The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-01
GALLANT AND GENTLE DEED.
Major Babtie Won Victoria Cross by
Succoring Wounded Under Fire.

succoring Wounded Under Fire.
The battle of Colenso was fought on
December Is, on the morning Of bril-
liam summers day. At dawn the men
had marched out eagerly and in keen
spirits, and with a swing of the shorl-
ders which told of certain victory. Be
fore sundown they were beaten back,
more than 1000 dead and wounded
were lying on The field, the hospital
tents were filled to overflowing and
the wagons which were prepared to
move forward were moving back.
The gallant attempts made to save
the guns led only to further loss of
life. Colonel Long had been shot
down, some fifty horses had been sac
rificed, and the scanty ranks of the
English were thinning rapidly. Still
the cry went up. Hold fast to the
guns!" and when the last forlorn hope
had been attempted and had failed
the green weld was Uttered with the
wounded, the dying and the dead. Near
by the guns was donga, and into this
many of the wounded had crawled.
The galloper who took up the news of
the disaster reported the need Of help
for the injured. To this call Major
Babtie at once responded as a volun-
teer. His duty did not take him to
the battlefield. He rode down to this
inferno. He might as well have ridden
before row of targets during the
smartest moment of rifle practice.
Three times was his horse shot under
him before he reached the donga. Here
in the face of CALLING fire, he dragged
the wounded into shelter, and a little
later he ventured out under a rain of
lead to bring in Lieutenant Roberts,
who was lying in the open, desperately
wounded.
For some seven hours Babtie kept by
the wounded in the shallow donga, no
one daring to lift head above the
edge of the dip. He alone had water
bottle, and he doled out what water
he had in sixty-minim measuring
glass. He was also able to relieve pain
by morphine, and when not otherwise
occupied he sheltered poor Roberts face
from the scorching sun by holding
above it letter he CHANGED to have
In his pocket. 1t was not until dark
ness was setting in that it was pos
sible to venture from the scant shelter
the donga provided.
The scene of this heroic act was a
level stretch of green weld lying be-
tween the river and brown road
which led with many desultory turns
to Hlangwani. To the left were the vii
lage and gardens of Colenso, and to
the right the grove of mimosa trees in
which the Boer force was hidden. Be
yond the river rose the enemy's in
trenchments and the grim ridge of
Grobler's Kloof
The last time passed over this spot
was on the day after our cavalry had
reached Ladysmith. 1t was on a day
| Of peace. The sky was cloudless. and
no breath OF air stirred the grass. The
bodies of the horses belonging to the
| lost guns We're lying In a long line
across the weld. Their bones were as
white as are the bones of museum
skeletons. for the vultures and the ants
had done their work thoroughly. The
| hides We're stlll drawn over the bleach
ing bones, and round the necks OF
these Inflated beasts We're still the coll
lars and the harness by which they
had dragged the guns into action.
| There was an absolute stiffness over
! the whole scene. To the left a train
was being shunted at Colenso station
with leisurely persistence, for the day
was hot and the sun dazzling. To the
right were the mimosa groves, glorious
with yellow blossoms, In the shadow
of which the Beers had hidden.
1t was strange that 1t was from these
dainty woods that the hellish fire had
poured forth which laid low so many
English lads. for on this quiet day
the trees We're busy with complaining
doves. BY the banks of the donga.