Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-04
NEWS
w. E. Hassler. Representative Inter
Mountain, Branch Office Gazette Bldg.
CAPTAIN n BARLEY
WRITES AN INTERESTING STORY
d. E4a.on OF THE WAR.
IN THE FIGHT AT THABANCHU.
Bullets Flew as Thick as Flies-Was
Shot in the Back and Taken
Prisoner.
IN THE FIGHT AT THABANCHU.

Wlth%ftODert Horse IN South Africa, was
injured. during the battle at Thabanchu
about April 1st. He had a very lucky
escape from death, and although taken
prisoner by the Beers was subsequently |
rescued by his men. Nothing directly
been heard from Captain barley for
a month, but the following copy of a let
ter, written by him to his father in Eng
land, was sent to his cousin, Robert T.
Leavens of this city. Bloemfontein.
April 5.-My Dear Father: | hope you
got my wire all right. | heard l was re-
ported dead and SO wired as soon as pos
sible. We had the devil of a busting.
l was sent out to Thabanchu and rather
distinguished myself on outpost. Fought
all day and marced back to the water
works near here and got there at 4 a. m.
l was awakened in the morning with a
shell alongside my bed, causing me to
jump up, saddle up and march. We
walked into a trap about a mile from
where we slept. and lost eighty men and
nine officers. killed and wounded, inside
Of Two minutes from the time the first
shot was fired. l uppose you read Of
it in the papers. 1t was rather terrible.
I was very lucky. My horse was first
hit, then my helmet was knocked off and
as l tried to catch it, got plugged myself
and collapsed on my gee-gee's neck. My
horse was then shot in the head, and my
own head was so near when the bullet
went in that the blood went all over me.
OF course. we al came down in a heap,
and my poor horse insisted upon lying
for a moment, on my face. l was pretty
we'll knocked out n lay where I was.
The firing was terrible, the bullets pass
ing over me. like flies. A doctor came
and dressed the holes in me with some
wadding to stop the bleeding He stood
up to go to another man when he drop
ped, shot in four places. AS plucky a
fellow as ever l saw.
nave never been more proud of my
country than 1 was then. Although we
We're fired at from three sides with no
cover. l never saw a man finch. l was
close to the guns and bravery was not
the name for it. The men worked those
guns unit. there were only nine left of
a whole battery. and then all the horses
being shot, took all out of fire by hand,
except one. I craWled into a house which
was full of wounded. I never heard a
| grumble from any of the men. The only
thing they wanted was another go at the
enemy. The house a a tin roof but
it is like a sieve now. After this we were
all taken prisoners, but were rescued by
our own men again and driven across the
country in carts and wagons without
springs, for two days, which was an
! awful experience, men dying all along the
way. I hope to be out and at them again
in a week or two. l was luckily shot
with a Mauser bullet. 1t went in through
the lower part of my shoulder blade,
coming out in front of my collar zone.
If I had not been leaning forward to
catch my helmet, I should AVE gotten
it through the lungs. My regiment, |
hear. is firing again to-day, and here
am I on my back like a dummy. | can
use my hands all right and ought to go
out in a few days. I lost all my kit.
which was captured, and was for two
days without a skirt or anything except
a coat and breeches, as they cut my
drawers and shirt off. I am in no pain.
only weak through loss of blood. l
hope you are getting on all right your
self. I think now that this war will last
sometime. and hope to goodness they will
let me out of this soon. They insist
tina bones take some time to heal up,
or some such rot. I feel jolly we'll otht'-
wise. l hope the politics in England
are going OF all right. It bothers all OF
us fellows out here very much to think
that while we are doing our best, that
a lot of half-bred ours are doing their
best at home to nullify hat we do ut
here. If they want to turn it up or he~
the Beers let them come and fight fol
them, and I will shoot them with pleas
ure. Since I have started this letter,
I nave been sent down to Naauport, en-
route for Capetown. 1t seems that the
bullet went through my lung, but II
makes very little difference, as l dom
spit blood. They say I have had a Won
derful escape. Besides the bullet
through my helmet I got another through
my. pokcet. I would send you my coal
for a trophy If I had another, but the
Beers nave everything I own as they
captured all our kits, such nuisance
Being hit with a Mauser does not hurt
at the time. It feels as if a man hit
you with a s1edge hammer as hard as he
could and it knocks the stuffing out OF
you pretty well. There is going to be
a real big fight around Bloemfontein
very likely the last of the war, as the
Beers are jolly well sick of it. Most o
them, are decent fellows; but the Trans
walters are ruftians. They robbed mt
of ALL had on sme-Watch and chain an6
everything I hope to goodness they
viii let me rejoin my regiment soon, as i
is horrible being stuck here. The doc,
tors don't seem a bit friendly though
It is getting cold now that the AT
rican winter is coming on. The colo
catches one at daybreak like billy, Oh
Until now I lay slept every night il
my overcoat and saddle blanket. Thu
Beers have everything now-saddle an
all. Tintend to get level with them if
can, I don't think I know anything els
to tell you except that in a week or tel
lays I shall be fit and in no sort of dan
| ger. Ishope old England will let US Sc
this show through
:. e. L. Boardman and family left toda
; for Helena to make that city their futur
home. Mr.. Boardman has purchased tn
: Helena Herald. which he is to TAX
possession of on July 2.
Mesdames A. p. Smith and Bayerd en-
. tertained a number of friends at tn
home of the latter last night night O
north Thirteen street at cards. An elat
: crate repast was also served.
4 ~ C,on,opo or1 hr;Ia n rr;,vol hon,
+: Yesterday from a six weeks tour of tn
Pacific coast states, and have gone I