The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-10
INCIDENTS OF WAR.
Some Curious Things About the
Struggle in south Africa.

Struggle in South Africa
Letter in Westminster Gazette
still more absurd practice. was that
of sometimes attempting 10 carry off the
dead during an engagement An instance
of this was seen al Reitfontein. A cou-
pie of men of a volunteer regiment were
coming across the open ground below the
hill under a pretty brisk fire, when DIR.
H., himself one of the most fearless of
men, called out to them, IS. has been kill
ed down there better drag him in They
turned back Immediately, and one of
them. J. Gillespie. got off his horse and
lifted the corpse on TO the saddle they
holding it in position by hanging on to a
leg on either side, and walked back
while the bullets were whistHng around
them and knocking up little spurts of dirt
on the ground in front of them. 1t was
a most CHASTITY sight.
A curious thing happened to a horse of
one of the men who were performing this
feat. The owner found when he had re-
turned to Ladysmith that his water bot
tie. which was attached to his saddle
had been perforated by bullet Show
ing il TO another in the evening, they
came to the conclusion, from the posi-
ton of the holes that it would be impos-
sible for the holes to be made in the po-
sition they were without wounding the
horse The next day, on examining the
horse, he found that bullet had ectual-
ly passed through and through him, and
yet apparently he seemed none the worse
There was another but different in
stance of a horse carrying corpse at
the battle of Lombard's kop. There was
no leering and hideous grinning at us
however, as the riders head had been
blown clean away by "A Boer she'll The
Fifth Lancers were riding out on our right
when a single horse came galloping past
them, Gathering furiously over the stony
veldt. No wonder the men stared II was
sight to be remembered The rider was
firmly fixed in the deep cavalry saddle;
the reins tossed loose with the horses
name, and both hands were clenched
against either side of his breast; and the
head was cut off clean AT the shoulders.
Perhaps. in the spasm of that death-tcar
the rider had sripped his horses sides
with his long-spurred heel; perhaps the
horse also was wounded; anyhow, with
head down. and wild and terrified eyes,
his shoulders foam-bespewed he tore
past as If in horror of the CHASTITY bur
den he carried
How wonderfully expressive are the
eyes of these cavalry horses at timesl
There il seemed sheer horror; but often
when wounded they look toward one with
a world of pitiful appeal for relief; in
their dumbness oud-voicedly reproachful
against the horrors of war.
Two men being killed on one horse
seems rather a tall order,yet tits perfectly
true n hapepned at the cavalry charge
| after Elandslaagte Some of the Beers
stood their ground with great stubborness
uu our cavalry were only a few yards
away. One middle-aged, bearded fellow
| STAYED lust a little too long and had not
time to get to his horse. which was a few
| wards away. He scrambled up behind
| brother Boer who was just mounting but
| almost Immediately the Fifth Lancers were
| upou them There was a farrier-corporal,
| and immensely big, powerful fellow, who
| singled them out. They were galloping
| down a slight incline as hard as they could
| get their horse to travel. but their pursuer
| was gaining on them at every stride.
when he came within striking distance he
| TANNED his spurs into his big horse. " no
| sprang forward like a tiger Weight of
| man and horse, impetus of galop and Hill
| focused I'm that bright lancepoint. held as
| In a vice. II pierced the left side of the
! hack Of the man behind, and the point
| came ont through the right side of the
| man in front who, with a convulsice
| movement. threw up his hands, hlnsing
| his rife In the air The Lancer could not
wt,hdraw his lance as the men swayed and
dropped from their horse. but galloped
| On into the gathering darkness, punctur-
OIL with rifle flashes here and there and
| eitting forms that might be friend or foe.
| This poor fellow was killed few days
after at the battle OF Reitfonteln How