The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-09
FAILED TO KIDNAP "BoBs.~
story of n Raid by American scouts
Told by n Participant.


The story OF an American officers raft
upon the English camp before Bloemfon
TEN was suppressed by the British censor
AID all that was ever published about Il
appeared in a cablegram to the "Londor
| Times" saying In a general way tina
| an attempt had been made to kidnap Lore
Roberts, and that the officer who led II
the attempt. Capt. John p Hassell, ar
| American, had been captured and shot al
Bloemfontein.
Captain Hassell was not shot. He still
| lives to tell the story OF his daring at
tempt to capture an English general
which only failed because he did not know
the general by sight, and SO seized the
wrong man. Captain Hassell was in Chi
cago last week. He escaped from his cap
tors at Cape Town and went aboard a
steamer bound for New York.
| 1t was during Lord Roberts advance
| from Bloemfontein. in the Free State. that
| l made the attempt to get prize" said
| Captain Hassell. THE American scouts
had done such good service that the COM
mandirg general of the Boer army com
plimented my command highly and told
me that we might act independently in
the face Of the advancing British and
worry them as much as possible.
THE $50 good soldiers in my command
were Americans. They came from all
parts OF the United States, were born
fighters. and were ready for any enter
prise. told them there was Il chance to
make our names famous, and proposed
that we make a quick dash into the camp
of the English brigade nearest us and
capture their general. They agreed to
man.
"At that time the English Army was at
nd mil Df
Bloemfontein. My command was oppo-
site the army's left wing. | learned about
the location of the generals tent in the
camp The general was Ian Hamilton, not
Lord Roberts, as stated in the London
Times" We made the attempt after mid
night one dark night. In open order. $50
strong. We moved silently toward the
sleeping British, at least 5000 strong
Our American soldiers were fitted for
such work. They act independently. with
intelligence, skill. and common sense.
The British sentry on outpost duty did
not see us until we were upon him. His
startled challenge was answered by one
of our boys who thrust his six-shooter
in the sentrys face with a lowspoken
command: Hands up, TOMMY
THE sentinel made no cutlery. We took
him along. and the second sentinel who
challenged us was as easily disposed of.
We were in the British camp and at the
tent which had been described to as
the generals before any alarm was given.
81 rushed into the tent and seized a
portly man who had been sleeping on
cot Come along, we want you. l said
as I covered him with my six-shooter.
He came without resistance. and we
rushed him out of camp. We were all
away before the British discovered what
had been done We thought We had their
general until we were safely away. and
took time to ask my prisoner who he was.
"I am the generals adjutant,' he re-
piled.
I'VE had failed. but l gave General
Hamilton a scare, for / sent his adju-
tant bacl, to camp with my card and
message that 1t was him l had called to
see. AS soon rs we were safely away we
opened fire on the British camp The re-
ply showed that the whole brigade was
out. and we kept up the firing for a
couple of hours in the dark. 1t was 3
o'clock in the morning when We with
drew, but we could hear the British firing
for two hours after that. They must
have become confused in the dark and
fought among themselves. The British
loss in that fight was forty men.
THAT escapade resulted In an offer by
the British Government of S2.4o0 for my
capture, but the details of the attack
were carefully suppressed by the censor.
When l was captured l looked through
the papers to see II the story had been
published, but all l could find was the
account In the London Times" OF my
capture and execution for completely in
an alleged plot to capture Lord Roberts"
Captain Hassell il a down-East YAM
kee. small In stature. but full OF the
fighting spirit Of the original New Eng
landers. and is still devoted to the Boer
cauSe