The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-30
A GOLFER IN THE WAR,
TAFT, ES-Amateur Champion. Tells How He
Got His Wound Mt the Front.

fTOm botf INufru "a
To a friend in Edinburgh. Mr.. TAFT hns given
an interesting account OF his thrilling expe-
Fences at Msgersfontein. He writes from Wyn.
berg Hospital under date Dec. Is. as follows:
Il am down here for a little change of air.
having received a Mauser bullet through my
left thigh. 1t is n lucky wound. as the bullet
missed both artery and bone, | am a bit stiff.
and can't walk much. hut | hope TO ba up at
the front again in a fortnight or so. Nv poor
regiment has suffered awfully-7 officers
killed. II wounded. and the total IL. | believe,
1855 killed and wounded that is 10 say, well
over one.third Of our strength. We marched
of from our bivouac. about four miles from the
enemy's position, at T. 80 A NJ. on the llth
Monday, intending e. attack n dawn. Our
and Twelfth Iincers, four att cries, including
a howitzer battery, AMI the Guards Brigade IN
support, II was an exceptionally dark night.
and we had TO 90 over very difficult country
low prickly bushes and rocks.
The Gordon lHtehland"r- were eft with fh,
a." DAY. VIZ GO nothing to eat heior. :, arting.
The Black Watch ed The march. with the sea.
iqrth 'tc2nI; TIE Ninr,y-ilr,t ,lIri. and the
slowly. The, march went On All rghi un'il
about 2 A., W.. when a tremendous thunder
storm eutst over US We got soaked 70 the
and darker. an! We got pretty well mixed up.
About 4. VI, We cou lust dimly see THO
ONlllnP " IN' hDIJP, WUl'n, We nnlpFNlDoi,
was the position. about 300 yards on. We had
halted and were prt pairing 10 ieploy we were
NJ that time in the mass Of quarter column
when the most lnfe: nal fire was opened on W.
from about 300 yard, In front that l. TO say,
between us and III" korJe, We got III order
70 Il. down, tx b%ay"nctS and charge. got in
front OF the front COMPANY and charged. In
this charge We got about 100 wards, but had 10
lie down again "a we were losing very heavily.
We charged again and got another N!ty yurls
forward. but this tim" it WAS n good deal
lighter. and we got bowled over ike ranhjfs.
got, plugged a few yards in front
OF the line. and two Of NY fellows pulled ma
back. a. could not walk II Was now fairly
light. and could see tn" Boer trenches fairly
distinctly. wei In lront Of tho knpJr. We haI
had moved Off to a'tarE nor" toti" right You
wont beIirv" II. but tell you W. RENAME!
there. not more than 200 yards from the
trenches from about I 80 4. ". To ! I. NJ.
getting plugged NJ all thr time. and that out -
the men N that line not NOR" than lv,. or *
wer. unit, Som" poor fellows hat rs many
A. Tour IN l"tS through them, an soma more.
| tired shootln NJ he lOers for soma time.
NV gave " w, rs r'"ry tmn ! ilr'i gOt
about y dozen shots IN r"'urn Gen. Wnu'loue,
killed with this lot. Poor young Wrurror'
also got hit here fourtme-. and was ny picked
w I'LL the next moruiIE. H.. ~ 4 yrry pllrNy
Fellow. ana ~ getting on iairiT wei u0 lr the
circumstances expected To- get one fN cough
the head any moment. ~ | made uE-"fas
comfortable as my ,eE won / permit. anI
smoked n Cigarette got a tu.let through my
havorsack. another grlZpi my heel. an ANY
ntlm.b"r hlt The sand N front OF nay hea Thh
SAND was luckily Sof'. 50 none ui tho hullet1
was helped by TWO men TOT R'll ho-utai, anil
arrived there about 10 r VI. anl got dressed.
The next day | was sent In a hosplta! train 70
Iris place. about 1870 miles or"