New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-03
SEEKING MISSING SOLDIERS.
THE HANDBILLS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED by THt
THOUSAND AMONG BRITISH REGIMENTS.
From The London Mail.

THOUSAND AMONG BRITISH REGIMENTS.
From The London Mail
In the whole copious realm Of literature deal
ing with our wars, big and little. 1t is rather
surprising that there should be only one pass
ing mention made of the fact that periodically
tens of thousands of circulars and handbills are
Issued by the relatives of supposedly dead
young soldiers in the ranks asking for a de-
tailed account Of the last moments of the slair.
The writer has seen many Of these circulars
that have not only been circulated in the rcSi-
mcnt to which the dead or missing man be
lonSed, but have, in certain cases been given
to every surviving soldier Of the particular cam
paiSn In which he was engaged. one Of these
latter handbills was periodically issued, literally
by the hundred thousand. over a period cover
ing ten years. 1t related to a young private of
high connections, whose real name was Gordon,
but who had enlisted i'm the name Of BRASIL.
He was reported as missing" and il is an army
tradition that something like 100000 was spent
by his mother on advertisements and inquiries
in all parts OF the world, regular army Of
HoG-COmmiSsiOncd officers Of certain regiments
who never asked for and sometimes declined
taking a peHpy-receiving tips for making
strenuous inquiries among ScpOys.
Some Of these circulars that have related TO
men killed in Il very early engagement OF a
long continued campaign have followed the dead
mans comrades who participated in ana sur
vyed the same action t. the most outandish
places. where our troops seemed cut off from
the whole world; and. in one case, slender ana
delicate looking middlc-aGod woman herself bore
her circular Of inquiry into the very heart of
Burmah
As to the handbls that go with the tardy and
sCanty mail to isolated bodies of troops, here IS
an actual one that in 1879, just before the battle
Of Ulundi. arrived at the camp or conference
Hill" in Iululand, where our troops we're walt
ing to advance on the savage King Ietewayo
IL texture and printing the bill is only of TIE
sort that is given away by thousands IN our
streets, in its text il affords tragiCally clear
view of what many Of these momentous ana
really vivid circulars are like
1t is notable that i'm this handful no particular
rcgiment-the man really belonged To the mn
or reeimcntal number is specified, nor docs the
advertiser insult the dead mans comraccS hy
offering any scmblance Of a gIatuity. But now
terribly the tragedy Of lsandlWana where our
brave fellows miscalculated the strength of inc
teeming thousands Of XuluS VINO chased them
for miles is indicated i'm such graphic clauses
as the second Did he escape the carnage an!
get to that river where so many were cut down
or was he with the poor remnant when De.
pended on the bayOnet alone. and which foushI
to the last gasp?'
These circulars are, in all the seeming sim.
picity of a few lines Of print, such as we AT
home are accustomed To associate win IoSI
bracelet most luIid reminders Of the horrors o'
war for there is a dreadful particularly oi IN
formation asked for. The Soudan produced a
whole shcaf of them and IN each one occurs Inc
dreadful question, WAS he mutaicd?
The writer can state on the best army au-
thoritv that in the case Of one Of our bray" ones
who died at Maiuha Hill. and about wnom th'
most explicit information was subsequently
asked The reply Of a comrade WAS that the dcac
mn, shot himself rather than be taken or sur
render. And have not many alleged that even
General Sir Pomcroy Cooley himself died by ms
own hand?
or course. many such circulars are issued TO
Rritish troops ovcrywh crc-ccrtain OF them nave
been repeated at intervals for years-ln regard
to missing men who have never been IN ACTON
in their lives and one Of these. when mas again
t.f which I8ilAnN
rclatos tn some 'nc'cr- do-wccl" states that the
supposed private is given much to drink wher,
ever he is" \ copy Of it was to be seen posted
at Aldershot only lately.