Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-15

struck the middle finger of my left
hand. had got on my knees, when
a bullet struck me fair in the chest on
the buckle of my haversacK, breaking
through it and causing a slight punct-
ure of the skin and bruising my chest.
l have been congratulated as being the
luckiest beggar in my battalion"
From the Boer side come reports just
as interesting. A lad of II wrote to
his mother after the battle of Eland-
slaagte, and the letter is published in
the Journal de Geneve as follows:
I'VE were on a kopje. Our horses
were behind it in a hollow. AS the in
fantry advanced against us we began
shooting. When it looked as il we
were going to be surrounded a certain
number of our men fell back to an
other position. About a hundred of us
remained on the kopje. But the fire of
the Maxims and the other guns be-
came SO violent that we withdrew a
little to find cover. The General and
C~ommandant Viljoen rallied us and
brought us back to the top of the hill
and advised to get under shelter there
as much as possible. / followed the
General with a dozen of others to right,
and Viljoen led the rest to the left.
The English were still advancing, and
they were now within five hundred
yards of us. 1t was easy to recognize
the kilties they were wearing. We
fired at them necessarily. All our bull
let's seemed to strike. / had not time
to be afraid. / prayed God and fred
on, aiming each time at n of their
men. You know l am not a bad shot.
Their Maxims gave us back what we
sent them without a moments stop.
A few of US, finding our position too
risky, ran back to where the horses
were and went off. | was close to the
General and remained. We fired on,
he as well as /, and tried to get cover
behind three great blocks of rocks
when a lyddite shell burst close to us
and covered us with earth and stones.
The General withdrew us a little back.
At this moment one of my neighbors
was hit in the side, but he had strength
enough to get to his horse, and gall
Hoped off. We were now only fighting
on the kopje with the General, and the
kilties were still advancing and crush
ing us in a circle. At fifty yards dis
lance we were still firing on them. Just
then the General fell.
THE group around me was reduced
to eight of whom three were wounded.
My friend Van Niekerke had been
wounded at the wrist, but he kept on
firing with his left hand, resting his
| gun on his right arm. We could Meth
er carry away the General nor defend
him, and Dur cartridges were exhaust
ed. What now?' said Coghill, whilst
we looked at each other. One of the
wounded said: We must raise the
white flag Coghill answered with a
curse. The balls whistled all around
is. Something had to be done. Well
said one of the wounded-Coghill com
pleted the pharse-'we must run for
it, Good luck!' cried the General,
who was seated on the ground and pale
as death. We threw down our mus
kets and everything that might delay
us and then we rushed down from the
kopje, for it was a case of saving our
own skins. The two bodies of the adj
vancing English troops were within
200 yards of each other. | ran down
between them without turning my head
to right or left. The bullets gave me
wings. l don't think that l ever ran
so quick. l was lucky enough to get
to the horses without being hit. /
could not find mine, but I got hold of
another. Then off l went on him, and
managed to get clear of the Lancers,
who were pursuing us. / passed the
| night in an abandoned Kaffir krall and
the next morning managed to join the
commando of Viljoin. | don't know
what became of my comrades. but l
hope they were as lucky as I was"
The Standard and Digger's News
gives this picturesque account of the
departure Of a commando from Pre-
toria:
1.-The parade of 400 sturdy warriors
of the police commando excited admi-
ration. The Afrikander men have re-
! ceived their mandate from the women
folk, though the shadow of Glands
laagte hunk like a pail upon the
mourning robes of many. Venerable
danes in kappes and maids in chintz
and babies of all ages Upon whom the
warriors showered a valedictory beni-
son, chung and struggled fercely
around the carriages. Withered tantes,
buxom vrous and frail nichties tum-
bled over each other for a final en-
brace. 1t was admitted that no finer
or more serviceable force had been sent
off. By the time it gets to the Natal
| border it will be 800 strong. 1t is I'M
L.. A. ooa..o-d of &ho no1ioa Cart