THE GALLANT SIXTY-SIXTH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 16, 19 January 1881, Page 4

THE GALLANT SIXTY-SIXTH.

A recent home Government Gazette contains some despatches, one of which, from General Primrose to the Adjutantgeneral, gives details of the gallant and determined stand made by the 66th at Ma'wand : — " The total numbers of the regiment that dßy were, with the fighting line, fifteen officers, 364 men; with the baggage guard in the rear, four officers, sixty-three men ; with the smoothbore battery, one officer, forty-two men; sick, thirty-two men. Of this number 275 were killed, while two officers and thirty men were wounded. As General Primrose says, they nearly all fell fighting desperately for the honour of the Queen and country. The General adverts at some length to the stand made by 100 men in a garden, and stateß. on the authority of a colonel of artillery in Ayoob's army that when only eleven out "of the 100 were left they charged and died with faces to the foe, fighting to the death. Such was the nature of their charge, and the grandeur of their bearing, that although the wliole of tte Gliazia were assembled round, not one dared approach to cut them down. The eleven stood in the open ; back to back, firing steadily and truly, every shot telling, surrounded by thousands, and not till the last man was shot down did the Ghazis dare to advance." General Primrose also gives some particulars as to the deaths of various officers. Colonel Galbraith was last seen on the nullah bank kneeling on one knee, colour in hand, officers and men rallying round him, and on that spot his body was found: — " Captain M'Math, a gallant officer, fell on the same place; Second Lieutenant Bar was shot dead over the colours; close by Captains Garratfc and Cullen were killed on the field in front of the nullah, up to the last moment commanding their companies, and giving orders with as much coolness as if on parade. Captain Koberts was mortally wounded in the garden where the last

stand was made. There also fell Lieutenants Rayner, Chute, Oliver, and Honywood. The two last-named officers were seen holding up the colours, the pole of one of which had been shattered to pieces at the rallying points, and Lieutenant Honywood was shot while holding the colours high above his head, shouting to the men, 'What shall we do to save this?" Sergeant-Major Cuppage was shot; outside the garden while carrying the colours. Many other non commissioned officers and men died in the attempt to save the colours. There also fell with the band who made the last effort Major Blackwood and Lieutenants Henu and Hinde. The baggaga guard, under Captain Quany, did excellent service during the retreat; and the detachment under Lieutenant Faunce worked the smooth-bore guns well and steadily during the fight."