The Irish standard., 1900-08-25

the Jaunty gait called "trippling."
The delay caused by my rejection of
my first steed had an important infu-
ence on my career in the Transvaal.
There had been considerable discus
sion as to the advisability of forming
second Irish brigade, as there was
a good deal of stray fighting material
of the best quality which found itself
i'll at ease in the existing commanders.
was invited by the president, the
state secretary and General Joubert
to cooperate with those who had al
ready taken the matter in hand.
The most prominent of these was
CaTain Mitchell, an officer who had,
uncs cssaIhn.."ol Blake of the Irish brig
az. cietyS h;,.r lions for his bray
ery.- Astos;. S. Mitchell,
whose nodes. to his cour-
! age, proposed that L w. lid take COM
mand of the new brigade, and, by the
unanimous desire of the men, found
myself, d'emblee, in that position.
The following day commission was
made out for me, signed by President
Kruger and the state secretary, ratify-
ing my appointment, and giving me
the title of colonel of the Second Irish
brigade. Mitchell was appointed ma
jor.
The most notable of my other Off
GERS was Captain Oates, militant
Irishman of South Africa, and one of
the most Jealous promoters Of both
Irish brigades. Captain Oates had
lost his eldest son at Modder's Spruit,
a young man of great promise, and
greatly beloved by all. Both father
and son had the quality of courage
even in too high degree, and 1 al
ways had difficulty in restraining my
captain from rushing impetuously into
danger.
The history Of the brigade cannot
we'll be told in a short space. 10 the
original nucleus of Irshmen there was
adjoined later a considerable number
of young Afrikanders, contingent of
Germans, who had all been officers in
the German army, smaller body of
Frenchmen, likewise mainly composed
Of ex-officers, and representatives of
every country in Europe, except Tur-
key. searched in vain for Turk!
had also a fair force of Americans,
and even an Englishman, born in Eng
land, of whom can say there was no
smarter trooper.
My brigade became very popular in
Natal, and 1 was subsequently joined
by several genuine Beers of the soil.
Still later some smaller commanders
came over to me en- bloc. My status,
as we'll as that of the other leaders of
important volunteer corps, was de-
c]ared, by a decision of the war coun.
Gil, to rank as that Of "commandant,"
and my brigade was treated on the
same footing as those of the Boer
commanders.
We arrived too late before Lady,
smith to participate in anything more
exciting than the famous retreat-truly
one of the most wonderful spectacles
have ever beheld. The Second Irish
brigade was one Of the rearguard, and
among the last to reach Glencoe.
Our first action was in an attack
organized by General Botha against
the British forces at Elandslaagte.
They had prepared an advance against
our lines in the Biggarsberg, but
Botha met them in the vicinity Of
their camp and threw them back with
serious loss and great confusion. Had
the plan devised by the general been
carried out by all the Boer COM
manders, we should have "scooped'
the entire advance guard. AS it was,
the matter stands for two days en-
gagement Of some consequence. The
only rifle fire on the occasion was that
in which my brigade participated al
most exclusively.
Apart from parties of patrols and
scouts, and frequent brushes with ST.
milar bodies Of the enemy, the next
encounter in which we took part was
after the English had burst through
our Biggarsberg defences at Helpma-
llar. On that occasion we helped to
save some guns of Commandant Vii
joen. My brigade succeeded in beat
ing back rush Of lancers and dra-
goons, and in holding the main body
in check long enough to save the ar
tillery, which was heading for Dun
dee.
Subsequently. after retreating to
Laing's Mex, we were ordered to the
Free State, and took part in the vari-
Gus engagements of that running
fight" which came to an end only
with the occupation of Pretoria.
We helped to keep the enemy in
check before Johannesburg, and dur
ing two days, at Baragwanath and
Doornkop, inflicted temporary defeats.
Between Pretoria and Johannesburg
we again attacked the advance guard
of the English at Reitfontein, and
saved the road for period long
enough to allow Of a perfectly orderly
retreat between the two cities.
Such is the outline of my activities
in South Africa, and, if the course of