Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-17
NO.. 6G.

and Liverpool Bill as the Englishman
was known.
We'll. we didn't have long to
wait. Things had been running pretty
quiet for some time. and we had moth
ing to do but escort conveys for so
long that we were heartily sick Of the
business. and longing for brush with
the enemy. when along came orders
for the Border Horse to join knox's
Brigade. which was securing the north
ern part of the Orange Free States in
pursuit of DeWet. We came up with
the column about dusk one evening,
and soon learned that the famous lead
er. with some 800 men. had been To-
Gated in the hills that border the Faal,
and that an attempt was to be made at
daybreak next morning to drive the
enemy back across the Naal into the
Transvaal by way of Schumans Drift,
where General French with the pick of
the British cavalry was expected to be
waiting for them.
The details of the battle of Witt Kop
are too well known for me to attempt to
describe it. 1t took us nearly three
days to drive the Dutchmen back
across the river, and many as good
boys as ever held a rifle were left dead
upon the field, while, to make matters
worse, through some misunderstanding,
General French did not put in an ap-
pearance. and another good chance to
get DeWet was lost.
1T was toward the close of the sec
ond days fighting that the meeting
which all knew must come sooner or
later, between Joe and Liverpool Bill
given the position Of honor and led the
advance. We had been fighting hard
all day, and had finally taken up po-
sition on a kopje and were having a
duel at long range with the Dutchmen,
who were on another kopje some 1900
yards away. The men on both sides
were keeping pretty close under cover.
taking advantage of every rock that
could be used as shelter and not much
execution was being done. Every time
a man showed himself, on either side,
however the fire broke out with renew
ed vigor, and 1t behooved a fellow who
had any respect for his life to lie low.
Now, about 100 yards in front of our
main body there was a long flat rock
which would afford excellent shelter to
a man lying at full length behind it,
but there was room for one man only,
and from its exposed position the place
was particularly dangerous for any
one who did not keep we'll under cover.
To reach the rock it was necessary to
go over a clear unbroken stretch Of
ground in full view of the enemy.
by one of the strange condolences,
which will happen, Joe and Liverpool
Bill started for that rock at the same
instant. though from different parts of
the line, and reached it after running
the gantlet Of a heavy fire at almost
the same moment. Each claimed the
point as his own, and neither would
give way. We could not hear what was
said. but we could see that they were
arguing eXcitedly. while the Dutchmen
were taking advantage of the situation
and were concentrating their fire upon
the exposed men. How they escaped
will always remain a mystery to me.
That one must yield soon became evil
dent, else neither would get away alive,
but both were stubborn and we knew
1t. In our anxiety to see the outcome
we all ceased firing.
Imagine our surprise when. after
another moments talk. botfr men
Sprang to their feet. pulled off their
tunicS and began fiStic battle to set
tie the matter then and there. The
Dutchmen. seeing the two men fully
exposed. at first redoubled their fire,
clear to them they. too. ceased firing
and came out from under cover to
watch the fight. And a hard fight it
was. too, in full sight of both armies.
For A long time it was even betting
who would have the best of it: but
finally. just as Joe caught the big
Englshman stunning blow on the
jaw with his right. Liverpool Bill in
attempting to dodge. tripped and went
over backward. striking his head
against the rock with a force which
put him out of business.
ITO the cheers Of both Dutch and
English. Joe carried his insensible an
tagonist to a position Of safety. and
then. turning to his place behind the
rock he donned his coat picked up his
rifle and with wave of his hat gave
the signal which once more set the bat
tie in motion.
Yes. the old saying is true" finished
the veteran. "one touch of human ma
ture makes the whole world kin"