South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 8): From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 8): From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
Examples of individual daring and individual self-abnegation during this
glorious though ineffectual fight were too numerous to be quoted. The
Medical Staff, for instance, exposed themselves with a persistence that
was truly marvellous, succouring the injured and carrying them off to
shelter, till in some instances they themselves were shot. Very tragic
was the state of the gallant wounded, the bravest of the brave, who had
dared to advance too near the trenches, for these in the wretched plight
could not even enjoy the medical attention lavished on the others, as no
sooner were the doctors seen to be approaching them than a storm of fire
was immediately sent in their direction. The patience of the sufferers
was at times more than heroic. Notwithstanding their agonies and the
horrible pangs of thirst that are the inevitable result of wounds, some,
knowing that water was too scarce to go round, would not consent to do
more than moisten their lips from the water-bottle offered them, while
others hid the fact of their being wounded, so as not to absorb
attention from those more in need of it than themselves.
The Marquis of Winchester was one of those who fell nobly. For the most
part of the day he seemed to have a charmed life, and though bullets
whizzed through his helmet and round his ears, he moved fearlessly among
his men instructing each as to the direction in which he should fire. At
last, however, came the fatal shot which pierced his spine and laid him
low.
The gallant colonel of the Gordons, Colonel Downman, was seen shouting
on his men till a bullet dealt him a mortal wound. Another Scottish
hero, a private, was heard wildly remonstrating as the stretcher-bearers
tried to remove him from the field. His ankle was smashed, but he still
roared that he had been wounded for twelve hours, and had been fighting
all the while, and was still as fit as any man in the army!
He was not alone in his valour, for instances of remarkable gallantry
occurred on every side. Sergeant Gash (Rimington's Horse) singly
assisted a wounded man, sticking to him under a heavy fire till the poor
fellow was placed out of harm's way, and Lieutenant Riley (Yorkshire
Light Infantry) bore on his back a man of the Mounted Infantry while
covered by Sergeant Cassen and Privates Bennett and Mawhood. The reason
why so many officers fell may be attributed to the fact that the Boers
employed sharpshooters who walked coolly about lifting their
field-glasses and picking off such persons as appeared in any way
conspicuous. The prominence of the officers, however, was not due to
peculiarity in their uniforms, they having discarded swords, revolvers,
and belts, and adopted kharki aprons over their kilts. One of the
Seaforth Highlanders wrote pathetically of the awful day's work. He
said:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account