RECOVERY OF THE COLORS OF THE 24th REGIMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 99, 26 April 1879, Page 4

RECOVERY OF THE COLORS OF THE 24th REGIMENT.

The Natal Witness says : — On Tuesday, February 4, a party went out from our little camp at Boerk's Drift, consisting of Major Black, of the 2-24 th Regiment, the Rev. George Smith, chaplain to the forceß, Captain Harford, and nineteen men of Commandant Lonsdale's Corps, Captain Chae. Raw, and four men of the Native Mounted Contingent, and Mrßrickhill, Inspector to the Staff. The downward course of the Buffalo river was fo!---loweJ until the crossing-place, an eimost impassable drift, where many of our brave fellows, after the carnage of the Isandhlwana camp, had essayed to pass, and perished in the attempt. The route was strewn with the dead bodies of nativee, the rmjority being either members of the Natal Native Contingent or loyal uativee, who believe in the supreme power of the Government, or the magical effect of a boundary line, even to the last. When the steep paih leading down the precipitous rocks to the river was reached, and scouts posted, the descent was made ; and half-way down, nearly half-a-mile from the river, lay the bodies of Adjutant Melville, of the l-24th, and Lieut Coghill, of the General's Staff. They were decently interred, and the service performed by the chaplain, Lieut. Coghill's riDg, and Adjutant Melville's spurs, and other articles belonging to the brave fellows, being carefully taken charge of by their comrades. The path thence to the river was strewn with the dead Zulus, and the various paraphernalia of savage warfare. Arrived at the river, dead horses, saddles, stirrups, spore, leggings, charms, and articles of native dress (accidentally or purposely cast off), with the roaring stream foaming over the huge boulders, between precipitous cliffa, covered with bush and aloes, shewed the spot where the rushing torrent and the savage foe alike overwhelmed many a brave man. About five hundred yards below the crossing-place, Mr Harbour, of Commandi nt Lonsdale'e corps, succeeded in finding the Queen's colors of the l-24ib, with pole complete, injured by the action of the rude and rapid stream, but otherwise untouchel. Toe gilt Lion and Crown, to surmount the pole, and the color-case, were found by two other of Lonsdale's men a few yards lower down. The colors were borne back at the head of the cavalcade in triumph, and when Boerk's Drift Port was reached, the soldiers left their dinners, or whatever occupation they were engaged upon, overjoyed at their lost colors regained, and" gave their heartiest cheers for the old flag, and for Major Black and the volunteers who had recovered it. The Major, in a few welLchosen words, then handed the colors to Colonel Glyn, amidst loud huzzahs, and the Colonel, with heart-felt emotion, on behalf of himself and the regiment, thanked the little band for the noble work that they had voluntarily undertaken and so successfully performed.