MOUNTAIN G-UNS TOR INDIAN FRONTIER SERVICE. 
88 
of the Rifle Brigade, marched about six miles eastwards from Mackeson, 
and took up a position facing the enemy's centre, so as to avoid delay 
in the attack which was to be made on the following morning. 
Late on the same evening the following orders affecting “ I " Batt., 
“ 0" Bde., R.H.A., were received — 
The right division of the battery, with elephant equipment, to 
march with the right brigade (Col. Doran's) at 5 a.m. 
The centre division, also with elephant equipment, to march with the 
left brigade (Col. Buchanan's) at 3.80 a.m. 
The left division, with all the horses, drivers, wagons, limbers, &c., 
to return to Peshawar. 
At about noon on the 4th December the attack was commenced by 
the 40-pr. battery, which opened fire with shrapnel at 3000 yds. range, 
and the skirmishers, extending in front of their respective brigades, 
soon cleared the ground to the foot of the hills, and obliged the 
enemy to take to his surgahs. 
The R.H.A. then pushed smartly forward from both flanks, and 
opened a steady and well directed fire of common shell with percussion 
fuzes at ranges gradually increasing from 1500 to 2500 yds. 
Meantime the 40-pr. battery had got the exact range of the enemy's 
breastworks, and was firing with effect. 
The infantry charged gallantly up the rugged hill side, and the 
Shergadra Heights were carried. 
The R.H.A. guns were immediately limbered-up— i.e. 3 packed on 
elephants—and those attached to the left brigade reached the crest of 
the ridge without much difficulty, by a sort of camel track dignified by 
the name of the “ Bori Road." The guns on the right had a longer 
way to go, and were obliged, moreover, to wait until a practicable road 
could be extemporised. 
Here I mention an incident showing how considerable delay was 
avoided by taking advantage of a physical peculiarity of the elephant 
— i.e.y the tenderness of his feet. 
The right division (“I" Batt., “ C" Bde., R.H.A.) having received 
orders to advance as quickly as possible, had got about half-way up, 
when they found all further progress barred by a projecting rock. 
Some sappers immediately set to work with sledge-hammers, and, by 
dint of almost superhuman exertions, reduced the projection by 8 or 
10 ins. Nothing more could be done without blasting, and still it was 
found impossible to make the elephants pass owing to the care with 
which they avoided the precipice on the other side. At this juncture 
a happy thought occurred to the commanding officer, which solved the 
difficulty in about two minutes. This was, to make a smooth narrow 
path along the edge of the precipice, and to strew the other side of the 
road with sharp splinters of rock. It was a complete success. The 
first elephant, in much fear and trembling, was induced to make the 
attempt, and as he got over all right, the others followed gaily. We 
then pushed on and joined the rest of the battery a little before sunset, 
at c —a point on the crest of the ridge miles east of Kundas. 
