The farmer and mechanic. [volume], July 10, 1879, Page 103, Image 7

About The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885

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July 10, 18'9-
THE FARMER -A.1STD MECHANIC
Miscellaneous.
The Dead at Isandula A Visit to
the Scene of the British Disas
ter. The Worst Place for a
Camp in all Africa.
i - ,
103
From the London Daily News.
Already tokens of the combat and boot
less flight were apparent. The line of re
treat toward Fugitive's Drift, along which,
through a clink of the Zulu environment,
our unfortunate comrades who thus far sur
vived tried to escape, Uy athwart a rocky
slope to our right front, with a precipitous
ravine at its base. In this ravine dead men
lay thick mere bones, with toughened,
tliVcolored skin, like leather, covering them
and dinging tight to them, the flesh all
wasted away. Some were almost wholly
tlis-neuibcred, heaps of clammy yellow
1 tones. I forbear to describe the faces, with
'their blackened features and beards blanch
1(1 ity rain and sun. Every man had been
disembowelled. Some were scalped and
others subjected to yet ghastlier mutilation.
The clothes h id lasted better than the poor
bodies they covered, and helped to keep
the skeletons together. All the way up tie
slope I traced by the ghastly token of dead
nun the litful line of flight. Most of the
men hereabout were infantry of the Twenty-fourth.
It was like a long string with
knots in it, the string formed of single
corpses the knots of clusters of dead,
where, as it seemed, little groups might
' h.ive uatlu-red to make a hopeless gallant
stand innl die. I came on a gully with a
gun limber jammed on its edge,
and the horses, their hides scored
with assegai stabs, hanging in their harness
down liie steep face of the ravine. A little
further on was a bioken and battered am
bulance wagon, with its team of mules
mouldering in their harness, and around lay
the corpses of soldiers, poor helpless wretch
es, dragged out of an intercepted vehicle,
and done to death without a chance for
life.
THE REPOSE OF DEATH.
Still following the trail of bodies through
long rank grass and among stores I ap
proached the crest. Here the slaughtered
ones lay very thick, so that the string be
came a broad belt. Many hereabouts wore
the uniform of the Natal po'ice. On the
bare ground, on the crest itself, among the
wagons, the dead were less thick, but on
the slope beyond, on which from the crest
we looked down, the scene was the saddest
andmoie full of weird desolation than any
I had yet gazed upon.
Ilt'IC lit V t lol.C With it ljij-oii Jcri vol
iiuo the mourn up to tlie socket, transilxtng
the head and mouth a foot into the ground.
There lay a form that seemed cosily curled
in calm sleep, turned almost on its face, but
seven assegai stabs have pierced the back.
Most, however, lay flat on the back, with
the arms stretched widely out and hands
clenched. I noticed one dead man under a
wagon, with his head on a saddle for a pil
low and a tarpaulin drawn over him, as if
he had gone to sleep and died so.
durnford s final resting place.
In a patch of long grass, near the right
flank of the camp, lay Durn ford's body, the
long mustache still clinging to the withered
skin of the face. Captain Shepstone recog
nized him at once, and identified him yet
further by rings on the finger and a knife
with the name cn it in the pocket, which
relics were brought away. Durnford had
died hard a central figure of a knot of
brave men who had fought it out around
their chief to the bitter end. A stalwart
Zulu, covered by his shield, lay at the
Colonel's feet. Around him, almost in a
ring, lay about a dozen dead men, half
being Natal Carabineers, riddled by assegai
stabs. Thi.se gallant fellows were easily
i b ntitii d by their comrades who accompa
nied the column. Po.r Lieutenant Scott
was hardly at all decayed. Clearly they had
rallied n.und Durnford in a last despairing
a'tempt to cover the ll ink of the camp, and
I a J stood fast from choice, when they
might have escaped to fly for their horses
CU.se beside the dead at the picket line a
gully traverses the ground in front of the
camp. About four hundred paces beyond
thi was the ground of the battle before the
troop broke from their formation, and on
both si.Vs this gully the dead lie very thick
ly. In one place nearly fifty of the Twenty
fourth lie almost touching," as if they had
fallen in rallying square. The line of
t niggling rush back to camp is clearly
inurkrd by the skeletons all along the front.
Durnford's body was wrapped in a tarpaulin
;md buried under a htap of stones. The
Natal Carabineers buried their dead com
rades roughly. The gunners did the same
I'V theirs. Efforts were made at least to
ei.ce;d all the bodies of the men who had
not belonged to the Twenty-fourth regiment.
