AN ADVENTUROUS SCOTCHMAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1234, 27 May 1880, Page 3

AN ADVENTUROUS SCOTCHMAN.

Among the many gallant lives thai have been lo 5t m recent South African wars, perhaps there h none nviro remarkable than th it of Mr. A. H. Campbell, an Arjryleshiroimn, who v.as killed at the storming of Socoeoeni's stmngho'd ou the 2Sth Deccmbor. A personal friend furnishes the Scotsmen with the following sketch of his career :—: — " When yet almost a boy he served in the Maori war, where ho greatly distinguished himself, and was wounded. No sooner was this over than he joined a dangerous expedition to the interior of Australia, in search of Leiohardt, After this, he went to the diamond fields in South Africa, but not finding this hard life sufficiently exciting, he left his claim to explore the wild country to the north. On returning, after two years' exploration, he heard that the Ashantee war- was going on and at once hurried off, but. unfortunately, arrived when it was over. However, determined not to be baulked, he actually went up alone beyond Coomas^ie, after all the troops had left the country ; and for a considerable time was kept a close prisoner by the Queen, who treated him with great kindness, but would never allow him to go out even a short distance without a guard. He at length managed to get away, to his great delight. Alter this he had no further opportunity of gratifying his spirit for adventure until the Turkish war broke out, when he went to' Constantinople, and with great difficulty succeeded m obtaining- a commission. Ho joined the army at Shipka, rightly thinking that there would be the hardest fighting. Here he lived in a small tent by himself, the only Eudish officer among the Turks. Ho made himself very useful in many ways, especially in laying down the ifficult roads to the various positions on the mountaius. At last the opportunity he longed for came, and he volunteered to lead the av-anlt on the impregnable heights of St. Nicholas. How he Ikl this forlorn hope, which would have succeeded had they not found on reaching the topmost rock, after fearful loss, that there was a chism between them and anether redoubt beyond ; aud how Suleiman Pasha, seeing the Turkish flag waving on the heights, telegraphed to Constantinople that the Turks had taken the Shipka Pass, is a matter of history. For many hours, under a piercing autumn sun, Campbell kept together his devoted band, only protected from the galling fire of the Russians by the bodies of their own slain, waiting for the reinforcements which never came, till at lash all their ammunition gone, the few whoienvuued had to retreat down the mountain side^ to the camp below. For this service Sulieman Pasha offered him the commsmel of a battalion, but this honor he refused, as he considered that his knowledge of their language was not sufficient to justify him in accepting it. In November, thinking that all chance of fighting had ceased, he went to join the army undorMchcmet Ali assembled at Orch&nie for the i elief of Plevna ; and with this he remained during- all the hard winter's fight ing* at Kumasli, subsequently accomo my-ing-it in its disastrous retreat to the Sea. All the Turkish soldieis who knew Campbell were devoted to him. He not only on den red himself to them by his bravery and marvellous coolness in times of danger, but also by his invariable kind-nes-s and cheerfulness under the most trying circumstances ; and those who did not know Mm personally were always ready to follow him, any where, when they hesnd he was the Englishman who led the big assault on the heights of SLipka. He was in Ceylon when the Zulu war broke out, and unable to «-o there owing to an accident to his leg ; but even before he was convalescent he started, and arrived in time to lead the Swuzios in the attack, where he met that solJier's death he had so keenly courted. Perhaps, owing- to his not having been in the regular army, in reading the list of killed the name of this Scotch volunteer may have been passed over; but no moic chivahic spirit has p-nsed away during- the late war ; and the many who knew him, both at home and abroad, on hearing of the death of Campbell will feel that they have lost a friend and conn'adein arms whom they can never replace."