The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-29

The Extraordinary Luck of British
Soldier at Atbara.

To have the bayonet on the rif1e
soldier is carrying bent by a bullet the
butt OF the same rife splintered by
another bullet, the toe OF the shoe shot
of by a third ball. and the mans cloth
ing almost torn of by others Is chap
ter of LUCKY accidents that reads like an
extract from the thrilling adventures
of those dime novel heroes who Kill OF
their enemies by wholesale and never
receive scratch themselves, says the
London Times. The story is perfectly
true, however. and the hero OF IL Is at
present the most talked OF man In the
British army, as well he may be. He Is
Corporal Laurie of the Seaforth High
land.is, and here is his signed state
sment of the marvellous escape from
death or even injury while bullets
rained upon him at the recent battle OF
Atbara. when the British Won such a
signal victory:
II suppose I have been reported as
slightly wounded and pictured as an in
teresting invalid. Well, 1 was struck,
but the effect was SO small that have
often been worse hurt In a football
match. But during the rest of the day
and some days afterward / have been
an object OF interest and have been
questioned by almost every officer aud
man in the battalion. referred TO as the
bullet proof man. and asked IL l would
mind letting a section fire few rounds
at me TO see IL they could do me any
harm. The fact Is that l got most of
the corners of my clothing shot off.
while personally was uninjured.
Before 1 entered the zareba / was
not struck, but shortly afterward bull
let took off the toe OF my left shoe with
out hitting my foot, the shoe being a
size too big for easy marching and
sleeping at night. Then my bayonet
was struck and bent over at a right
angle. Then a shot went through my
sleeve, near my left wrist. tearing two
holes, but not hurting me. Then my
rifle was struck while I was loading.
the bullet splintering the butt and be-
ing stopped by an iron bolt which IL
met. This bullet would certainly have
gone right into my body but for my
rife being there. Then a niger in
trench let drive at me with a spear,
missed my ribs by an inch. and slit up
my haversack. A bullet then grazed
the back of my hand just enough to
make Il bleed.
when reached the river bank.
which was nearly perpendicular, shot
came from the bottom, about 20 feet
below, and a little TO the left, which
caused the wound / am supposed To
have got, and was so curious that was
paraded before the general. IL entered
through the lid OF my right ammunition
box pouch. which was open. went into
my right coat pocket, smashing pen
knife and two pencils. tore four holes
in my shirt. made a surface wound two
or three inches long on my left breast
and came out near my left shoulder
through my coat and ammunition
pouch braces.
"In the afternoon I strolled over to
the field hospital and got piece OF
dressing on, and II has never troubled
me at all; in fact. IL was a farce TO put
IL as a wound. and was done without
my knowledge by the color sergeant.
SO. you see, I've really been, as I'm
told by everybody. wonderfully lucky
in getting off as I have DONE while
other poor chaps were given no
chances"