A West Pointer with the Boers: $b personal narrative of Colonel J. Y. F. Blake, commander of the Irish brigadeBlake, John Y. Fillmore
History
A West Pointer with the Boers: $b personal narrative of Colonel J. Y. F. Blake, commander of the Irish brigade
Blake, John Y. Fillmore
South African War, 1899-1902
After all was over, the British sent a wail to the remotest part of the
civilized world, to the effect that the Boers had deliberately fired
upon the red cross ambulance, in utter disregard of the rules of the
Geneva Convention. Those ambulances were rushed into the immediate
line of fire in order to stop the Boers from shooting down the English
soldiers, and, at the same time, to serve as a screen for the two
batteries in reaching their coveted position. The infamous game was
detected, a shell scattered and put to flight the ambulances, the
Tommies continued to fall, and ten guns of the two batteries being now
completely exposed and within easy mauser range, were quickly captured.
Yes, Mr. Englishman, as you cannot fight honorably and win, you must
resort to infamous methods and manufacture excuses for failure out of
deliberate falsehoods. Had your little game succeeded, the batteries
reached their coveted position and proved disastrous to the Boer
forces, it would never have occurred to you to mention this ambulance
incident.
General Botha having granted General Buller all the time he wished for
to care for his thousands of dead and wounded, the Boers returned to
their pipes and coffee, their usual daily services and their peaceful
way of camp life, without its once occurring to them that their deeds,
on that day, had made them known, respected and honored throughout the
civilized world.
Of course this does not include the British Government in London,
Silly Billy of Germany or the English Government in Washington, D.C.
The fifty Irish boys who went down for the day and were in the very
hottest of the fight, and who particularly distinguished themselves by
being among the very first to seize the English cannon, now returned
to camp at Modderspruit; but they were so restless and jubilant that
it was plain that something must be done to pacify them, so it was
suggested that we arrange for some sports, as Christmas was very near
at hand. This suggestion hit just the right place with all of them,
and it was decided to have horse races, athletic sports and some kind
of a banquet too. Christmas day was to be the day, and the boys went
to the different commandos, invited all who had fast horses to come
and try their luck, and all who felt that they could run, jump, throw
heavy weights, etc. Nor did they fail to tell every one that all would
have an opportunity to take a smack at Irish cooking. Every thing went
beautifully, a half-mile track was prepared, plenty of food was cooked,
and all was in readiness when Christmas day came.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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