Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-23


tant. They saw Blakiston fall on the
road, man and horse, riddled with
bullets. Routledge ran for cover into
the bush, but was never seen again.
After the arrival of the relief, the
enemy for a time practically ceased fir
ing, though the watchers knew they
remained concealed in their vicinity.
For the promised reward of $500,
singularly plucky Cape boy named
Hendritz was induced to ride to Sails
bury with dispatch asking for re-
inforcement of forty men and one
Maxim gun.
On the Gwebi Flats he met Inspec-
tor Nesbit OF the police, with patrol
consisting of Troopers Ogllvie, Har-
bord, McGregor, Byron, Edmonds,
Arnot, A. Nesbit, Berry, Van Staaden,
Zimmerman, McGeer and Jacobs
thirteen men in all.
The inspector elected to proceed at
once to the Mazoe, without waiting
for further reinforcements, and partly
on account of the darkness, and part
ly owing to the enemy making sure of
them on the return journey, they
reached the Mazoe without fighting.
The party now numbered thirty
men and three women; and after the
new arrivals had fed and rested their
horses, all hands set about preparing
for their departure.
Judson had the two sides, and to an
extent the back of the wagonette
armored with sheet-iron, which-as
was observed at the time-titted SO
well, that it seemed to have been
made for the purpose. The mules had
all been shot or lost, so six men were
dismounted, and theIsix troop horses
inspanned in their place, though they
had never been in harness before.
The order of march was an advance
guard OF five mounted men and eight
seven mounted and eight footmen. A
start was made before noon.
The thick bushes and kopjes were
alive with thousands upon thousands
of the enemy oficered by experienced
Matabele, and armed with LeeMet-
ford, Martins and elephant guns,
crammed with pot-legs and every vari-
ETY. of slug.
Mounted natives never ceased to
harass the rear guard, and pressed it
so close that at one point q halt had
to be made, and volley after voliey
fred to drive them back. A few min
utes afterwards Lieutenant McGeer
fell, and his horse bolted, but was
pluckily ridden after and recaptured
by Hendriks. Then two of the patrol
had their horses shot dead under
them. Judson and Stamford Brown
ran back to see McGeer, and found
him lifeless, with several bullets
through his head. All this while the
enemy for the most part remained hid
den, the grass edging the roadside be-
ing from eight to nine feet high. In
this dense cover the natives squatted,
and took pot-shots at the patrol, who
had only flashes and pufs of smoke to
aim at in return.
About mile from the Tatagora
Drift, where the road winds between
the foot of large kopie and the river,
annihilation seemed certain. The
blacks were swarmed to within three
yards of the road, and bullets seemed
to rain upon the horses from every
quarter. Here one of the leaders of
the team was shot through the head,
but not killed, and kept its place. I'M
mediately after, however, the off-side
wheeler fell mortally wounded, and
while Brown and Salthouse were strug-
Cling to cut him loose, the near wheeler
was killed and almost fell on Salthouse.
Next Jacobs and Van Staaden were
shot dead, the latter falling with the
side of his head completely blown
away. Arnot was cut off from his
comrade, but eventually escaped. Hen
driks in the advance guard was shot
right through the jaws and mouth,
and was ordered to abandon the con-
voy and save himself Ogilvie was
shot and severely injured; and Burton,
receiving terrible wound - right
through the face-just managed to
Chamber into the wagon, and fell bleed
ing among the Mortified women.
Still the agonized procession forged
slowly ahead, and still the four re-
naming horses painfully dragged the
wagonette, blood pouring from the
nose and mouth OF the wounded leader.
The advance guard now made Sc
ries of charges on the ambushes ahead,
and SO diverted some of the fire from
the wagonette. Az the end of that
terrible valley, a ruse de guere was
attempted, the advance guard riding
forward and cheering wildly as if they
sighted advancing relief The cheer
ing was taken up by the rest-and the
ruse succeeded.
The firing slackened off perceptibly,
and soon ceased altogether; and be-
fore they reached the Gwebi River all
pursuit was abandoned.
With one halt, varied by false
alarm that the natives were again in
sight, they toiled painfully over the
intervening seventeen miles, reaching
Salisbury Laager about ten o'clock.
They received an indescribable ova-
ton, it being reported that all were
killed. The attack on the Alice Mine
and the reliefs had lasted. with but