The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-11-17
AT THE FRONT
WITH THE BOER


Before he could turn he was pinioned
by one Boer and received a gentle rap on
the head from another
will you surrender now?' he was
asked. He answered. IT'S case of do
or die, and 1 guess I'll do
on the way back to our camps he was
introduced to Major Mcbride and one
OF his brigade. named McDermott. Colo
mel Bullock shook hands with them, re-
marking, Il don't know which was the
hottest today, you fellows, the sun, or
tine Mauser bullets. But, never mind, it's |
all i'm a lifetime. Major" said he, now
have i'm my bag few biscuits and |
nip of whisky; will you share it with me,
Tor were all men and white men. too |
after ALL"
The sole was hanging from his left shoe, |
so McDermott ran to our camp and |
brought the Colonel a pair Colonel Sul- |
lock highly complimented the Beers for
the grit and endurance they had display
ed since the commencement of the war.
The Colonel is a fine specimen of the
British soldier; in short a hail fellow
well met even on the battle field he was
highly respected by the Beers at the
camp and also by the officials at Pretoria
HAD TO FACE THE MUSIC.
Captain Theron's scouts were noted for
their abilities, both as scouts and marks
men. Six of them under Lieutenant Ems
lin were out beyond Tafal Kop, between
Bloemfontein and Brandfort one day
last April, when they came across some
sixteen to twenty mounted Britishers.
Enslin ordered his men to make for COW
er, but before they reached it they had to
turn around and face the music The
enemy, having better horses, had quickly
lessened the distance and began pepperIng
at Enslin and his men. Enslin not wish
/ ing to be shot running, gave the word to
turn and let them have IT, At the end
min 1ttr1
heading for Brandfort with four prison.
ers (wounded, three of whom were Off
cers). One of the officers admitted that
at least nine of their outfit had been hit
He also stated that owing to lack of
good scouts on their side, the officers
were often called upon for this-to them
most unpleasant duty
JOUBERT WAS KINDHEARTED.
General Joubert was a most sincere and
thoughtful man; he was extremely Just
and kindhearted. Rather than punish a
man for an offense committed at the
front he would send him back to his
nome, but often this system had a better
erect than the ordinary modes of punish
ment known to military people. 1 was in
the Generals tent one day when in strobe
Colonel Blake of the Irish Brigade with
a long complaint against one Captain
Laracy. 1t appears that Laracy had gone
u johannesburg for a weeks furlough
but forgot to return for two months.
When he did report for duty, the Colonel
smashed him-I don't mean that he struck
him or In any way injured his person: |
mean that he degraded Captain Laracy
by reducing him to the ranks.
This was a terrible blow to Captain Lar
acy, to be made a common soldier just
because he forgot to come back a little
sooner However, the Colonel complained
I that Laracy since his degradation was
afVf Inc 90. -Nt,
etc, and the Colonel wanted him punish
ed.
ooh, / don't think that is necessary
replied the General, eff he is a man OF
, that sort l will show you how 1 will pun
ish him, or I am greatly mistaken
The General then told Mr.. Stijmens tC
write the following letter, which the Col
onel should hand to Laracy in person
: and not let him know that he-the Colo
1 nel-had made any complaint whatever
/ was myself sworn to secrecy for the
time:
ii Hoofdt Lager. December 20. 1899.
o To Captain Laracy.
I Sir: You will at once proceed to Jo
r hannesburg and raise a corps of one hun
2 dred men; have them fully equipped
When your corps is ready you will imme
diately report to me by wire and 1 shall
4 send you on special work in the vicinit,
of Colesburg, G. c.
. w. JOUBERT.
: Some time afterwards Laracy discover
ed that he had been nicely and quietl
I bounced. Somebody told me long after
q wards that he saw poor Laracy trying t
a raise the corps. But, alasl he was no
% born to be an organizer of men.
4" WHAT THE IRISH DID.
e The famous battle. of Moddersprui
which took place on the 3Oth of October
1o1x TOl,a
K police and the little Irish Brigade TIL
r average country Boer was so ignorant c
lie artillery that they were actually afrai
IS to help carry ammunition to the gun
l. when called upon TO do so. The BIRTHS
N guns were making 1t very hot for us, anC
t. being short of artillerymen, the burgher
8 were called out to carry shells to tn
n. guns, distance of about $50 yards. OF
l. guns had used all the ammunition thu
was on the kopje. ] heard several Of tn
burghers say to their commandan
l. What? Carry those things? Not me-
So afraid were they that the shell
:" might explode while in their arms. tt
police were having a hot time. of it, ar
had not some of the Irish Brigade volul
re teered to carry the shells to the guns, v
ne certainly would have lost the day.
ur There were no less than 450 holes arour
TX one of our guns caused by the enemy
Smelling. The Irish Brigade lost two me
while carrying the shells-one man, Huf
,h Carberry. had almost one-half of h
~ head taken off by shell; the other W
n, a young fellow not twenty years oil
az Thomas Oates by name, son of CAPITA
a. Oates of johannesburg, who was afte
NJ wards captain of the Second Irish b
re gade. Speaking to some of the burghe
"a the following day. they told me they we
al willing to do anything in the fighti
~ line, but they would have nothing to
q, with those bursting bombs.
to THE MORNING INSPECTION.
IN The morning inspection was one of I
most amusing events of our daily routil
- Wet or dry we would be called to must
~ ne something in the following style, IN
III thin, bhoys, fall in for inspection arr
=. Come along. men, hurry up" Here s.
u.s. geant Dunville Mcbride would ca
Go around there and get them on
=, Then DunvlIle would rush around sho
eu' ing, Are you fellows going to fall in
L., lnot7 Why can't you come when you
III. III told?."
-. Finally after much persuasion the f
"a gade would manage to get into some s
ii of a crooked line. This zigzag line sw,
ed to and fro, with all the officers
-, front. stroking their boards, while
g.. sergeant would call the roll, a very try
~ ordeal. as each mans name would n.