Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-23
1T WAS A GLORIOUS VICTORY.
British Capture Of "Long Tom" In
spires Reflections Upon ArtilIery's
Place in Modern War.
Pail Mall Gazette.

Pail Mall Gazette.
If there Is one military art that the
Beers acquired more quickly than another,
II was that of removing cannon from
place of insecurity in the shortest posi-
bic time They stood British assault out
to the finish at Elandslaagte. and sacri-
feed two field2pieces as the price OF their
temerity. Never again; and it was months
before we heard of the capture OF Boer
guns in an open and stand-up fight NO
matter the weight, no matter the calore,
the Beers seemed to know by instinct the
exact psychological moment. and up came
the timber teams, whether horses, mules
oxen or men, and the guns were saved.
Now great military prestige and morale
would appear to attach to the capture
and loss of guns in battle. In the estlnla-
ton Of the modern mind their possession
seems to rank with the captured charluts
in a Roman triumph. 1t is the hunole
opinion of the writer of this paper that
during this war in South Africa more
lives have been spent in the attempts 10
capture and defend artillery than nave
ever been sacrificed through the accuracy
of artillery fire. But doubtless guns nave
served their purpose. /, 1t is good IN war 70
have something besides human me W.
which 70 tally the losses and the gains.
something more civilized than the Dyaks
show of heads, or the Redskins collection
We'll we have met the great general
who could show by his staff diary that ne
had captured the little Free state naAliet
of Vrede seventeen times in on month,
We are familiar with his keenness 10 eA-
Gel in the game of war, and we appreciate
the caution with which he was won't 10
temper his success This great genera
was ambitious. 1t was the solid kino OF
ambition which, based, upon mighty ful-
crum Of caution. takes long to develop;
consequently the great general, as wen
as the nation. was hardly USED a rev
months when his ambition was hlppeu
in the bud'' by his being caught by the
age limit and placed in that secure little
nook on the shelf which so often has prov
ed the taxpayers cheapest investment. But
to this blighted ambition. The great gen.
eral felt that the safe road to success
would be in the capture OF Boer cannon
six-inch Long Toms" for choice-ano ne
told his pocket correspondent so. II nap
uened that the fates seemed propitious 10
his schemes. The army which the great
general commanded was called upon to
work through an area Of mountain fort
resses., and there opposing the advance
was a Long Tom,''-a real, black-pow-
burning, six-inch shell-hinging
Long Tom" The general rubbed his
hands with glee, and made the big guns
presence an excuse to halt his army for
a week.
sance.' he would say, when his chief OF
the staff tried to goad him into action,
Reconnaissance Is the secret Of success
full soldiering!' And his army sat down
and reconnoitered' for q week. Then came
the order-the order which his army had
been painting for. The gun was to be
taken by a night attack after the position
had been suficiently fecorinoitered.@
Slowly but surely the attacking column
hauled itself I'D the steep breast Of the
hill. Semicircles Of glinting bayonets mar
rowed round the summit OF the conical
kopie The rim of the moon rising above
the tip of a neighboring height gave just
light enough to allow the men TO correct
their distances 1t was an exciting mo-
ment. JJp to this there hau been no chal-
lenge. no indication that the kopje was
held. Yet at shutdown the enemy had been
seen working at Long Toms" emplace-
ment Another fifteen feet, and yet no
challenge. Now menl" and with mighty
cheer the British infantry hurled them
selves upon the sandbags OF the epaule-
ment. The cheer died away, expired in a
siclxly wall. The gunpit was empty, the
platform deserted.
No not quite deserted; there, posted on
the parapet. cleaning in the strengthen
ing moonlight was something. A little toy
cannon on wheels fashioned from the case
of a Mauser cartridge Nor did the pleas
antry of the Boer gunners end here. At
tached to the toy was fragment or docu-
ment. It was a copy of the generals order
dated three days back. propoundins the
attack; and in the corner some wit from
Long Toms" crew had written: Com
ing events cast their shadows before
In the morning Long Tom barked
complacently from neighboring hill.