[The Twenty-fourth or Second Warwickshire Regiment, now the South Wales
Borderers, is of ancient and gallant fame. On its colours are inscribed
"Egypt," "Cape of Good Hope," "Talavera," "Fuentes d'Onor," "Salamanca,"
"Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle," "Orthes," "Peninsula"--a goodly show.]

To us, perhaps, the claims of the Regiment upon our admiration are
eclipsed by those upon our pity when we remember the terrible disaster
of Isandula in 1879, when six companies of the Regiment were cut to
pieces, and as it was at first feared, the colours lost. But it was not
so; several companies of the 1st Battalion had fought in the victorious
affair of Rorke's Drift the day before, and "Lieutenant Bromhead" says
the _Daily News_ of Feb. 21, 1879: "1st Battalion, 24th Regiment,
and Lieutenant Chard, R.E., left in charge of the Drift with a company
of the 24th Regiment, first received intimation of the disaster [at
Isandula] from fugitives making for the Drift. Lieutenant Coghill with
others rode away to communicate with Helgmakaar, and were killed by
Zulus in crossing the river."

With Lieutenant Coghill was Lieutenant Melville carrying the colours.
The company holding the Drift was annihilated by the on-rushing savages,
and no tidings of the colours could be gained until some days after
when, behind a mound, were found the bodies of the two brave
Lieutenants, one of whom grasped the pole with hands stiffened in death
and around the other the precious flag was wound, "safe on the heart of
a soldier."

The following touching lines will be welcome to the lover of noble deeds;
it is to be regretted that the name of the poet cannot also be given:--