Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-06-27
REVENGE or SCOTLAND
How the Gordors Remembered
Magersfontein at Thabanchu.
DARING CHARGE OF HIGHLANDERs.


Led His Men 10 victory-Biinded
For Life by Ballet just When
Scotland Swept on 20 Triumph.
Boers Routed by Cold Steel.
Flow the Gordon hlghlanders at
Thabanchu avenged their comrades
and beloved general who fell at Ma.
gcrsfontein is told graphically In the
London Daily News by A. G. Hales.
the Australian correspondent for that
paper. Mr.. Hales says:
when, few months ago, stood
upon the veldt almost within the shad-
ow of the frownlng brow Of Mayors
fontein's surly heights, and looked
upon the cold, stern faces Of Scotland's
dead, and listened to the weird wailing
of the bagpipes, while Cronje gazcd
triumphantly down from his inaccessl-
BILE mountain stronghold upon his
handiwork, knew in my soul that a
day would dawn when Scotland would
demand an eye for an eye, blood for
blood. I read 1t written on the faces
of the men who strobe with martial
tread around the last sad resting place
Of him they loved--their chief, the
dauntless General Wauchope. venge-
ance spoke in the somber 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. 1t was the 1st Of
IT,, ho ord
in Thabanchu in run of kopjes that
reached in almost unbroken sequence
farther than n mans eye might reach.
The flying French was with US, chat
ing like leashed greyhound because
he could not sweep all before him with
one impetuous 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, resourcefu), have
held the kopjes.
again and again we Unanswered to
trap them, but no wolf In winter is
more wary than Botha, no weasels
more watchful than the men he com.
manded. When we advanced, they fell
back. When we fell back, they ad-
vanced, until the merest tyro In the
art Of war could see that a frontal at
tack, unless made in almost hopeless
positions, was impossible. So Hamil-
ton swept around their right flank, ten
miles north Of Thabanchu, and gave
them taste of his skill and daring,
rrbfla ptnd1o ho1h tbair ofn hnHw
at Thabanchu. Rumble made a feint
on their center in strong force. and
they closed in from both fanks to re-
sist him. Then he dreN off, as II fear
ing the issue. This1irew the Beers In,
and they pounded our capp with shells
until one wondered wheA er the Ger
man made rubbish they y led would
last them much longer Fhen we
threatened their leftfank quickly and
sharply, giving Hamilton timd to strike
on their right, and he struck without
erring, whipping the enepy at every
point he touched, driving them out Of
their positions and holding them firmly
himself, SO threatening their rear and
the immense herds of sheep and oxen
they have with them, making footing
for the British to move on and cut
Botha of from his base at Kroonstadt.
1t was during Hamilton's fanking eff
fort that the Gordons vindicated their
character for courage. Captain Towse,
q brave, courteous soldier and gentle
man, was the hero of the hour. He Is
a fine figure of n man, well set up, good
looking, strong, active. He was,
think, about the only soldier I have
not lose by it. In age he looked about
4O
"On this fateful day Captain Towse,
with about 80 of the Gordons, got iso-
lated from the main body of British
troops, and the Beers, with that mar
velcus dexterity for which they are
fast becoming famous, sized UP the po-
sition and determined upon capture.
They little dreamed of the nature of
the li0n they had anared IN their tolls.
With fully $50 men they closed In on
the little tGnd of Killed ,nen and ip
triumphant tones called upon them 10
throw down their arms and surrender.
1t WAS a pic:dre 10 warm an a-t!sts
heart. On Gil sides rose the bleak.
black koDies, ridge on ridge, as In
hosIitab!e as watchdoss grcwi- on
one tapd the little bapd CT highland
ers. the picture sQue coloys OF their csan
showing In kilt and stockirxs, perfect
In ail their appointments. nut powhsrs
SO sbsoivtsiy bawisss a. in .heif dead
ersbip. Under such leaders as hs who
held them there 90 calm and .tea6y
their fortsars bad bpued bacx the
chivairy Of France and had tanned the
MusaoSi'e pride, and they we're soon to
provo themselves men worthy or their
captain
"on the other side rose tho superior
numbers Of the Beers. A Wild aud
motley crew they iooEed compared 10
the gem Of Brita!n's srny. Boys stood
side by side with oit men. lads hraced
themselves shoulder to shoulder will
men In their manhooT's prime, ragged
boards fell on st'll moro ragged shiri
fronts. But thern wero manly hearts
behind those ragged garments, hearts
that beat high with love of home and
country, hearts that seldom quailed II
the hour OF peril. Their rifles lay lr
hands steady and strong. The Boe'
was face to face with the Brlton; thu
numbers lay on the side Of the Boer
but the bayonet 'ras with the Briton.
Throw up your hands and surren
der! The language was English, but
the accent was Dutch A moment ar