Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11


saddling up for a start toward it on the morning
after the capture of the hussars, when our signal
corps. stationed on the mountain top began some
frantic wlgwaggng.
A Boer officer galloping up to me. They
are signaling to u.s. Colonel he said excitedly.
that about six hundred English horse have just
appeared on the road from Dundee. They evidently
mean to occupy the hill beyond the mountain. We
must have it! They've got the start on us; but you
have good horses. the best in camp. Do you think
you get there first?
THE least we can do is to try, l answered
Then l shouted out orders to my men that made
them jump. and in five minutes we were tearing
down the slope for the road that curved round
the coveted hill. We had about three miles to go.
and we went on a run. Ny Irishmen had learned
to ride by this time, and 1 did not spare them.
had become a wild man Every instant l expected
to horsemen from the south climbing up the
hillside; but drew and nearer, and 1t was
still bare. Reaching its northern base in about
fifteen minutes from start we spurred our pant
ing horses up until we were about halfway to the
top. Then we scrambled round to the southern
side, unslinging rifles. ready for the enemy.
There they were. galloping along the road below
in extended line, not more than five hundred
yards away. Those in the lead drew rein so hastily
greeted them with derisve yells and a shower of
bullets, and, whirGng, they went flying back to
Dundee
The occupation of this hill prevented the English
from moving northward. In bands of hundred or
two the Beers took possession of the other hills
that overlooked Dundee from the north and west.
We had cut the lancers off in these directions. and
they seemed afraid to go to the east, evidently
thinking that the Beers under Lucas Meyer. with
whom they had already had fight. would be wait
ing for them. AS matter OF tact, this command
was fifteen miles away. All day had great sport
shooting at the horsemen with the gistenlng lances
they sailed forth in companies of several hundred
to find outlet. A few of them would fall. and
the rest would race back to town. When night came,
"a night of heavy clouds that made 1t very dark
Colonel Yule. who, on the death OF General Penn
Symons in the fight with Lucas Meyer. had assumed
{,,I1y thn,ca o61o Ot1t of
Dundee through pass to the south, and escaped
to Ladysmith. thirty miles away. This mastery
retreat of six thousand well trained cavarymen
before a thousand undrilled Beers and Irish won
the Colonel the rank of Major General. He lett be-
hind him about two hundred wounded officers
and men, thirty-nne unburied dead, and enough
food and ammunition to supply our command tor
many months.
1t now became our business to follow to Lady
smith There had been other fights. of course.
Lucas Meyer, for instance. had been driven back
from Dundee before arrival, because General
Erasmus, who had no talent as commander. had
failed to appear with expected relnforcements.
And General KOCH good man but poor soldier,
commanding six hundred Beers, had met General
French with about two thousand British cavalry
the open veldt fifteen miles from Ladysmith,
and had fought a battle to the death, losing in
killed and wounded and in prisoners more than
half his men, and receiving mortal wound himself.
But in regard to engagements which did not see
l cannot concern myself. it not being my pur
pose to attempt any general record OF the war but
merely to outline some of my experiences and
few of the exploits of my wild 1rishmen.
A Lost Opportunity
ONE windy day late in October in sight
~ of the roofs and spires of Ladysmith lying at
distance in the valley. On hilltopwe stopped to
discuss various ways and means Of threshing the
much superior force that had been gathered in
the town.
was asked if l would undertake to blow up the
railroad bridge the Tugela River, fifteen miles
south of Ladysmth in order that no guns nor rein
forcements might be brought up from Martzburg.
l answered that l would. and after explaining to