AN AVENGING EXPEDITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1788, 11 September 1888, Page 4

AN AVENGING EXPEDITION.

Calcutta, Sept. 6,

An expedition is to be sent to the Agror Valley to avenge the murders of Major Batty e, Captain Ur ms toe, and others of the Bengal Staff corps> who were killed in June last. The expedition will leave here on the Ist October, and will consist of five battalions of British infantry, two batteries of artillery, and eleven regiments of native infantry.

The victims of this affray were Major Battye, of the sth Goorkhas, Captain Urmston, of the sth Punjaub Infantry, one halvidar, and five Goorkha Sepoys at Cherkalan. The murder was committed on the Agror border by a body of Akozais, a Black Mountain tribe. Colonel Battye had with him fifty-eight Goorkhas and nineteen policemen, with whom he had ascended the Barcha Spur for exercise, and while attempting to return by way of Chilabat and Kunjhal, just within the British border, a halvidar with the rear guard was shot by some mountaineers. Major Battye and Captain Urmston went to his assistance, and while the officers were placing the halvidar in a dandy they were attacked in force and killed. The main body of the Goorkhas attacked the tribesmen and repulsed them, and succeeded in bringing in the bodies. The Akozais had been under blockade for some time for various offences committed on British territory. The Oghi outpost, near which the attack was made, was held by 300 men of the sth Goorkhas. The Agror valley lies to the north of Abbottabad, near the Black Mountain. These tribes were a source of constant trouble, and it had been proposed for some time past to send a punitive expedition to bring them to reason.

The latest details of the attack supplied by the correspondent of the Times showed that the natives behaved with great bravery, while the native officer, Subahdar Kishnibir, exhibited heroic gallantry. Ho had already been decorated three times with the Order of Merit for c©ngpicuous gallantry. It appears that on approaching Chilabat heavy firing was opened on tho advanced guard, which was accompanied by Major Batty e and Captain Urmston. On its being reported that a halvidarwith the rear guard had been wounded, Major Battye and Captain Urmston joined the rear, and placed the wounded men in a dandy. The fire now became, very heavy, and Major Battye ordered the Groorkhas to retire on a village occupied by the advanced guard. The jungle here was very thick, and while retiring Captain Urmston was se.verely wounded with an axe in the left shoulder. Shortly after this Subahdar Kisnbir heard the buglerboy calling out for assistance, and exclaiming that the Major was attacked. On rushing up, the Subahdar saw Major Battye, severely wounded, defending himself. The Subahdar dashed in, and drove his sword with both hands through the chest of the assailant, who dropped dead. Seizing Major Battye’s arm, Kishnibir led him off; but after a few steps, Major Battye fell. Large numbers of tribesmen now surrounded their small party cutting off retreat in every direction, save down a precipitous khnud. A dash was made upon Captain Urmston. The Subahdar shouted, “Fight bravely, my children; do not desert your English officers! If you must die, let some of these dogs die with you! ” The sepoys fought staunchly together until Major Battye and Captain Urmston were both dead. The Subahdar, who had exhausted his rifle ammunition, discharged his remaining revolver cartridges, and shouted, ‘ Both the officers are dead; now you can save your own lives!’’ He then, with the surviving Sepoys, escaped down the khud, and eventually managed to rejoin the main force. He was badly wounded. A bullet bad passed through his thigh, and he had a gash on the head and a disabled arm. Nevertheless, he insisted upon marching back with the force to recover the bodies of Major Battye and Captain Urmston. The Sepoys accordingly fought their way back, and eventually carried off their dead, and succeeded iu returning late iu the evening to Oghi Fort. The whole of this encounter took place on British territory