Tlu.-se were left untouched by special orders
from General Newdigate. General Marshall
lad i o irished a natural and seemly wish to
jrive interment to all our dead who so long
liave lain bleaching at Isandula, but it ap
peats that the Twenty-fourth wish to per
form this otlice themselves, thinking it
"ght that both battalions should be repre
sented, and that the ceremony should be
postponed till the end of the campaign,
hi vain Marshall offered to convey a burial
party of the regiments, with tools from
Korke's Drift in wagons. One has sympa
thy with the claim of the regiment to bury
ts own dead, but why postpone the inter
ment till only a few loose bones can be
gathered ? As the matter stands the Zulus,
who have carefully buried their own dead,
who do not appear to have been very nu
merous, will come back to-morrow to find
that we visited the place, not to bury our
dead, but to remove a batch of wagons.
MEMENTOES OF A DISASTER.
Wandering about the desolate camp,
amid the sour odor of stale death, was sick
ening. I chanced on many sad relics let
ters, from home, photographs, journals,
blood stained books, packs of cards. Lord
Chelmford's copying book, containing an
impression of his correspondence with the
Horse Guards, was found in one of his port
manteaus end identified in a kraal two miles
off. Colonel Harness was busily engaged
collecting his own belongings. Colonel
Glyn found a letter from himself to Lieu
tenant Melvill, dated the day before the
fight. The ground was strewn with brushes,
toilet bags, pickle bottles and unbroken
tins of preserved meats and milk. Forges
and bellows remained standing ready for
the recommencement of work. The wagons
in every case had been emptied and the con
tents rifled. Bran lay spilt in heaps.
Scarcely any arms were found and no am
munition. There were a few stray bayonets
and assegais, rusted with blood. No fire
arms. I shall offer few comments on the
Isandula position. Had the world been
searched for a position offering the easiest
facilities for being surprised none could
have been well found to surpass it. The
position seems to offer a premium on disas
ter, and asks to be attacked. In the rear
laagered wagons would have discounted its
defects; but the camp was more defenceless
than an English village. Systematic scout
ing could alone have justified such a posi
tion, and this too clearly cannot have been
carried out.
THE MANNER OF THE PiUNCE'.S DEATH.
The cable Jias given us the facts connected
with the death of the P aince, but some
verv interesting details are contained in the
despatches from South Africa. Tiie Prince,
who was desirous to be actively employed,
was anxious to join Lieutenant Carey of
the Ninety-eighth, who was starting with
six men of Bettington's Horse on a recon
noitering expedition. The staff objected
to his going, but he laughingly overruled
their wishes and started. Lieutenant Carey,
the leader of the reconnoitering party, gave
the following account of the expedition:
"We left Koppie AHein at half past
seven, rode to Itelezi and waited for the
Basutos. The Prince being impatient at
their non-arrival, we rode on without them
to a hill seven miles this side of Ishlawani
Hill; rcconnoikered with telescopes for one
iuui, out saw no one; ueseenueu to a de
serted kraal in the valley below, off-saddled
and arestedonc hour. I reminded the Prince
of the time. He said, 4 Wait ten minutes.'
At length, as we were about to resaddleour
horses 1 saw the black faces of Zulus peer
ing out between the maize stalks all round.
The Prince, looking aside, said, 1 1 see
them too.' We leaped upon our horses and
rode off amid a sudden volley of musketry
from the Zulus, who, as soon as they saw us
mounting, rushed forth on all sides from
the maize. All rode ofl'. On crossing the
donga, 200 yards away, we noticed the
Prince's horse following riderless. I expect
the Prince has been killed in the kraal.
Two of the escort were killed."
From all accounts it appears that Lieuten
ant Carey and the troopers who saved
themselves ran away at the first sight of
of the Zulus and left the young Prince, who
had some difficulty in mounting from the
tearing of the saddle flaps, to his fate.
Later accounts say that Lieutenant Carey
galloped live miles without stopping after
the scare.
ENGLISH PUBLIC OPINION.
The subject of the Prince's death was
referred to in the discussion of the English
Parliament. Sir R. Peel made an inquiry
which seemed to reflect on Lord Chelnfs
ford's care of his charge. To this Colonel
Stanley said that he knew nothing of the
precise position held by Prince Louis Na
poleon, and could only repeat that Lord
Chelmsfard was in complete ignorance of
the fact that the young voluntee. had been
sent on the mysterious mission which proved
so sadly fatal Officials," says a Louden
correspondent, ' no less than independent
members, condemn in fierce terms the fool
hardiness of sending young men from the
camp, said their fatal folly of smoking ciga
rettes in a mealie field in an enemy's coun
try. Lord Beaconsfield attributes it to tiie
same mistaken self-confidence that lost us
Isandula." Another correspondent says:
"Part of the sympathy turns to indignation
at the manner in which a war is being con
ducted which from Isandula to the death of
Prince Louis has been a series of surprises
for our side. The same message which re
cords the death of the heir of the Napole
ons tells also of another surprise in Bisuto
land leading to the massacring of our n en
in their tents. It would seem as if every
body in South Africa were taking things so
lightly and leisurely and contemptuously as
tcTomit the few precautions which are ab
solutelv necessary.
