The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-24
JAMEsoN,s RIDE.
A Young English Member Of His
Force Tells How 1t All Happened.

Young English Member Of His
Force Tells How Ii All Happened.
London Standard
The following animated description of the
rlde is from the pen of a young trooper
VINO was one of the force:
on Sunday. Dec. - were all ranged
up In the square at Pitsani-Dr. jameson.
White, Major Grey and a few imperial
and chartered company's officers Jameson.
SAID: People Of johannesburg are urgent-
~ requesting our aid, they are being sadly
oppressed. etc. There will be no blood
split, as fighting will be the last expedient
resorted to-" We left Pitsani at O'clock
on Sunday night with e2o men. two twelve
and-a-half FOUNDERS and eight Maxim guns
We rode fifty miles by dawn of Monday
horses and rode fili dusk, with only one,
hours rest, then on all through the night
All Tuesday we rode until dusk. fed and
came on three hundred of the Dutch rear
guard, had short. sharp skirmish. when
they bolted; it was so dark we could not
see where they went l was in the open.
We then rode until Wednesday morndrl,y
only resting for half an hour TO feed on
u.s. on bicycles. Win the message that i'm
Krugersdorp the Beers had no ammunition.
and only two hundred men. SO We pressed.
thunderstorm, which soaked US through and
through.
When we arrived at. the top of long,
Fort and the outside of the town. We,
banged the fort badly with shell. and then.
went down to some trees, when suddenly
the men on either side of me dropped, and
We had the order to gallop to our guns.
/ was on a fine horse. a big bay. that had
horse was shot) Two bullets whizzed under
his neck, he reared right up, lay win
my head on his name. and two bulled8
grazed my tunic collar, but ! was saved
We were now in Randfontein, surrounded.
by six thousand all well armed. At sun
set we dismounted, and lay in square,.
the day before, and soaked through with
rain. We lay full length on the grass for
an hour, when suddenly they opened fire.
soon retreated. Our fellows were groaning
and moaning all round. No one could at
tend to them. and the two doctors were
prisoners. They fired on US again WIN
little effect.
There were six thousand Dutch around US
on New Years night; they did not cnarges
as they did not know how many guns We
had. We were cold and wet to the skin. Ac
daw rode toward johannesburg, We
had not off-saddled the whole night. We had
to ride through the gold fields and shafts
OF course the earth heaps were splendid
covers for the Beers, who fired at US from
every available point. The column 9Iarn sun
troop in charge OF the sick wagons, which
were fired on from dawn until 80 without
ceasing We kept running ing, o own ars res
Awful work. considering we had no sleep
since Saturday, Dec IS The mules OF the
sick wagons were played out. SO the SICK
were left in a mine ana eventually We
heard they were all shot by the Beers, We
were surrounded and cut on from the main
column-they were in front ana We coni1
hear the roar of artillery. rode on win
a few fellows, but we got on the WRONG
side OF a koppye and in full fire OF the
Dutch: the bullets were striking the ground
all around me, but neither L nor my morse
was touched
/ Joined the column when bullets from
over one thousand Beers were playing naVoc
with men and horses, and then Jameson
hoisted the white flag. When the nrlng
ceased the Beers came down In hundreds
from the koppyes on small ponies. We laid
down our rifles and cartridges and were
marched off to Krugersdorp as prisoners OF
war. Hosts OF Dutch lined the roads we
then off-saddled, with a strong guard over
us saddled up at DUSK and reached Pretoria
Friday night. We were all put In the grand
stand and at 10 at night they brought uS
bread and meat We Lad not seen bread Tor
over a week. We get now half loaf
a day and meat which is putrfd and cannot
be eaten. -.
Jameson and the officers are in jail: they
very nearly hanged him on the battlefield
We hear we are to be disbanded at Mafeking
and never see a penny or our pay. MY
worldly possessions are uniform, Top
the mud in the good old Thames. j feel
shoot us-the rest do not L suppose being
a prisoner Of war only occurs once IN
lifetime. | slept right of for two days
"a two nights when arrived II Pretoria