared glacis, which now stretched in front of the enclosure.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117