Elizabeth City Economist: Elizabeth City
now has a daily steamer to JSorfolk and
Portsmouth. Testimony in the contested
Congressional election case of eates vs.
Martin will be taken before Justice Culpep
per Wednesday. Veates is represented by
J P Whedbee, and Martin by W. h. loot
andC. W. 0 randy-
Goldsboro Messenoer mention TK,ni.D
- au&o IU
our friends the course of the M'ssvtoer
seems to be appreciated and endorsed, ifour
constantly increasing circulation may be con
sidered good evidence. There is not a news
paper property in the State more valuable or
more permanently fixed, and we are alto
gether satisfied with the returns we have re
ceived for our labor. A comparison of our
circulation to-day with what it was July the
4th a year ago, shows a bona fide increase
of 724 subscribers, an -J from this exhibit we
have already excluded a few hundred whose
names, for one cause or other, were erased
off our books, showing that, dnnn.r
just closed nearly 1,000 subscribers were en
listed as readers of the Jffssenyer, and this
gratifying increase continues at present in
the same ratio. A beet weighing over
seven pounds has been left at this office bv
Mr. J. J. Scott, grown in his garden. -
Mr. II. P. Dortch has a four month old
heifer, of the Altona breed, that is a perfect
beauty in the shape of cattle. The Grand
Lodge of Good Templars of this State will
hold its next session in Winston, bemniri"
on Tuesday, August 12th. Hon. W. T?
Dortch returned from Florida on Sunday
last. He decided to take an appeal to the
U. S. Supreme Court in the suit of the W.
X. C. 11. 11. vs. the Florida roads, in which
a decision adverse t North Carolina had
been rendered by the Circuit Court. We
are requested to give notice that the new
Presbyterian church at Mount Olive will be
dedicated on Sunday next. We learn that
Rev. B. F. Marable and Rev. J. 31. Sprunt
will officiate. We are nvontnd cto
that on and after Monday, July 7th, the A.
& N. C. Railroad schedule will change as
follows : Will leave Goldsboro at ? o'clock p.
m., arrive at Newbern at 0:12, and at More-
neaa uity at S:L'0 p. in. Jteturniug leave
Morehead Citv at 4 It) il- 111.. 211'VIVA tit
bern at 0:40, and at Goldsboro at 10 o'clock
a. m.
Bro. Patrick, in beginning the 10th
volume of the Pee Dec Herald, declares that
it was "never in more prosperous condition
than now." This is gratifying; but the
Herald deserves well of its patrons. We
take the following items from its columns :
I)r. E. F. Ashe has improved in health
since his sojourn in Hillsboro. Col.
Steele is home again. A son of James
Sinclair broke his arm by falling out of a
chair. Ileavv rain on Sundaw A
young fellow named Macom tried to swindle
Dr. h. A. Covington and Mr. If. Brown, bv
buying large bills of goods. He succeeded
in getting away with a good knife from Co
vimrton. lie is said to be operating in
Stanlv county. .Tayried on the.,1" vV.
ov nev. o. vj. Alexander i ( oh -
son, of Anson county, to Miss Emma A.
Stanback, of Richmond county. It was a
brilliant marriage. On Saturday after
noon last some miserable fiend (in human
form we suppose) placed logs on the track of
Carolina Central Railway, between Boggan's
Cut and Polkton, for the purpose of throw
ing the train from the track. Fortunately
Mr. Hilbern, the Section Master, discovered
the obstructions and had them removed;
and that night, while he and two of his
hands were guarding the place, some person
crept up and stealthily shot at Mr. Hilbern
the ball severing his watch chain and
passed through his coat without doing and
further damage.
Some one gives the following table of the
order in which men give up their luxuries
under the pressure of hard times: Books go
first the book trade flattens under a panic ;
illustrated papers next, and then daily pa
pers. If the pressure continues, the trade
in pianos and furniture falls off, but the la
boring classes begin to contract on the furni
ture f'mni the sho t. Xtxt beirill to CUt off
fine clothes and jewelry, and then its getting
pretty tight. Put on another screw, and
tea and coffee suffer ; then all fine groceries,
and then the nicest kind of produce. If the
screw still tightens, when the worst conies
to worst, and there is no help from God or
man, the whisky and tobacco begin to be cut
ofl. But the dog's about dead when it comes
to that.
Jackson licortn-: Little Car, son of Wil
liam W. Peebles, Esq., met with quite a
serious accident on last Sunday morn ng.
