The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10
HIGH PRAISEOF THE BOBRS
The Aftermath of SpiOn hop De-
scribed By Chaplain.
General BothR Asks Reciprocity in
the HumHnities of Making War
Prisoners and the Appropriation
of His AmbulRnces by the British.

] Prisoners and the Appropriation
/ of His AmbuIRnces by the British.
/ CHEvELEY CAMP, Feb 6.-The follow
+ ing are extracts from the report made by
Chaplain Collins to General Warren, on
I what took place at Spion Kop after the
battle:
Il have the honor, in compliance with
+ your request, to make the following report
on what occurred on the Spion Kop during
/ the three days THURSDAY. January %;
4 Friday, %; Saturday, "a during which
/ was engaged in the painful duty of burying
/ the dead who fell there on the previous
/ Wednesday.
AT daybreak on Thursday I went to the
scene OF the previous days conflict. ON
reaching the plateau of the Spion Kop l
+ found several Of the officers Of the Il. A. NJ.
( c. attending to our wounded, and also a
considerable number OF Beers in possession
OF the ground. Numbers of other Beers
were streaming up in all directions, and
soon there was very large force of them
Q
shortly an officer of the X. A. NJ. c.
/ [Royal Army Medical CorpsI came TO me
asking il | could speak German, as one of
the commandants had forbidden. so he
understood the removal of the wounded.
On enquiry | found this to be the case, and
after explaining to a field cornet that delay
in removing wounded men was a very
serious matter and certain to aggravate
( their sutferings. he allowed the removal Of
the wounded in our immediate neighbour
1 hood For about half an hour l was then
engaged going about with the two medical
officers collecting Identification papers and
letters belonging to the dead.
"A clerically- dressed Boer. who said he
was secretary to General Botha, then came
up and asked me to go and speak with the
General, who was on horseback at a short
distance. In polite terms the general
asked me who had given leave for the re-
moval Of the wounded. l told him that
the removal had already been objected 10,
but that one Of the field comets had sub
sequently allowed it to take place The
general then said that he was in supreme
command. and that he had given no per
mission.
RcprisaIs of the British.
" Besides he went on to say. there are
several reasons why should not allow you
10 carry away your wounded and bury
your dead. We are now in possession here.
I have had no official application made
either TO remove the wounded or to bury
the dead. have also to complain that a
letter has been sent in by your senior
medical officer saying that We do not al
low your wounded to be taken to your
hospitals. Such charges should not be
made. They will eInbitter this conflict
We wish nothing more than that after
every engagement all should be carried on
in a Christian way, but there must be reel
procity. What can you say to your keep
ing General HOOK till he died in your
hands? Again. what has been the be-
havior Of Lord Nethuen2 Hestook four OF
my doctors prisoners and my ambulsnces
and sent them to Cape Town. The four
doctors he has since sent back but the am
balances he has kept Is that a Christian
or even humane way of acting? There
Is General kekewich He las refused to
recognize any longer the Geneva Cross
when used by us. Only the= other day, at
Acton Homes, you took twenty three OF
twenty-five Of our wounded as prisoners.
Is all this to go on2 Now yeu want me tG
give up all your wounded?
In the above quotation l have written
down. with as great accuracy as possible.
he exact words used by the general. His
written by some one in which an accusation
was made of wounded man being left in
a roadside house to die alone and unat-
tended This had some connection with
the fight between Frere and Cheveley,
when the arm0red train was captured
had intended TO ask the secretary to give
me a copy Of the letter at the end of the
interview and so l did not attend as care
fully TO its statements as l should other
wise have done ] cannot therefore quote
what was said with eXactness.
In reply 10 the general ! said | was not
in a position TO discuss the points which
he had raised. but there was one matter
on which he had animadverted and on
which could give him the fullest informa-
ton That was the reference he had made
TO the tweuty-three or twenty-five wounded
Beers made prisoners at Acton Homes
was present. ! told the general. when the
mounted orderly came in TO Gen. Sir
Charles Warren's headquarters with the
news that these wounded prisoners were
on their way. The orderly reported direct
TO the general. ], myself. heard the gen
eral give orders to the p NJ o. principal |
medical Officerl TO see himself these f.,
wounded on their arrival. to have their /
wounds attended TO. and that they were TO /
have nOurishment and rest before going /
Oh to Spearman's Hill. / assured General |
Botha that all these wounded had either /
walked or ridden in to our headquarters. !
and that none was badly wounded. This /
explanation seemed to satisfy the general. /!
He then said.
Fighting in II Christian Way.
oil O. n inn. hg- hfa