The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-24
a HEROINE
AT LYDENBER
An Episode In the
Transvaal War Of
1901.
BY W. WlLMOTT DIXON.

<1"VtVE27:VsS 0@r r<>"V5fV7.S"@SS
One forgets many things in 1S years.
and probably the story which purpose
retelling here is forgotten by all except
the surviving actors in it and their i'm
mediate friends. But the memory Of
such signal instance Of British pluck
should not be allowed to die.
On Sunday, the 5th Of December,
1880, the little town of Lydenbcrg, in
the Transvaal, was in a state Of un-
wonted excitement. The whole popu-
lation was out in It's Sunday best to
give hearty send OFF to the Ninety
fourth regiment, which had been quar-
tered there for many months and was
now ordered to Pretoria. Both officers
and men had made themselves eX-
tremely popular with all classes. and
the expressions Of regret ut their de-
parture were universal. Numbers Of
the inhabitants accompanied the regi-
meEt on it's way for five Or six miles.
One lady aid gentleman-Lieutenant
Walter Long. the junior subaltern Of
the Ninety-fourth. and his pretty young
wife-rode out as far as Is miles. The
colonel had paid the lieutenant the
high honor Of leaving him in sole COM
mand Of the troops left behind, re-
sponsible position for q youngster Of
barely two and twenty.
AS the lieutenant and his wife turned
their horses heads and bade farewell
to their comrades Colonel Anstruther
called out:
"Goodby. Mrs. Long! Look after
Long, and mind you're good little ad-
jutant. Goodby. Long! Look after
my garden for me; remember, expect
to find it in as good order as leave it."
Both the colonel and the lieutenant
were enthusiastic gardeners.
AS the regiment tramped past Mrs.
Long cried out:
"Goodby, 'Ninety-fourth! God bless
your
And the men shouted back:
"Goodby, our lady! God bless you.
Mrs. Long"
1t was q last farewell for many Of
them. though they little thought 1t, for
q fortnight later Colonel Anstruther
and more than half his men were killed
at Bronkhorst Spruit.
Out on the open veldt, about half
mile from the town. were eight mill
tary huts, each 30 feet long by IS feet
wide. built two abreast. with an inter-
vening space OF 80 feet, the whole
forming q paralIelogram 7S yards In
length by 20 in breadth At the first
rumor of disaffection among the Beers
Lieutenant Long resolved to withdraw
his men into these huts and throw up
some kind Of shelter round them. for
up to this time they stood without the
slightest inclosure and utterly unpro-
tected. The force under his command
consisted Of 80 privates and three no.
commissioned officers of the Ninety
fourth, seven privates and sergeant
of the Royal engineers. three privates
and q conductor Of the army service
corps-in oil. including DR.. Falvey of
the army medical department and
Lieutenant Long himself. 66 officers
and men.
Mrs. Long, who had been living with
her husband in pretty little cottage
embowered in roses and fruit trees at
the lower end OF the town. without
moments hesitation decided to leave
her comfortable home and take up her
quarters with her husband. Her many
friends In Lydenberg tried In vain to
dissuade her from the step. She was
offered warm welcome in half doz-
en- houses. but the brave little woman
said that her place was beside her hus-
band. So the soldiers brought her be-
longings from the pretty cottage to one
ton for her pluck by taking the great
est pains in making her quarters as
tasteful and comfortable as possible.
There was, however. but scant accom-
modation for a lady In the hut assigned
to her, which sheltered under its roof
three horses {whose every movement
was distinctly audible). besides herself
and her husband.
On the 10th Of December they began
throwing up works Of defense round
the huts, and Mrs. Long delighted the
men by working as hard as any Of
them. On the 23d Of December. the ap-
palling news reached them Of the mas
sacre of the Ninety-fourth at Bronx
horst sprult. But, stunned though
they were by the terrible tidings, they
set to work more vigorously than ever
10 complete their defenses. When the
tiny fort was finished, It was christen.
ed Fort Mary. In honor OF Mrs. Long,
and Father Walsh, a Roman Catholic
priest who had elected to cast in his
lot with the little garrison, formally
blessed It.
An envoy from the Beers. Dietrich
es.,.lc:,. appeared on the nth of Deceh.
Der with a proposal that the garrison
Sh0uld surrender and accept safe
conduct into Natal. His surprise at
the youthful appearance OF the COM
younker!' he exclaimed in contempt.
But t..dat younker" was not SO green as
Mr.. Muller imagined. He suggested
5 writing to Pretoria for instructions.
Muller consented, and Lieutenant Long
thus cleverly~ gained delay Of five
days. which he utilized IN very mate
rally strengthening his defenses.
On the 4th OF January the Beers mp
! penred in force, some 700 of them. md
formally demanded the surrender Of
tho FORT ff> which cttrntnono rho vn,Ync