The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-03-27


r. handsome and adventurous
daughter of the house of
Marlborough, is regarded as
4 modern Joan of Arc by English So
ciety.
The adventures through which she
is passing in the Boer war are more
extraordinary than have fallen to the
lot of any woman of rank in this
century, and place her alongside of
those women of the Middle Ages who
defended cities and endured the hor-
rors of war.
Ample details have now been re-
ceived in letters from Lady Sarah of
her experiences up to the time she re
turned to Mafeking.
She was first besieged, then es-
capped; was caught after many thrilling
adventures; acted as spy; was
ordered to be confined in a certain
town and escaped from it, and finally
was exchanged for Boer officer and
returned to the besieged place from
which she had started.
BEsIEGED IN MAFEKING.
At the beginning of the war Lady
Sarah was with her husband, Captain
Gordon Wilson, in Mafeking, the
chief town of British Bechuanalaud,
which lies northwest OF the Trans
vaal. 1t was held by Colonel Baden
Powell, with the Fifth Dragons,
about 900 strong. Captain Wilson is
an officer of the Horse Guards, but
was out in South Africa on special
service, and had really attached him
self to Colonel Baden-PowelI for the
sake of adventure. He has found it.
The redoubtable General Cronje,
who captured Jameson and his
raiders, besieged Mafeking with 5000
Doors. Colonel Baden Powell rein
forced his little body of regulars by
enrolling and drilling all the able
bodied men of Maicking Thus he
gathered force of nearly 1000 men.
Lady Sarah took an active part in
the work OF the soldiers, and even ac-
companied the armorei trains that
went out of Mafeking to fight the
Beers.
At the end of n month, however, it
became clear to Lady Sarah that she
was a useless mouth to feed and an
embarrassment to the brave garrison.
On the other hand, if she could ea-
cape from .Mafeking, she would be
able to render real service by carry
ing exact news of the condition OF the
beleaguered town to the outside world.
ALONE AMONG THE sAvAGEs.
She started out to ride over hun
dreds of miles of desert and noun
tain, infested not only by armed
Beers, but by wandering bands of
bloodthirsty savages. The chance of
falling into the hands of the latter
was the most appalling danger she
ran. She may almost consider her
self fortunate that she was captured
by the rough but humane Beers.
It was early on Thursday morning
when Lady Sarah left Mafeking. She
carried her rifle and plenty of ammu-
milton and three days supply OF pro-
visions. She rode all day. During
the afternoon she was sighted 10y a
band of savages, but having q much
better horse she was able to get away
from them.
At nightfall she reached Setlagoli, n
small station in British territory, but
in a region now occupied by the
Beers. Here there was a hotel, where
the proprietor and few servants still
remained. Lady Sarah put up here
for the night.
Just at dawn she was awakened by
n terrific rafting OF musketry and
rapid firing guns. She dressed her
self, mounted her horse and rode in
the direction of the firing, taking her
camera with her in the hope of OBJ
tanning some photographs.
When she got to the scene of the
trouble she found that a British
armored train had been wrecked by
the Beers. The train was command
ed by Captain Nesbitt, Of the Mash
onaland Mounted Police, who was
trying to run through to Mafeking
with ammunition. lie and all his
men were killed or captured.
Lady Sarah was seen by the Beers
and taken prisoner. She was held
fol two days at Setlagoli, but among
tho soldiers here we're n number Of
blackguards, chiefly Uitlanders, who
insulted her. The officer in command,
who did his best to protect her, there
fore sent her back TO Mochudi. an
important Bocr centre in the vicinity
of Mafeking. Here she was given
over to the custody Of colonial
farmer, - British subject, but of Boer
descent
4 CHrvALHoUs YOUNG BoER.
This farmer was slrikinglv hand
some young fellow, about thirty years
of age, over six feet high, broad
shoulderod aud fair haired, an ideal
BOer i'm appearance. He displayed 70
chivalrous devotion TO his fair pris-
oner, which she now fears may bring
him into trouble with the Boer author
tiles.
While ut Mochudi Lady Sarah cs-
toOlished q regular spy systam ly
means of which she supplied Colonel
Bodsn-Powell with information of the
utmost value concerning the Eocr
plans. By informing him chat the
Beers ON the southern side OF MAIZE
king werc being drawn away to- the
siege Of Kimberley she enabled him lo
make 10 sortie i'm which he killed thirty
Doors and captured 2JOO rounds of
ammunition.
Lady Sarah secured the services OF
q native runner, who became so do
voted to her that he would have riskcd
InoIIt I'm gv-r fg--, e.. 4. ID