Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-02-20
FEARFUL FInE: OF; uUEEFi,,3;
Fresh Details of the Tugela
River Battle of Dec. IS.
HORRORS OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

AA~A~~~~S~~
A serxeant's Graphic Account of tho
Sights He Saw-Tragfc Death Of u
Young Fusileer Terrible Suffer.
ings From Thirst Narrow Escape
From q She'll.
Sergeant Alfred Mills Of the First
battalion Of Royal Dublin fusileers,
who were in the rout Of General Bull.
ler's forces at Tugela river on Dec. 10.
writes to his parents at Ottawa giving
some fresh details Of that battle, says
the New York Sun. He says:
my Dear Mother-I have been In
my first battle, and how am going to
describe the horrors Of it to you don't
know. The night before the battle we
were all served out with extra ammu.
milton so that each man could go into
action with $50 rounds. AT the same
time our commanding officer told us
the Irish brigade was to attempt to
cross Tugela river in the morning and
would try to turn the enpnls left
flank. He asked me to tell the Men to
keep up the honor Of the Old regiment.
Reveille was sounded at $50 t!:nt
morning, and shortly after our r.yaup
was on the march toward the Beer pc.
sition. which was on very high hills on
the other side Of the Tugela. The river
Is about 80 to so yards wide. and the
Beers had it one mass Of barbed wire
entanglements. The Irish brigade adj
vanced to within l.500 yards Of the
river in quarter column and halted. but
shortly after were ordered to advance
another 500 PAGES. All the command.
Ing officers wanted to extend their bat
talions, but General Hart wouldn't
have it, and SO, much against their
will. we started to advance again in
quarter column.
There was a square burned patch in
front of us. After we had gone little
way and when we came near it the
first Boer shell burst right in the center
Of 1t. This did not do any harm. as 1t
was only intended to find the range.
The next shell, however, came few
seconds later and before we had time
to extend burst right in the middle Of
my company and knocked over two
whole sections. l was on the right Of
the company. Sections and got the
SHE'LL l escaped looked around aft
er it burst and was almost overcome
with horror when l saw two of my
comrades with their heads blown clean
Off and the remainder of the two Sec
tons lying on the ground mangled. AS
soon as the effect Of the shot was seen
by the enemy their rifle fire COM
menced. The had all the ant hills
marked white to give them the range,
and as we were on a broad open plain
our men began to drop fast.
although bullets, shells. shrapnel,
case shot and machine explosive bull
let's were flying around us. we still kept
advancing. The whole battalion WAS
extended in fling line by this time,
with our three companies of the first
battalion in the most exposed position.
The Beers had burned all the grass in
front of their position, SO the black
ground would show up our khaki uni
forms. . We kept making short rushes
of about 100 yards each, firing few
volleys from time to time, until we ar
rived within a couple of hundred yards
Of the enemy. We could not very well
advance much farther on account Of
the river being between us and the en-
envy. 1t was at this short range where
great many Of our boys fell. Lying
on the bare ground, they could be cas-
lily seen by the Beers.
II managed to get behind a small
tuft of grass. and, by showing my head
we'll into the ground when the Boer
fire became too hot, l was not hit, but
with all my scheming there were thou
sands of bullets that almost came with
in range of my retreat. AS balls began
to rain thicker some went between my
legs, some under my arms as lay face
down, and more just missed my head
by an inch or two Once put out my
hand and got bullet between my fin
gers. Another time, without realizing
what marks they were for the Boer
aim, had crawled behind one Of the
ant heaps, when man OF the Ennis
killen fusileers shouted, For Gods
sake get away from that ant heap!
crept off. A moment later shrapnel
shell struck the heap and blew 1t to
atoms killing and wounding seven or
eight men who Lad crawled up behind
it. The Beers must have thought our
whole line killed. for they changed the
direction Of fire to the advancing re-
serves behind US and would only direct
their guns ut us when we got too ac-
tive with our rides. | fired 40 rounds.
but hadn't the satisfaction Of seeing
any Of my shots take effect. as the
Beers were completely under cover in
their trenches.
ITO add to the horror OF the battle,
twas burning hot day. The sweat
! poured out of us like rain. The thirst
was harder to endure than the enemy's
fire. I lost my water bottle in the dark
before going out in the morning and
was so thirsty when my mouth was
filed with dust could not spit it out.
MY only thought was where would
get the bullet when 1t came. was
certain could not possibly get back
without being hit. One young fellow
H.. P,,oi1oorc u-l,o g