Ballads of Brave Deeds By H. D. Rawnsley. With a Frontispiece and Preface by G. F. Watts |
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Brave Beresford
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 | Ballads of Brave Deeds |  |
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Brave Beresford
AN INCIDENT OF THE ZULU WAR, 1879
The incident here described took place on 2nd June 1879, during the Zulu war, when Sir Redvers Buller, with Lord Beresford acting as his staff officer, undertook a reconnaisance in force across the Umvaloosi River towards the Kraal of King Cetewayo at Ulundi. The gallant deed, which attracted much notice at the time, won for Lord William Beresford the Victoria Cross. It is very fully described by the war-correspondent, Archibald Forbes, in a paper entitled, “The Bravest Deed I ever saw,” in the first number of Pearson's Magazine for Jan. 1896.
It was Beresford's charger who led us that day,
When we ventured a view of the King and his horde,
It was Beresford's charger bore two men away
From the braves of Ulundi, in ambush who lay;
To the praise of its rider, our gallant young lord.
When we ventured a view of the King and his horde,
It was Beresford's charger bore two men away
From the braves of Ulundi, in ambush who lay;
To the praise of its rider, our gallant young lord.
Ah! little we knew as we followed their flight,
And the snowy-flecked chestnut went proud in the van,
That the foe were all round us to left and to right,
That a thousand would spring in a moment to sight,
And every grass-tuft prove a spear and a man.
And the snowy-flecked chestnut went proud in the van,
That the foe were all round us to left and to right,
That a thousand would spring in a moment to sight,
And every grass-tuft prove a spear and a man.
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But we saw on a sudden a mighty Zulu,
With the ring on his head and the shield on his arm,
Up-gather himself for the deed he would do,
But our Beresford's blade turned the lightning that flew,
And flashed back the flame through the heart that would harm.
With the ring on his head and the shield on his arm,
Up-gather himself for the deed he would do,
But our Beresford's blade turned the lightning that flew,
And flashed back the flame through the heart that would harm.
Then forth from the grasses each side of us showed
Brindled shields and spears hungry for lying in wait,
“Back, back!” shouted Buller, and backward we rode,
While swift from the deep-hidden watercourse flowed
The foemen by thousands in torrent of hate.
Brindled shields and spears hungry for lying in wait,
“Back, back!” shouted Buller, and backward we rode,
While swift from the deep-hidden watercourse flowed
The foemen by thousands in torrent of hate.
Then the bullet-hail hissed, and we answered it back,
Two saddles are emptied, a third man is down,
And his horse, at a gallop, has followed our track—
Shall Beresford leave him, a prey to the pack,
Or dare for Old England a deed of renown?
Two saddles are emptied, a third man is down,
And his horse, at a gallop, has followed our track—
Shall Beresford leave him, a prey to the pack,
Or dare for Old England a deed of renown?
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No moment to ponder! but back at full speed,
With his hand at his holster, and rowels red-rose,
He has dashed to his comrade-in-arms, at his need,
Has lifted the man, wounded sore, to his steed,
Has mounted behind him in face of the foes.
With his hand at his holster, and rowels red-rose,
He has dashed to his comrade-in-arms, at his need,
Has lifted the man, wounded sore, to his steed,
Has mounted behind him in face of the foes.
With hands woman-tender but stronger than steel
He held the faint trooper, nigh drenched with his blood;
Cheered the steed, who, half human to know and to feel,
Stretched out, double-weighted, and showed a clean heel,
Till safe at the Laager in glory she stood.
He held the faint trooper, nigh drenched with his blood;
Cheered the steed, who, half human to know and to feel,
Stretched out, double-weighted, and showed a clean heel,
Till safe at the Laager in glory she stood.
Oh! sound of the Impis that gather from far,
When, with shield for their drum-head, the warriors come,
Oh! sound of the yelp of those death-dogs of war,
Could you drown the long note of the English hurrah
Which welcomed the chestnut and Beresford home?
When, with shield for their drum-head, the warriors come,
Oh! sound of the yelp of those death-dogs of war,
Could you drown the long note of the English hurrah
Which welcomed the chestnut and Beresford home?
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