New-York tribune., 1908-10-11
Irlshmcn on Their MctJlc

f
Jerks B1cr~ and Iri-hmcu lcArci int" them. and
without waiting for commands tore down the hill
m little groups and lu struggling ones and t"'r.
Not more than forty were together ar they struck
the level and swept across nc tsya miles ut valley
toward the snakclikc he of British. whose lance.
were glIstcuIng the slantiug This haphaztri
attack was against all tine teri~ Oh modern warfare
bu, It stirred the blood.
suddenly, the British column broke. and there be-
gan "a scramble each horscuHn for himself. back
up the slope. They had caught sight of our furious
party emerging from the fog Rifle, began To speak,
our firing they raced ON. and some of the
lancer, r-rlvin as they rcrratcd. The mist rising
like a great curtain from the hills. revealed a farm
house and near 1t a big stone kradl Through my
glass / saw the Engshmcn leap from tnc'r horses
and tumble over each other into tins ready made
tprtIhcatIon. Across the valley could hear the
quick popping OF their carbrncs. but our little force
still swept ON.
There was virtually no leadership in thi, impctu-
Gus and spontaneous attack Il was made 10y mo-
particular command but just 10y those who had
been able to get into their saddles FIRST Ne"cere,
however. were not idle Reinforcing parties
quickly organized. lined up my Irish boys. ready
for the word to start, and cannon was sent ratthng
down the hill shell rose gracefully, and went
screaming toward the krual, but tore up the earth
"A few rods short. The Bocr guuucrs sighted again
thcy were attcrVard to prove remarkable artillery
mem, and the shell this time exploded among the
horses of the English. The animals scattered IN
panic. and then whrlng with one accord. came
stampcdng down the trcclcss slope toward our
advancing band They had seen our horses, and III
their fright were rushing their kind They
into force. and there was a wild confusion of
plunging animals. In moment, however, our men
pulled their mounts clear of the ENHANCEMENT and
kept Then a white flag suddenly tluttcrci from
the kraal The British had surrendered
Some of our officers rode over to them. and after
a considerable delay they came struggling IN. They
the Eighteenth IIusslrs, under Colonel Mollcr,
one hundred and nlncty-elN men strong and they
had been apturcd by forty recruits. All of them
were afoot since our boys had retained their horses
One Tommy, touching his cap, spoke to me
Faith and is a bad marnin' for the Irish |
suppose, now ven be atthcr shootln the bunch of
Well well and so you are an Irishmanl'' cx-
claimed.
Yis, every divil wan of us, except the officers,
Is Irish worse luck to us!'
What makes you think we are going to shoot
you2"
Sure and amt we been told all about the wild
and bloody Bocrs2 Oh. we've had it drunmcd into
us what an untamed lot O. cannibulS we have to
dale with and how must stick We like pigs. be
cause we'd be tr'ated in a like touchin' way ii
got caught"
Well" | said, "you ought to be. for believing
such yarns and for fighting with the enemies of old
Ireland. But you won't even be shot. You'll just
be packed up to Pretoria to while away the time at
football and cricket"
"Ye don't name it," exclaimed the Irish Tom
N.Y. again Saluting &" It's great news yc're tellin
met And now, if yen excuse me, I'll be off to cir
culate the glad tdins among the boys to rclave
them O their mlntal agony.
He back in little while and informed me
that, hearing that my men were Irish. he and
cighty-hvc others would like to JOIN me Ito fight
the common enemy, the bloomin English"
| was eager to accept the offer: but the ConsCien-
tious Boer officers thought that it would not be fair
them. since if captured from side. they would
be shot as descrtcrs. So they and the rest of the
command were sent to Pretoria for safe keeping
Six to One Victory
THE sweeping line of hills across the level from
our camp scared upward to a mountain height