While plavimr on the stairs rail he lost his
balance and fell to the floor, breaking h 3
nose and otherwise in j mini: himself severely.
A negro boy shot and killed a negro wo
man on last Monday in Lewiston, bertie
county. It was nearly dark, and the woman
was getting over a fence in front of tl e boy
when he saw her and thought she was a inad
dog. A farmer in Yalkin county found a dead
sheep a few davs since, and supposing it had
been killed by dogs, sprinkled strichnine
upon the dead body, thinking the dogs
U'l 1 1 11 return t.i tlinir nnii TllC reSUlt Was.
next morning thirteen dogs, three hogs and
a number of buzzards were found dead, two
of the hogs belonging to the man who ad
ministered the poison. The sheep was
burned next day. Winston Leader.
Our city is now favored with several
young lady visitors, and we hear of more
coming. Among those here we notice Miss
McNeil, of Favetteville, visitins Misses
Spencer, Miss Julia Hooker of Hillsboro,
at Rev. Mr. Albea's, Miss Lilhe Scott, of
Greensboro, at the Merchants Hotel, and
Miss Haskinn, of Clarksville, Va., at Mr.
B. J. Sheppards. We wish all of them a
pleasant sojourn. Winston Leader.
WHEN YOU WANT
BOOKS OR STATIONERY,
SEND TO
ALFRED WILLIAMS & GO-.
BOOKSELLERS AXD STATIOXEIIS. RxhigK X. C.
School Book?, and Sunday School RooVa everythinn in oar line at lowet price.
Liberal terms to Teachers. Merchant and Sunday School.
Address irvuvtuniTuxu t- " n.-v - . .w v-
Publisher of Moore School History of North Carolina, price, cloth, lUard' School Edition, 70 emtt;
Tourgee b Digest of Cited Ce, price, $l .0-, by exi-re, $12.i5 by inul postpaid. JujmAT.
GASTON THOMPSON,
T" Manufacturer of all kinds of Jtough LumWr. "21
OKDKIIS SOLICITED AM) FILLED PROMPTLY.
Personal Attention Given to all Business. Satisfaction Guaranteed.
April It?. 1S79.
STREET'S NATIONAL HOTEL,
S. R. STREET & SON, Owners and Prop'rs.
-o-
GASTON MOUSE,
NEWBERN N- C
S. R. STREET at: SOS, -
IMtOI'KIKTOUS,
The undersigned having purchased the National Hotel at Raleigh, will, on March lMh, H79, open that wl
known House to the public under their management. They refer to the aton House an a guarantee that th
traveling public will tiud the National, at their hands, up to the standard of a tirt-cla Hotel. The Henlor, Mr.
Samuel 11. Street, will remain in charge"of the Gantou Houne. The Junior, Mr. AViu. J. Street, will conduct tho
Natioual Hotel. " S. 11. STHKET k HON.
H. O. McDonald,
MUNN'S S T AT I O IS ,
Manufacturer of all kinds of llOUr.H LUM1JER, from the best heart timber iu the Stat.
Hy giving my business my personal attention I can guarantee satisfaction.
urvUftixs ovjijHjri'iiu Jsu riLiiJiD PUOMPTT.v
aprl6 3m
W. J. YOU NO.
Young Brothers,
J. B. Y0UNO.
LUMBER DEALERS AVD MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KI VPS OF IioU(JlI LUMBER,
CAMERON, K . G .
glT" Giving all our business personal attention, we guarantee satis
faction. aprlO 3m
OLD X OUT II STATE gcar
F I 1? K I X S 17 It A X C K C 0 M V A X V
Of Wurrentoii, X. C,
HAS UK EN IX SUCCESSFUL OPERATION FOR SEVEN YEARS.
A Thoroughly Reliable Home Company.
DAVIS, President.
11. F. LONG, H.re-r.
n TRADE MARK. j jy , mTj
k
j
rOR PLEASURE,
vvmrvrll,ntALi it
SMOKE THE OLD
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY
W.T.Blckyeija s Co.
DttRHflM ,TNLC.
THAT IT
BEARS TH3
OTHER
POPULAR BF.CAU5F. RELIA.ELE
f THC
FARM "W AG O N S.
33
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Cfg J alius Lewis & Co. 2
w.inni f!.rU. kc. . iu North Carolinm. We u
We have the large! tock o our uo "r5- VMprlfnUv solicit n iuil
I J uOne but EXTRA. Q UA.L1 1 lfcn Ur ilui. " ' ''7 '7 Wohm from the lightest SZ-
Iftionof our wagons ana '-0 and mike prices M low th lowest.
fkHORSE to the heaviest SIX-HORSE, kc. V, e wint & I Hardware Mercha..
I lwTairinff done at loweat rates. iriaS HniMinu. tta!ei?li. N. C
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