Redcoat's Rifle, page 24
“Are you sure?”
“He found Berber, didn’t he?”
He waved over the Corporal, “Are you happy to take command of the men here, Corporal?”
“Yes, sir, I have watched Sergeant Major Roberts and I am learning.”
“Very well, Sarn’t Major. Get the men sorted and we will give the camels some water.”
If we had to run then we needed camels that would be able to travel quickly and that meant they should be watered and rested.
I waved the men over, “Use these ruins for cover.” I pointed the way we had come. “One of you will need to watch that way. Keep your weapons loaded and your eyes peeled. If all goes well then we should be back in a couple of hours and we can head back to the fort. On the other hand, we may come in like the light brigade. You need to be ready to give us covering fire and then mount and head back the way we came. Stay under cover. Have the camels lying down and hopefully you will all be invisible.” I looked at Corporal Dunn, “Today could be your coming of age.”
He smiled, “We won’t let you down.”
I liked that he said we.
We left it in single file. It was the wrong time of day to travel for the sun was at its height but that meant the garrison might be less observant. You saw what you expected to see. When we were close enough to see the gates of the fort and that they were open, we dismounted and led the camels. The Dervish flag flew from the fort. Around it, a sprawl of buildings showed where the people lived. There were tended fields between us and them. I hoped that they would disguise us. We stopped and Major Dickenson took out his binoculars. There was a danger in using them as light might reflect off them. The sun was directly overhead and I shaded the end with my hands.
He spoke to me as he scanned the defences, “They have Krupp guns on the walls. It looks to me like there are four on each wall and smaller armaments.” He moved the binoculars slowly, “I count just half a dozen guards on each wall.”
I could see that there were four towers and that one, the one with the flag, was taller than the others. That would be the one which had the best vantage point. Even without binoculars, I could see that it was unmanned. That did not surprise me as it would be the most exposed and the hottest. “There is no one in the high tower.”
Saeed grunted, “It is noon. The ones on duty are being punished. The rest will be in the shade.”
The major put down his binoculars, “Do we go closer or have we seen enough?”
Just then Saeed, who had not been looking at the fort but at the road said, “Major, the caravan we passed is approaching the fort.”
I frowned. The only reason why a caravan would travel in the heat was if there was danger. In this case, I suspect the danger was us. We had fooled them but in that fooling, we had piqued their curiosity. The caravan master would not risk angering the Mahdists and he would tell them that they had seen British soldiers to the east of them.
“Well, that puts the cat amongst the pigeons.”
“Sir, if we turn and walk away, slowly, they might not notice us. As soon as the caravan master reports to the garrison commander then noon or not, he will have them stand to and they will see us.”
“Right, lead on Saeed.”
We walked our animals back the way we had come. To all the world we looked like Arabs but anyone who saw us would wonder why we were travelling away from water and shelter. It could not be helped. Even as we walked, I realised that night was our best ally. We could travel better and more comfortably at night and we would be hidden. Our secret weapon was the midshipman. He could navigate by the stars and the one thing you could almost guarantee in the desert was a cloudless night. We had risked being seen by doing what we had done in daylight. We could have approached closer and not risked being seen had we come at night. We were learning all the time.
We had travelled just half a mile when we heard the bugle in the fort. Saeed said, “It is their version of boots and saddles, effendi. They are mounting men.”
The major was a risk taker, “We walk for another half a mile and then mount. We are not on the road and they may not look to the north.”
I was not convinced and I knew that by mounting we would become a larger target. We walked and each step took us closer to the section whose waiting carbines offered us some salvation. I turned and looked. A column of horsemen had left Berber and was heading along the road. Perhaps the major had made the right decision. I turned and looked in the other direction. Another, smaller column of a dozen or so horsemen had left the town from another gate and these were heading towards us, “Sir, I think we have been spotted.”
He turned and said, “Mount.”
