The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-07-21
scoTLAND's REVENGE.
How the Gordons Remembered Magersfon-
tein

beloved general who fell at Magersion.
tein is told graphically in the London
Daily News by A G Hales the Austria.
lian correspondent for that paper. Mr.
II lies says
When q few months ago | stood upon
the veldt almost within he shadow Of
the frowning brow Of Megerfontein'
surly heights, and looked upon the cold
stern faces Of scotland's dead and lis.
tened TO the weird wailing Of the bag
plpers while Oronje gszed triumphantly
down from his inaccessible mountain
stronghold upon his handiwork,l | knew
in my soul that o day would dawn when
! Scotland would demand an eye for an eye
] blood for blood, / read it written on
tho face Of men who strobe with martial
tread around the last sad resting place
Of him they loyed-their chief, the daunt-
less General Wsuchope. Vengeance
spoke in the scmbre fire that blazed In
every scotsman s eye
That hour has come. The men who
sleep in soldiers graves beside the will
low.clad banks Of the Modder river have
been avenged IL was the lst OF May.
We had.the Beers hard pressed in Thaba
N'chu in a run Of kopjes that reached
in almost unbroken sequence farther
| than mans eye might reach The fly
ing French was with as, chatting like q
| leashed greyhound because he could not
sweep all before him with one impeth-
GUS rush. Rumble, too, was here with
his naughty handsome face. as.keen.as
French, but with better grip on his
feelings Six thousand Of the foe, under
Louis Botha, COOL crafty, long headed,
resouroeful, have held the kopjes. Again
and again we manoeuyred to trap them
but no wolf in winter is more wary
than Botha, no wessels more watchful
than the men he commanded. When we
advanced they fell back, when we fell
back they advanced until the merest
tyro in the art Of war could see that a
frontal attack unless made in almost
hopeless positions was impossible. So
Hamilton swept round their right flank,
ten miles north Of Thaba N'chu, and
gave them a taste Of his skill and dar-
ing. whilst Rundle held their main
body here &C Thaba n chu. Rumble
made a felnt on their centre In strong
force, and they closed in from both tlanks
TO resist him. Then he drew of as
IL fearing the issue This drew
the Beers in, and they pounded
our camp with shells until one wonder
ed wheater the German-made rubbish
they used would last them much longer
Then we threatened their left flank
quickly and sharply, giving Hamilton
time to strike on the right, and he
struck without erring, whipping the
enemy at every point he touched, driv'
ing them ont Of their position, and
holding them firmly himself so threaten
ing their rear and the immense herd
Of sheep and oxen they had with them'
making a footing for the British to
move on and cut Boths off from his
base at Kroonstad.
On this fateful day Captain Towse,
with atout fifty Of the Gordons, got is'
olated from the main body OF British
troops, and the Beers sized up the posi-
tion. and determined upon a capture.
They little dreamt of the nature OF the
lion they had shared in their tolls
With fully $50 men they closed in on
the little band Of killed men, and In
triumphant tones called upon them to
throw down their arms and surrender.
It was a picture TO warm an artists
heart. On all sides rose the bleak, black
kopjes, ridge on ridge, as inhospitable
as watch. dogs growl. On one hand
the little band of Highlanders, the pio'
turesque colors of their clan showing In
kilt and stocking perfect in all their ap'
poiDtments. but nowhere 80 absolutely
Aawless as in their leadership. Undei
such leaders as he who held them there
40 calm and steady their forbears had
hurled back the chiyalry OF France
and had tanned the Musoovite pride, ant
they were soon to prove themselves mer
worthy Of their captain.
On the other side rose the superior
numbers Of the Beers. A wild anC
motley crew they looked compared Il
the gem Of Britain army. Boys stoo'
side by side with old men, lads bracet
, themselves shoulder to shoulder will
men in their manhood's prime, ragged
boards fell on still more ragged shir
, fronts. But there were many heart
behind those ragged garments, heart
: that beat high with love OF home ant
country, hearts that seldom quailed II
the hour Of peril. Their rifles lay II
hands steady aud strong, The Boer wa
face to face with the Briton, the mum
bers lay on the side Of the Boer' but tn
bayonet was with the briton.
"Throw up your hands and surrend
=, or" The language was English bu
I the accent was Dutch a moment, q
awful second Of time, the rife barrel
cleaned coldly toward that little grou
;. Of men. who stood their ground as pin
, trees stand on their mountain sides /
: bonnie Scotland. Then out on tn
African air there rupg voice, proud
clear, and high as clarion note
v Fix bayonets. Gordons "
Like lightning the strong hand
b gripped the ready steel; the bayonei
!. went home to the barrel, as the lips {
o lover to lover. Rifles spoke from th
y Boer lines, and men reeled pace froT
p the British and fell, and lay where the
n fell. Again that voice with the SEQ