West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-01-24
Efforts Made by Chicago Men to
Kidnap Lord Roberts. A Daring
Raid Made on The British Camp.
Captain iIassell and Ills Command Got
British Generals Adjuiant Instead
Bold Midnight Expedition.

III was suppressed by the BRUSH CEN
sor, and all that was ever published
about it at the time appeared in a
cablegram to the London Times,
saying in general way that an at
tempt had been made to kidnap
Lord Roberts and that the officer
who had led in the attempt, Cap
tain John p. Hassell, an American,
had been captured and shot at
Bloemfontein.
Captain Hassell was not shot.
He still lives TO tell the story of his
daring attempt to capture an En-
glish general, which only failed be-
cause he did not know the general
by sight and so seized the wrong
man. Captain Hassell was in Chi
cago recently. He escaped from
his captors at Cape Town and went
aboard steamer bound for New
York.
at was during Lord Roberts adj
vance from Bloemfontein, in the
Free State, that | made the attempt
to get a prize" said Captain Has
sell when hewas asked concerning
the daring attack. "The American
scouts had done such good service
that the commanding general of the
Boer forces complimented my COM
mand highly and told me that we
might act independently in the face
of the advancing British and worry
them as much as possible. The
policy Of the Beers to break the
army up into small commands al
ready had been agreed upon.
al had $50 as good soldiers in
my command as ever carried gun.
All were Americans. They came
from all parts of the United States
north, east, south and west. Two
men who belonged to the Irish
American hospital corps, which
same from Chicago, belonged to
the command. Mackay and Riley
were their names. All the boys
were born fighters and ready for
any enterprise. | told them there
was chance to make our names
famous and proposed that we make
a quick dash into the camp of the
English brigade nearest us and cap
ture their general. They agreed to
man.
CAT that time the English army
was at Sand river, about 100 miles
north of Bloemfontein. My com
mand was opposing the army's left
wing. | learned about the location
of the generals tent in camp. The
general was Ian Hamilton, not Lord
Roberts, as stated in the London
Times. We made the attempt after
midnight one dark night. In open
order, $50 strong, we moved silent
ly toward the sleeping British, at
least 5000 strong. Our American
soldiers are fitted for such work.
They act independently, with intel
ligence, skill and common sense.
The British sentry on outpost duty
did not see us until we were upon
him. His startled challenge was
answered by one of our boys, who
thrust his six shooter in the sentry's
face, with a low spoken command,
Hands up, Tommy =
"The sentinel made no outcry.
We took him along, and the second
sentinel who challenged us was as
easily disposed Of. We were in the
British camp and at the tent which
had been described to us as the
generals before any alarm was
given.
81 rushed into the tent and seized
a portly man who had been sleeping
on a cot. Come along we want
YOU said as covered him with
my six shooter. He came without
resistance, and we rushed him out
Of the camp. We were all away
before the British discovered what
had been done. We thought we
had their general until we we're
safely away and took time to ask
my prisoner who he was.
~ am the generals adjutant, 3
he replied.
1--WE had failed, but gave Cen
eral Hamilton a scare, for / sent his
adjutant back to camp with my card
and a message that il was he / had
called to see. As soon as we we're
safely away VIC opened FIRE on the
British camp. The reply showed
that the whole brigade was out, and
we kept up the firing for a couple Of
hours in the dark. Il was 3 O'Clock
in The morning when we withdrew,
but we could hear the British firing
for two hours after that. They
must have become confused in the
dark and fought among themselves