I made Aisha kneel. That was the problem with mounting a camel. It was never fast. In the time it took to make her kneel the horsemen were two hundred yards closer. As we encouraged our animals to run, I glanced over my shoulder and saw that they were another hundred yards closer. Once they got into their stride then the camels would be able to go faster than the horses but until then we were vulnerable. When the guns behind us cracked it confirmed that we had been identified. It also told me of the calibre of the men who chased us. They were not disciplined. I could have risked pulling my carbine and firing one handed but that was a waste of a bullet and I had been trained too well for that.
As we neared the ruins, I saw that I could not see the section. They had done well and the horsemen were in for a shock, “Sir, ride past the ruins and our lads can hit them in the flank.”
“Right, Sarn’t Major.”
I slid the carbine from its scabbard. I would have to fire from the back of the camel and the shorter weapon would be my gun of choice. Glancing over my shoulder I was able to see that they were now just two hundred yards from us. Some waved rifles and muskets, presumably empty while others had swords and spears. All wore the distinctive garb of the Dervish, the white jibbahs covered with the coloured squares of material. A couple had shields hanging from their saddles.
It was as we passed the ruins that I saw the carbines of the section. As soon as Middy shouted, “Fire!” I wheeled Aisha and transferred the carbine to my right hand. The camel obligingly stopped and I rested my forearm on the saddle. It was not a rifle but I wanted to hit that at which I aimed. As the carbines of the section emptied saddles, I aimed at a rider to my left whose body and horse were protected by horsemen to his left. The carbine bucked and the rider clutched his shoulder. I chambered another bullet and this time shot his horse. He tumbled from its back. Although the men had emptied saddles the Dervish still wished to get at us whilst, in the distance, I heard the bugle of the horsemen on the road. They would soon come to the aid of their comrades. We needed to end this. I drew my pistol. I had not had the opportunity to fire the Remington pistol much but it had six bullets. I fired at the nearest men and in their eagerness to get at us, they made easy targets. All the saddles were emptied and the surviving horses wandered around the dead Dervish.
“Well done, lads, now mount your camels.”
“Yes Sergeant Major.”
“Corporal Dunn.”
“Yes sir.”
“You and Saeed take the lead. Head north.”
“Sir.”
The major rode next to me, “Well Sarn’t Major, we have the information that the colonel wants but it begs the question can we outrun these horsemen?”
“Just keep it steady, sir. I will ride at the rear with a couple of lads. If we get the chance, I will try to discourage them. Don’t wait for us, sir.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes sir. Fielding and Eliot, with me.”
While the men mounted, I reloaded my weapons and put them in their holster and scabbard respectively. The two troopers arrived as Saeed and Middy led the men north. I glanced behind. We had a lead of a mile and I hoped it would be enough. “We are the rearguard. If we get the chance, I want to hurt them and discourage them.” We began to ride.
Eliot said, “Ambush is a good idea, Sergeant Major, but there is no cover here.”
“There is more than you think. Make sure you have one up the spout and listen to my commands.”
Eliot was right if you thought about trees and hedgerows but what we did have were shifting dunes, hollows and wadis not to mention monolithic rocks rising like sinister spectres from the sand.
Aisha began to suffer. Fielding and Eliot’s camels had been rested while we had scouted. I was aware that I was going more slowly than they were. An hour into the chase and with the horses just half a mile behind us, I spied hope when the head of our column disappeared. They had to have dropped down into a wadi.
“You two be ready to stop when I say, turn and face the Dervish. Wait for my command.”
It was a wadi, an old dry riverbed from some ancient and long dried-up waterway. Saeed was leading the column east along the wadi. I stopped at the bottom and turned Aisha around. I drew my Martini-Henry and rested my elbow on the saddle. My trusty redcoat rifle was a comfort. If nothing else the halt would allow Aisha to recover a little. The horsemen appeared on the top of the wadi and they halted presumably to ascertain which direction we had taken.
