The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-12
GAN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE"
Helpless within Eighty Yards of the
Boer Firing Line and Lived.
FROM the strathearn Herald.

From the Strathearn Herald.
This week a letter was received from the
Hon. Maurice Drummond, a second lieu
tenant in the Black Watch. who was
wounded at Magersfontein. in which he
gives an account of his experiences in that
terrible battle. Lieut.. Drummond is
son of Viscountess Strathallen. He writes
from Wynberg Hospital on Dec 49, and
the following are extracts from his letter:
I'VE started at 3 p. m. on Dec. TO- and
advanced toward the awfully strong posi-
ton which the Beers had taken up. About
p. m our guns opened a very heavy fire
on the enemy's position, but the Boer guns
would not reply. We formed UP and cx-
tended, and advanced in attack formation
toward the Boer left center for about a
mile. No one fired except some mounted
infantry and one of our companies who
fired on two Beers who were seen at a
very long range. We then retired to the
place where we were to sleep and formed
up in quarter column. We got there about
o'clock at night, but the mems water
bottles had TO be filled, so IL was pretty
late before we could settle down. The or
ders were to start at ~ o'clock that night.
so we slept as best we could until about
1870. We were very unlucky, and it
rained pretty hard and at IL O'Clock, when
we set off, the rain came down heavier
than ever, and it was pitch black night.
Our whole brigade was In mass of quar-
ter column, and we were the leading bat
TALON. There was long rope that stretch
ed along the whole depth of the brigade,
which was carried by the left guide of
each company. So we marched son till we
got within 100 yards of the enemys po-
sition. One of our companies had begun
to extend, when suddenly we had bullets
poured In on US like hailstones. We lay
down and fixed bayonets, and then spread
out as best we could. / had only been up
in the firing line for four or five minutes,
and was standing up to see the best point
to aim at, when suddenly got hit on the
leg, right up in the thigh. / was unable
to move, so there had 10 lie about eighty
yards from the Boer trenches. l fell at
about in the morning, and lay fiat on
my face On the ground OF course, l was
absolutely helpless, and could not even
get at my rife. / never in all my life
had such a time. There were bullets from
everywhere whizzing just over me. Max
inns and shells bursting within a few
yards of me, bullets and shells pattering
the ground all around me. II was an alb
solute miracle that / was spared.
had to lie there motionless until dark,
when l was able 10 raise my body as best
could. and two fellows of my regiment,
who we're close to me, tried to help me
up. They were, of course wounded, too
one in three places, but not bad. They
got their arms round my shoulders and
raised me, but 1 was too weak / could
not stand IT, and almost tainted. They
let me down slowly on my back, so that
l was in new position. One of our cor
porals most kindly came and lay by me,
and shared blanket with me- which was
an immense relief as the night was a
most bitterly cold one.
There we were all that fearful night,
which seemed as IL 1t would never end.
The cries and groans were terrible, too.
In the morning the Beers came and took
our rifles and ammunition. Mine had been
taken the night before. They took eevry-
thing, even the blanket rolled on my back
After that they came out and brought
us water and talked to us. The water
was a great relief. Some of them seemed
most awfully nice fellows. and nearly all
spoke English as well as we do They told
us our ambulance was coming which
raised our hopes greatly. and after about
two hours we saw the Red Cross flag
moving toward us, to our great delight
1t took a long time TO reach US nearly
two hours more-but a hospital sergeant
came along and gave us brandy and water
TO drink, which very much revived us.
At last, about 1870, the ambulance ar
rived and they placed me on a stretcher
and got me into a wagon. There were
two of US on stretchers inside the wagon
and two In front-sltting-up cases. We
started off for Modder river. II was a
very rough road, but we got there al
right. / was In a hospital there two
nights and day, and was then sent down
here"