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Auction: 14001 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 105

South Africa 1834-53 (Hugh Hall. 74th. Regt.), edge bruising, very fine

Private Hugh Hall, served with the 74th Highlanders during the Third Kaffir War, 1850-53: 'During the course of the fighting in the Kroome range, a Kaffir stronghold, a soldier named Karrigan ran one Kaffir through with his bayonet, shot another who was coming to his rescue, and killed a third with the butt-end of his musket. Some say he killed a fourth. A comrade, Private Hall, who ran to assist him, was caught by the straps of his blanket by a powerful savage and thrown down the deep bank on our left. He lay there insensible for a short time and when his senses returned to him, he was lying at the foot of a deep water gorge. He looked up the slope, down which he had been thrown so unceremoniously, and observing his firelock near at hand, he grasped it eagerly and then crept among the branches of a tall tree. There, with trembling heart and aching bones, he observed the Kaffirs in hundreds pass down the road and close to the foot of the tree where he had hidden, in pursuit of the retiring troops, who were lost to his sight. He noticed that the Kaffirs, shortly after they passed him, crossed into the bush on the left side of the path. Having remained concealed until he thought the Kaffirs were all passed, he descended from the tree, with his musket and made his way through the forest to join his comrades.
Some of the men, seeing him running among the thorn-trees on their right flank, mistook him for an enemy trying to out-flank them. Various shots were fired at him, but happily without taking effect. He raised his musket in the air and fired it off. We then observed that he was one of our men and a few minutes afterwards we recognised Hall, who was completely exhausted with the race and the momentary expectation of sudden death. Doctor Frazer gave him a little brandy, which revived him, but for months afterwards the tent that he belonged to was mightily alarmed by him springing up in his sleep and shouting out "There they come- there they are- murder, murder" or some other sudden and dreadful outcry.
A few more years sufficed for him in this world, for he became of a melancholic temperament and died, adding another victim to the War's Account.' (Reminisces of the Last Kaffir War by James McKay, late Sergeant in H.M. 74th Highlanders refers).

Provenance: Glendining, October 1981

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£450