“Fire!” I fired, reloaded and fired again. The two carbines cracked next to me. It had an effect and the riders pulled back. We had emptied a couple of saddles but, more importantly, we had made them slow. “Follow me!” I turned Aisha and we headed down the wadi. We had lost sight of the others but that did not matter. I was not Midshipman Dunn but I knew that our fort lay to the northeast and that the wadi, which had been a former river, would eventually reach the coast. Besides that, we had little choice. Saeed had chosen this route and it had to be for a reason. I could not see a way out and had to trust the Egyptian’s judgement. The hooves behind told me that the Dervish warriors were still following and they would now be warier. The afternoon wore on and I knew that Aisha needed rest and water soon. The wadi helped us in that it was relatively flat and there was little chance of us being outflanked but if we were to escape it then we would have to climb and therein lay the danger for as we climbed we would have to slow and invite a bullet in the back. We had to soldier on for there was no alternative.
Disaster came when we found that the wadi was blocked. Some flood had caused huge stones to fall into the dry riverbed and we had no other choice than to climb the sides. I turned and saw that the Dervish were just five hundred yards from us. Even with their lack of skill with firearms, the number of bullets that would come our way would surely hit us. We had to turn and fight.
“Dismount and shelter behind your camels.”
“Yes Sergeant Major.” There was no dissent in their voices. We were going to die but they would die well.
I made Aisha sit and rested my Martini-Henry across her saddle. I had a better range and my rifle barked and sent the leading rider over the back of his horse. The carbines fired next to me and I chambered another .303. This was Rorke’s Drift all over again. I would only survive if I could kill the enemy faster than they could travel. Their bullets were wide and wasted but they had swords and spears. Once they closed with us, we would be butchered for their weapons would be more use in close combat than ours. The wadi was narrow but the Dervish had spread out to try to get around us. I estimated that there were more than twenty of them. When they were just forty yards from me, I drew my carbine which had a bullet in the chamber and fired before dropping it and pulling out my revolver. I fired almost blindly at the wall of men and horses.
Suddenly a barrage of bullets came from the right. The carbines of the rest of the section opened fire and tore through the Dervish who had, until that moment, been anticipating victory. Barely six escaped and they galloped off back down the wadi. I stood, “Are you two alright?”
Tom shook his head, “We are but I don’t know how.”
I reloaded my revolver and pointed to the major, “They came back for us.”
We searched the dead and made certain that none were feigning before smashing their ancient weapons and taking swords and purses from them. We even found four horses and they were taken too.
We left the dead to the circling vultures and headed north and east. I rode next to the major, “Thank you for coming back for us, sir, but it was a risk.”
He shook his head, “We had to stop anyway after climbing the wadi and I realised that with you attracting their attention we could make a flank attack. Saeed reckons that there is an oasis not far from here.”
“It will have to be, sir. Aisha is all in.”
“As is mine. Perhaps we might have to take to the horses, eh?”
In the end, it was just a two-mile ride and darkness had fallen when we reached the tiny pool of water. It would have been foolish to risk a fire. It was not that we feared the Dervish, they would search for us but not until the next day, it was in case the flames showed other travellers where we were. From now on we would avoid contact with anyone.
Chapter 18
We reached Fort Desolation in the middle of the morning. The ride down the wadi had shortened our journey back but we and our animals were weary. The smiles from the men we had left showed that they had worried about us and the horses invited many questions.
After we had seen to the animals Major Dickenson said, “The day after tomorrow Saeed, Corporal Dunn and I will ride to see Colonel Kitchener. We will stay overnight. Lieutenant Hardy, you will take four men on a patrol, at the same time. Backtrack along our route as it may well be that we have invited trouble from our Dervish friends.”
“Sir.”
I was not sure that it was a good idea especially as it tied me to the fort. I was not in command, the major was. I had learned over the years to make the best of things. I first fed Aisha. She needed the rest and the food. Then I went to see to the Dervish horses we had taken. They were smaller than the horses I had ridden in Natal but they were sturdy beasts. It was an option we had not enjoyed before. I also changed my uniform. I would do my dhobying the next day. That evening we enjoyed a hot meal and fresh bread. Kelvin and Syd had experimented and the bread they had made was delicious. One of the things we had taken from the slavers was a clay pot of honey. The Arab to whom it had belonged obviously had a sweet tooth. That and the sesame seeds we had taken made delicious bread and the meal that night was like a feast.
