The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
& GALLANT AND GENTLE DEED.
How m officer Won Honorary Cross
While SuccOring Wounded Men.
(From the British Medical Journal

(From the Britis, Medical Journal)
The battle of Colenso was fought on De-
| cember Is, on the morning of brilliant
summers day. At dawn the men had
marched out eagerly and in keen spirits. ant
with swing of the shoulders which told
Of certain victory. Before shutdown they
were beaten back. more than 1000 dead
and wounded were lying on the field, the
hospital tents were filled to overlooking
and the wagons which were prepared &c
move forward were moving back.
The gallant attempts made 10 save the
guns led only to further loss of life. Col
onel Long had been shot down. some fifty
horses had been sacrificed. and the scanty
ranks of the English were thinning rapidly
Still the cry went up. Hold fast to the
guns!" and when the last forlorn hope had
been attempted and had failed, the green
veldt was Uttered with the wounded, the
dying, and the dead. Near the guns was q
donga and into this many of the wounded
had crawled. The galloper who took up the
news of the disaster reported the need
of help for the injured. To this call Major
Babtie at once responded as a volunteer
His duty did not take him TO the battle
field. He rode down to this inferno He
might as well have ridden before a row of
targets during the smartest moment of rifle
practice. Three times was his horse shot
under him before he reached the donga.
Here in the face of CALLING fire he
dragged the wounded into shelter. and q
little later he ventured out under rain
of lead to bring in Lieutenant Roberts who
was lying in the open, desperately
wounded.
For some seven hours Babtie kept up the
wounded in the shallow donga. no one dar-
ing TO lift head above the edge of the
dip. He alone had a water bottle, and he
doled out what water he had In a sixty
minim measuring glass. He was also able
to relieve pain by morphine, and when not
otherwise occupied he sheltered poor
Roberts face from the scorching sun by
holding above it letter he CHANGED to
have in his pocket. II was not until dark
ness was setting in that 1t was possible to
venture from the scant shelter the donga
provided.
The scene OF this heroic act was level
stretch OF green veldt lying between the
river and brown road which led with
many desultory turns to Hiangwani. To
the left were the village and gardens of
Colenso. and to the right the grove of mi
mosa trees. in which the Boer force was
hidden. Beyond the river rose the enemy's
entertainments and the grim ridge of Grob-
ler's Kloof.
The last time passed over this spot was
on the day after our cavalry had reached
Ladysmith. 1t was on day of peace. The
sky was cloudless, and 10 breath of air
stirred the grass. The bodies of the horses
belonging TO the lost guns were lying in
long line across the veld. Their bones were
as white as are the bones of museum ske!e-
tons, for the Vultures and the ants had done
their work thoroughly. The hides were
still drawn over the bleaching bones. and
round the necks OF these Inflated beasts
were still the collars and tho hfIuess by
which they had dragged the guns into ac-
tion. There was an absolute stiffness over
the whole scene. To the left a train was
being shunted at Colenso station with
ietsurely persistence, for the day was hot
and the sun dazzling. To the right were
the mimosa groves. glorious with yellow
blossoms, in the shadows OF which the
boers had hidden.
1t was strange that II was from these
dainty woods that the hellish fire had
poured forth which laid low so many Eng
fish lads, for on this quiet day the tees
were busy with complaining doves b.. the
banks OF the donga, which had been for a
whole summers day valley OF the shadow
OF death. Kafflr was croning over con-
certina, from which came lazy. Girgelike
music.
The railway engine. the doves, and the
rapt kaftir were the sole moving objects !
In this garden Of peace, and in the blue
distance was the ridge of Grobler's Klocf.
no longer belching fire and shell. but stand |
ing out delicately against the tender sky. |
NO brave deed had ever gentler setting. |