. Battles of the nineteenth century . hewalls, and the air reeked with dense sulphuroussmoke. The combatants may have been excitedand carried away by the mad fury of battle ; butto men depressed by disease, weakened andracked with pain, truly the minutes must havebeen long and terrible in their mental andphysical suffering. Shortly after five oclock 33& BATTLES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. the Zulus had been able so far to break downthe entrance to the room at the extreme end ofthe hospital that they were able to charge at theopening ; but Bromhead was there, and drovethem back time after time w
. Battles of the nineteenth century . hewalls, and the air reeked with dense sulphuroussmoke. The combatants may have been excitedand carried away by the mad fury of battle ; butto men depressed by disease, weakened andracked with pain, truly the minutes must havebeen long and terrible in their mental andphysical suffering. Shortly after five oclock 33& BATTLES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. the Zulus had been able so far to break downthe entrance to the room at the extreme end ofthe hospital that they were able to charge at theopening ; but Bromhead was there, and drovethem back time after time with the long as the enclosure was held, they failed inevery fierce attempt. Private Joseph Williamswas firing from a small window hard by, and onthe next morning fourteen warriors were founddead beneath it, besides others along his line offire. When his ammunition was expended, hejoined his brother, Private John Williams, andtwo of the patients who also had fired their lastcartridge, and with them guarded the door with. their bayonets. No longer able to keep theiropponents at a distance, the four stood grimlyresolute, waiting till the door was battered inand they stood face to face with the foe. Then followed a death struggle. The Englishbayonet crossed the broad-bladed hangwan^ thestalwart Warwickshire lads met the lithe andmuscular tribesmen of Cetewayo, and theweapons glinted thirsty for blood. In the jyielecpoor Joseph Williams was grappled with bytwo Zulus, his hands were seized, and, draggedout from among his comrades, he was killedbefore their eyes. But now it was known thatthe hospital must be abandoned, and as theusual path was occupied by the enemy, a wayhad to be made through the partition Williams and the two patients succeededin making a passage with an axe into theadjoining room, where they were joined by Private Henry Hook. John Williams anaHook then took it in turn to guard the holethrough which the little party had come, withthe bayonet, a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1901
