. The Quarter Guard was captured, and with it the reserve ammunition
of the sappers. Lieutenant Watling was carried in by his men, and,
as soon as he reached the dressing station, reported the loss of this
important post.

Brigadier-General Meiklejohn at once ordered a party of the 24th to
retake it from the enemy. Few men could be spared from the line of
defence. At length a small but devoted band collected. It consisted
of Captain Holland, Lieutenant Climo, Lieutenant Manley, R.E., the
general's orderly, a Sepoy of the 45th Sikhs, two or three sappers and
three men of the 24th; in all about a dozen.

The general placed himself at their head. The officers drew their
revolvers. The men were instructed to use the bayonet only. Then
they advanced. The ground is by nature broken and confused to an
extraordinary degree. Great rocks, undulations and trees rendered all
movements difficult. Frequent tents, sheds and other buildings increased
the intricacies. Amidst such surroundings were the enemy, numerous and
well armed. The twelve men charged. The tribesmen advanced to meet them.
The officers shot down man after man with their pistols. The soldiers
bayoneted others. The enemy drew off discomfited, but half the party
were killed or wounded. The orderly was shot dead. A sapper and a
havildar of the 24th were severely wounded. The general himself
was struck by a sword on the neck. Luckily the weapon turned in his
assailant's hand, and only caused a bruise. Captain Holland was shot
through the back at close quarters by a man concealed in a tent. The
bullet, which caused four wounds, grazed his spine. The party were now
too few to effect anything. The survivors halted. Lieutenant Climo took
the wounded officer back, and collecting a dozen more men of the 24th,
returned to the attack. The second attempt to regain the Quarter Guard
was also unsuccessful, and the soldiers recoiled with further loss; but
with that undaunted spirit which refuses to admit defeat they continued
their efforts, and at the third charge dashed across the open space,
bowling over and crushing back the enemy, and the post was recovered.
All the ammunition had, however, been carried off by the enemy, and
as the expenditure of that night had already been enormous, it was
a serious loss. The commissariat lines were at length cleared of the
tribesmen, and such of the garrison as could be spared were employed in
putting up a hasty defence across the south entran