Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-03-09
TRAnSvaiL WAR NOTES
Striking Incidents of the Battle
Of Spion Kop.
L sERGEAgI'5 ODD EECOUETER,

rhr-r Bocrs-, hurrhiI Tells How
FIity-se,rn Beers wcre nngEed-t
Field Comets Touching Death.
How some CoIouinIs Played ros-
sum.
Rcnnct BurleiGh, in the London Daily
relates this curious incident
ii tac preliminary lighting Oh Spion
kop:
Sergeant Mason Of TAorncycrofts
force. an cX-GlaSgow man and Durham
hansom cab driver, while putting Beers
at 800 yards range, CHANGED To turn
and saw three creeping up the noun
tain side upon his left rear Dropping
his sights, he bowlcd one over, the man
falling across Il rock and never stirring,
for he WIS shot through the heart An
instant later he fatally wounded the
second, who tumhlcd hCadluN@ down
hill. The third caught sight ui his hel-
met ana rifle and lodged belinda bowl
der. Then duel cuSucd between the
twain. Sergeant Mason and the Eu"r.
Every time Mason tried 10 peer around
the Bocr banged at him. The sergeant
returned the compliment Five MauSer
bullets were put through Mason h"l-
met. cutting his hair once or twice. but
leaving him uniniurrd Others cam"
perlously near his throat arm and
hands Finally the Buer drilled a hole
through MaSou's shoulder. Mounted.
he changed the rifle to his left, resting
il upon the rock. y lucky shot of the
scrgeant's, touched the Eurr, who tell
forward with his head between th"
rocks Then Mason, taking no chances,
put Il shot or two into the head, which
never hudgcd Wrak from loss Of
blood. Mason arose, RETIRED had his
wound dressed, and then walked ow
Of the action.
/ But for delightful description Of in.
dividral action nothing can excel Lieu.
tenant Winston Churchill's account ~
n chase and capture that fen To the l"'
OF Lord Duudonald'S men the first day
OF the lighting on the north sid" of the
~
WAS seen rptrrutlng toward the Ere,
, State. 4 squadron of DunOouail's men
espied them and gallopcd To the hills
roo,hod th,,.c first with inst five min
utes to spare. The rarhincrrS, writes
Mr. Churchill "aud the Iupcrlal l.igh
horSn hold ;hair fire until illp scout.
walked into their midst. and then Ic
driva ot tho moln body. 900 ward,
RANGE mountnl mon. smooth, uprl
grass nloiu There was 4 sudden. frwi
nus summing fusilado The Hncr col
umn Stained paraIyZpI. then the,
hrolo and rushcd for cover The grra;
or numhar qolloncd fast from The fold
, some remained on the ground dead O
uoundcd others tool; refuge anon.
tha rocks of tho korirs and 1npar.utl
nronosed ia hold ont until dark"
rho ,diutont of tho Iirbt horse gal
, ,onnd ovnr ia Lord DunLonaId for re
enforcements so that they could "ha.
tho lot"
81 orrivod in tIua to 500 mo nnJ 'rh
? pooro--bovv many W.. ro,lJ NOT toll
t wer. tcnaciously holding IN. hlac
J.. rocks of q konie and wcrn quite If
visible The Rritish riNrurn curve
around tham in q hoIf mnou firm
ooutinrol,,. o+ tho ronI,, rho SOMA,
. ron of South African Ifrht horse I'm
+ worLed almost h,hind fine rurmy an
averv Dutchm,n who dored mako
d,oh for ,thortv ran . tarrihIo rontlo
= sin tha sn,rondor did NOT come Th
+ ,,hito sog aicI,orad for "a momn,
nod sr;,r. avid,r,lv , difro,.on,n
V nninion amouc rho .namv What Il
y wa cara for thotg \iobt +. con,inv -,
Il 81 nc ,r,sh thon, Win tho hov,uot nm
=, ,ott,o ,,,o p,o,to,. ,hf, f,,,u tho rin,
-nnhodv o,.o hod hovnnnts So =, So
u tior nurn.s forward oroin.t thn r,cl,
II ar, wiling olono tho orounI ,nxin,
Il 70 s,o ,ho s,,rnrd,r r,llo,vod "a, ~
| n,,,. bu+ an III, irston, tboro Irnl
ant =, s,v,y. fro from, thn 1;nnin md
with ditsnu,tv found ehoItnr in
It aono, II.ro u.ro tyyo of tha N,t
" n,rriroor.--ono q hoordod man Of II
n wal to do f,,mar class tho other
|, foir haired oantlnmon-hoth nrivotc
hoth nc oool os loo .vn,v ,etoui.hi,
1t o,thnrst NJ fro, sold tho vnunynr M,
)t in a dn,;cate voice i womb reco,
Is mnnd vour remaining hnrn with va,
al horon FOR tho nrosant, \c,ordinu
we law still on the grass slopo n,
awaited entertainments Tho vom
Sc gentleman nut his helmnt over Il
er crest on thn end of his rifle and w
pr much diverted to hear the hullc
whistle rounl If At intervals he 81
~ stitnto1 his bood for tba holmnt and
rs norted the state Of the game "A
tie love the rifles are in n hot nlaccr