THE ARTILLERY AT DARGAI. 
175 
Goorkhas leadings supported by Dorsetshire and Derbyshire Regiments, 
the latter being lent from the 1st division. 
The Gordon Highlanders and 15th Sikhs were in reserve on the 
Chagru Kotal, where also were the 3rd Sikhs. 
The Goorkhas advanced to point A, (Sketches Nos. I. and II.), follow- 
by the other corps without much loss, but directly they appeared on the 
neck, all except the first rush, which succeeded in getting under cover 
at B (Sketch No. II.) were swept away. Small bodies of the Dorsets 
and Derbys also tried to cross, but almost every man was knocked 
over. On this followed several attempts with like success. No man 
could show his head over ridge A, and even where Colonel Travers, 
commanding the Goorkhas and those who had crossed to B were, there 
was not cover for more than about 60 men. While the first attempts 
were being made, officers and men thought they could get cover on 
the left of the neck, where there was actually no cover, though from 
A it appeared as if there was. 
The total casualties were now well over the hundred, and of the 
total of 205 that day, almost all occurred on the fatal neck on a piece 
of ground about the size of a tennis court. 
The neck was covered in dead and dying and not a man could show 
without being hit, and any wounded man who tried to crawl to cover 
or who even stirred was at once riddled; some of our men had as 
many as six bullets through them. The enemy, as will be seen by the 
picture, were in position about 300 feet above on cliffs behind sangars 
and from 350 to 500 yards distant, armed with Martinis, Sniders, 
even Lee-Metfords, and an abundance of ammunition. They are a 
people who have a wonderful natural proclivity for shooting, and 
those with any particular bent that way, train themselves to a great 
pitch. Lord Methuen, who was attached to Sir William Lockhart’s 
staff, is said to have given it as his opinion that the Afridis are as 
good shots at 800 yards as the Boers at 400. Considering this, there¬ 
fore, and that there appeared to be 400 or 500 yards steep climb in 
single file up an equally bare cliff side, it is not to be wondered that 
our troops hesitated and asked if the frontal attack was to be pressed 
home. To anyone watching from the ridge A, ten times the loss 
might be expected before the crest was gained. Report was made to 
General Yeatman-Biggs of the deadly nature of the enemy’s fire and 
the strength of their position, but orders were received that the ridge 
must be carried and accordingly a heavy continuous artillery fire was 
opened, culminating in a few minutes of very rapid shrapnel and ring 
fire. In the meantime, General Kempster had called up the rest of 
his brigade, the Gordons and the Sikhs (viz., the 15th Sikhs). The 
3rd Sikhs however were halted at much the same spot and by mistake 
they got the order to accompany the Gordons. 
As the Gordons got behind the ridge A , Colonel Mathias addressed 
the now historical words to his regiment : “ Men the General says the 
heights must be taken cost what it may, the Gordon Highlanders will 
take them,” and directly the play of rapid fire ceased, he stepped to 
the front with his pipers and the leading company officers and the 