I also enjoyed a smoke. Whilst we had been on long patrol, I had forfeited that pleasure for fear of giving us away but in the safety of Fort Desolation, I could enjoy it. Lieutenant Hardy had produced a new rota in our absence and Coupe and I were the first on duty. I would have the luxury of uninterrupted sleep. The gates were now secure and I enjoyed a good night of sleep. The major left before dawn to take advantage of the cool of night to travel. The lieutenant waited until dawn to leave. He took with him Kemp, Richardson, Fielding and Eliot. The first two were keen for action and the last two knew our route.
We all enjoyed the day in the fort. Little jobs like dhobying were a pleasure after being so close to death. The animals all appreciated the rest and this was the main reason that the major did not ride back to Suakim sooner. I hauled water from the well and did my washing. Mindful of waste after I had hung my clothes to dry, I shouted to the others that there was water for dhobying. As I had drawn and heated the water, they were not about to worry about the less-than-clean colour. By noon, our uniforms were drying and the bread was baking. I organised my tent. I liked order. Even the afternoon duty seemed almost pleasurable. I was able to survey the land around the fort and see, in the distance, the land we had recently explored.
The next morning, after waving off the two officers and their men and assigning Smith and Coupe to watch the gates, I set the other two off on mundane but necessary tasks. I walked around the fort to see that all was well. Shipshape and Bristol fashion came to mind. I smiled; perhaps Middy’s presence had given me a new vocabulary. The sun began to climb into the sky. I would not say I was used to the heat but I could now bear it a little better although once it came to noon then I took shelter.
I checked the supplies. The major had not taken a list of what we needed and that was an oversight. We had used ammunition and that needed to be replaced. We had used a quarter of the bully beef. I wondered if we could hunt to augment our supplies. I dismissed the idea. I had not seen anything worth hunting. I went to the latrine and then headed back to the office. I was just about to organise food when we heard the sound of gunshots. The distinctive bark of the Monkey Tailed carbine told me that the lieutenant had run into trouble. I was in command and I had to make a decision quickly. I could not leave the fort undefended but there were just four of us. Smith was an experienced man. His attitude had shown me that I could make him, with the major’s approval, a lance corporal.
“Coupe, go and saddle two horses.” Horses would be quicker. “Fetch your bugle, carbine and waterskin. Smith, you are in command until I return.” I went to my tent and grabbed a medical kit as well as my weapons.
“Will two be enough Sergeant Major?” Poulter seemed genuinely worried.
“It will have to be. If we are not back by dark… well it means we have bought it and you have to hold the fort until the major returns.”
Smith had his weapon in his hand, “The fact that we can hear the firing, sir, well it means that they are close.”
“Sound travels a long way, Smith. Bar the gates when we have gone and stand to.”
“Right, Sergeant Major.”
I grabbed the carbine and slung it over my back. I had no scabbard on the saddle and it would mean I could just take one lot of ammo. I put the bandolier across my chest. I knew I looked like some sort of bandit but we had no choice. Jamie brought the horses and I hung my water skin and canteen from the saddle. We mounted and as we left the gates were slammed ominously behind us.
The desert could deceive and so I followed the tracks of the camels. I knew the route in any case. The horses were good ones and responsive to the touch. I saw that Jamie was happier with the horse than he had been with the camel. That confidence would help. The firing was sporadic and did not appear to move. That led me to believe that the patrol was not moving. It reassured me. The men who had followed the lieutenant were solid chaps. They had fifty rounds of ammunition and they would know that if they could hold an enemy off until dark, they had a chance. We travelled four or five miles. As we neared the firing and I saw smoke rising in the air from the Arab muskets, I slowed. As much as I wanted to get to the patrol as soon as possible I did not want to rush in and get young Coupe killed.
