Washington sentinel., 1900-05-12
PRAIsING THE 7OERS.
English Officer Refutes sIanderous
Charges.


ing denial Of some OF the charges
OF cruelty and treachery brough
against the Beers. An American
correspondent who represents ar
English paper, possibly with ar
eye to business, has been respon'
sible Tor many reflections upon the
Beers. He has intimated persist.
emily that they are not only ignor-
ant, but lack even the commonesI
instincts OF humanity. The British
ofh':er gives the Beers credit fol
"the kindnsss and consideration
they extended invariably" to their
wounded foes. "They have often
refrained," he says, "lrom killing
when other foes would have taken
vengeance with the bayonet." "
This English officer says:
Ever since the war commenced there
has been a series OF allegations Of cruelty,
perhdy and breaches Of the customs OF
civilized war on the part OF the Beers
The first OF these breaches Of the GUS
toms Of war occurred, or was supposed
to have occurred, lat the battle OF Glencoe,
the first struggle of the war. The
allegation was that when Talana Hill
was captured tY the Dublin Fusileers
and the Rifles, the Beers retired carrying
white flags over their shoulders and
thus saved themselves from destruction
by our rifles and guns.
have made careful inquiries from
senior officers, who we're present, and
whom / knew to be cool soldiers likely
to observe correctly. One of these
assures me, and the others tell a similar
sto y, that he was one of the first to
reach the top OF the hill and was well
placed for observation. He found the
bulk of the Boer army in full retreat at
a distance OF 800 yards, but a smaller
number OF men, who had been left to
hold the hill to the last and cover the
retreat, were much closer and also in
full retreat. They had left behind them
in their hurried flight a field hospital,
and to this rode Boer coming from the
main body and holding a white flag. He
carried letter to the English general
asking for an armistice to enable them
to bury the dead, aud carry of the
wounded.
No doubt the stage OF the fight at
which such a request could be granted
had not yet arrived, but byno stretch Of
prejudice could it be termed tTcacherous
or a misuse of the white flag; nor should
it in any wav have prevented our guns
from firing on the retreating army. That
they did not fire is true, but that was
due to false view of humanity on the
part OF the officer in command. have
been assured by all of whom l have
inquired that no other flag was raised,
and that 1t was practically impossible
for one to be put up unnouced by them.
The day before the attack upon Spion
Kop two Beers advanced along the top
OF that hill waving a large white flag.
watched them till they arrived near the
southernmost point, where they halted
Tor few moments, holding the flag high
in the air to attract the attention OF our
troops Iconcluded that they wished to
make some communication to the
general, but at this moment one OF our
field guns dropped a she'll on the very
spot on which they stood 1t was a
remarkably good shot, and the men
Immediately disappeared, whether
killed or not cannot say Three more
shells were fred in rapid succession and
the men were not seen again,
In balancing the accounts also we
should bear IN mind the kindness and
confederation which the Beers have
invariably extended to our wounded
men; they have given us every possible
facility Tor removing them from the field,
and when they have iallen into their
hands they have given them all the help
that their means allow. On the battle
field itself, and while heat of combat was
still in their Neins. they have performed
many small acts Of gentle courtesy, such
and expressing commiseration for
suffering. Thev have given water
readily to all who asked for it, and have
often reirained from killing when other
foes would have wreaked vengeance
with the bayonet. Un der these circun-
stances unworthy re:rimination on a
gallant enemy is neither wise nor hon
orable
1t should be borne in mind that
all allegations OF treachery or in
humanity on the part of the Beers
come from sources hostile to them
here is no reason to believe that
they are true to any considerable
extent. On the contrary, it is
plain, according to the British off
Ger quoted above, that such exhi-
billions OF savagery and cruelty as
occurred on either side were the
acts OF individuals, and were ex-
ceptions to the general rule of con
duct which has governed both
parties to this unhappy war. Such
acts cannot fairly be charged
against an army or a nation. Evi
IDENTIFY this officer is Of the opinion
that if all rumors were to be ac
cepted as true the reputation Of th'
British army. in which he holds ;
commission, would be sadly dam