The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-08

Bian officer contrary TO the opinion Of
the medical officer In charge
After the Irish brigade had been or
dcred 10 retire. the ambulances ad-
yanced over the ground on which #
had been fought and was covered with |
dead and wounded men. A consldera-
bic body Of men had, however, not
heard the order to retire. and fighting
doggedly or. held the ground for three
hours after the general retirement, in
spite Of belng nearly surrounded By
the Beers.
THE ambuIances came quite close 70
these men and again received some Of
the fire meant for others The Beers
protested angrily at this time TO some
Of the officers who had been made pris-
oners against the firing being kept up
when the anbulances were on the field,
and the wounded were being collected.
"The brave men who had so stubborn
~ resisted had nothing to do with the
ambulances and were not even aware
that they had come up behind them, 50
that on this occasion II was impossible
70 blame either side. l may add that
this is the only foundation for the
statement which once appeared that
men Of an Irish regiment had taken
refuge behind an ambulance.
After the attack on Vraal Krantz
much the same statements we're made
on that occasion. was a personal
witness to the occurrence. A narrow
dehle led down he hill towards Pot
gieter's Drift. and along this the am
balances incautiously advanced. ORce
started. in the stream OF wagons, no re-
turn was possible and they had to
move on and take their chances in an
Iinextriesble tumble below. A Brigade Of
infantry was bivouacking in a fold OF
the ground between the two hills on
the right. corps Of mounted cOlonials
and a cavalry regiment were on the
left and half the transport Of the col
uum was gathered together in front.
such position invited shell fire and
the presence II the ambulances 50 far
from guading against it, might reason
ably be complained Of as contrary to
the nsages of war. Ambulances have
no right to come within the field Of fire
/ believe. but ] am not certain that
three miles Is the limit The enemy
fortunately could not see the bulk Of
our troops and had no idea of tbs
damage that IL was in their power L
inAict and only' a few shells wer,
thrown; the wagons and mounted meI
crowding up then under the lee of th'
hill escaped observation and the shell
ing ceased.
Had number of guns been trained
on this spot it is impossible 10 esti-
mate the loss that might have inflicted
on us: the wagons could not have re-
treated through the crowded dehle;
! the anlbulances would have been brok
en- up and l suppose there would have
been loud denunciation of the barbar-
ous Boer.
THE day before the attack on Spion
kop two Beers advanced along the
top of that hill waving a large white
tag. watched them till they arrived
near the sOuthermost point, where they
halted for a few moments. holding the
flag high in the air to attract the at
tenuOn of our troops. l concluded that
they wished TO make some communi-
catio1 to the general, but at this mo-
ment, one of our field guns dropped a
shell on the very spot on which they
stood.
1T was remarkably good shot and
the men Immediately disappeared.
Three more shells were fired in rapid
succession and they were not seen
again. There was no question as TO
whether they were aimed at, as that
part Of the hill had never been shelled
before and never again; but, indeed,
there was no attempt at concealment
and the gunners were rather we'll
pleased at their good shot.
1T was an extremely foolish action
and could not have possibly served
any purpose; there was no fighting of
any sort in that neighborhood or on
that flank of the army and for several
days there had been nothing but in
IermitteDt shelling by our guns, to
" hich the Beers had never replied. 1t |
could not be TO prevent the enemy OBJ
serving our position, as the place had
always been held by their pickets and
hey continued on it until driven off
,y our infantry next day.
THE Boer may not always be very
lean, but he is not all bad or nearly
IS black as he has been painted. In
balancing accounts also we should
'ear in mind the kindness and consid-
ration which the Beers have invar-
ably extended to our wounded men;
hey have given us every possible facil-
~ for removing them from the field
nd when they have fallen into their
ands they have given them all the
elp that their means allow.
"On the battlefield itself and while
he heat of combat was still in their
ems, they have performed many small
cts of gentle courtesy such as giving
'ater from their own water bottles
nder these circumstances unworthy
of gallant enemy is
either wise nor honorable.
"The instances l have quoted, and
ANY more from both sides have been
lie to misunderstanding but there
re other cases, however, which have
OF referred to, and these, unfortunate
so far, will not come within this cat
CORY, as they are due to individual