A BRUSH WITH THE GHILZAIS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1085, 23 March 1880, Page 3

A BRUSH WITH THE GHILZAIS.

[From the Pall Mall Gazette.]

Very little notice appears to have been taken by the newspapers at Home of a smart little affair which took place at the Surkai Kothal, near the Shutargarden Pass, in the middle of October last, between some of our native trocps and the Ghilzais. Reference to it even now may have the double advantage of calling attention to an incident too creditable to the officers and men engaged to be overlooked, and of illustrating how the courage and discipline of a few is bound to overcome the opposition of undisciplined numbers even where a “ bold front ” is shown. The Pioneer, which gives a long and detailed account of the lighting, thus comments on its correspondent’s letter : —“ The small body of British troops engaged cannot be applauded too warmly. Prom 3000 to 4000 of the Ghilzais were ‘ beaten in a fair fight by 150 of the 21st Punjaub Native Infantry, and 100 of the 3rd Sikhs, aided by two mountain guns.’ A victory in face of odds like these is something worth talking of; and the enemy, it must be remembered, were not merely strong in numbers ; they are described as ‘ having fought most pluckily ....

opposing their short sword to the Sepoy's bayonets.’ It is difficult to understand how such a foe can have been disposed of as it was. Of course the Ghilzais’ shooting was extraordinarily bad. The British loss was almost nil, though the men of the 21st are spoken of as having got into broken ground commanded by the main saugar, and they must have suffered severely if the Ghilzais had been able to use their weapons with any sort of skill In the course of the action under notice there seems to have been 2000 Ghilzais on one occasion ‘ showing a bold front ’ to ‘ the advanced company of the 21st P.N.I. under Lieutenant Young ;’ and yet when the advanced company charges along the ridge, the Ghilzais, equal in number to about four British regiments, retreat before it to the shelter of Hangars whence they are shortly driven out by two or three small shells, when two mountain guns come up.” Admitting the strangeness of the occurrence, and the truth of the additional remark that “ brilliant as these little victories are, it is cutting things very fine to oppose 250 of our men to 4000 of the enemy,” it cannot be denied that the affair reflects much credit on the gallantry of our officers and men. The company of the 21st captured two standards.