THE BOER WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 231, 8 October 1901, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

BA Telegraph. Press Association. Copyright London, Oct. 6. Commandant Thcron is at Calvania, and Seheepc-r’s commando is at Calotzdorp. Colonel Mimro defeated Mybern at JJarkly East, killing eleven Boers. Colonel Cole captured 22 of Mavasis’ commando at Wepener. The Constabulary captured 17 of Murhoudi’s commando at Petrusbm-g, including Adjutant Scheepors and Field-Cornet Ynndenvalt.

BRITISH CASUALTIES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Oct. 6. The total number of British casualties during the war lias been 75,562, of which 824 were officers anti 16,648 men who died in South Africa, and 10.550 died of disease. Out of 57,460 invalided home, the great majority have recovered and rejoined their regiments. LORD ROBERTS SHOULD FINISH THE WAR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Oct. 6. The Spectator suggests that Lord Roberts should be sent to finish the war, Lord Kitchener being appointed temporary Coiiimatulor-iii-Chiet or Lord | Roberts' Chief of Staff. ! Wohiiarans declares mat Kruger is I slowly growing weaken. His mental euilI dition is unsatisfactory.

Tne military commandeered all waggons and trek oxen in tho Lower Tugela and Umvoti districts. All suspected Dutchmen have been removed from the district.

The natives defended Bokoboila,mission station until relieved

Kruitzinger’s force made three attempts to cross the Orange river, and were repulsed owing to the efficiency of the blockhouse svsteui.

The British casualties in September were 73 officers and 1612 men killed, wounded, and missing. 1986 invalided home, and 143 died of disease.

LOUD KITCHENER'S PROCLAMATION. BOERS BIX LAKE THEIR IGNORANCE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Oct. 7. Field Comet \’un Youren and ten Jauimorsberg Drift p.isonors declaro that they were in iguorunco of Lord Kitchener's proclamation. A MESSENGER OF TRUCE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright London, Oct. 7. Scheepor on Thursday sent a messenger of truce to Ladysmith, asking for a doctor. Major Kavanagh on Friday, attacked him at Adaniskraad, capturing eight men. Sehccper, despite that he was supposed to be suffering from enteric fever, quitted the camp and escaped on horse back. DEATH OF PEETORIOUS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright London, Oct. 7. Commandant Pretorious, who made a brave defence at Snikstroon, and was wounded during the engagement, has succumbed to his injuries. CAPTURE OF A LAAGER. B.y Telegraph. Press Association. Copyright London, Oct. 7. Major Hodges captured Maraiss laager, and seventeen waggons. Twenty Boors, with MOO cattle, arc northward of the Van river. Nineteen Boers were captured at Winburg. STORMING AN ISLAND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Oct. 7. party consisting of fifteen of General i Fury's Yeomanry, wearing only bandoliers, swam and stormed the islands of the Vnal river, capturing twenty-five of the enemy.

WHEREABOUTS OE BOTHA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Oct. 7. Botha is within General Lyttelton’s cordon in the south-east corner of the Transvaal. One commando is westward of the Xormandcen Pass. LETTER FROM CORPORAL R. G. PORTER. SOME EXCITING INCIDENTS. Writing to u member of the Times stall’ under date of Pretoria, August 2titb, Corporal Raymond G. Porter, of Gisborne, states : “ While I have tho opportunity, I send you a few linos regarding my experiences in tliis great Boer war, or rather guerilla warfare, for it is tiie latter that is being carried on by the Boers at present. We marched from here, on route for the taking of Petersburg, which is the last town in the Transvaal, and hud never been taken. The first place we had to take possession of was Warmbad, but the Boers did not make a stand at all. As soon as we turned the guns on they fled, and all we had to do was to march in. They did make an attempt to stand at Petersburg, but not for very long. They soon scattered when the guns were turned on. Some members of our corps were sent around the town to see that the Boers were all out of the town, when all of a sudden we heard a report, and one of the officers fell shot through the heart. We rode up to see where tho report came from, and two comrades fell, it turned out to be a Boer, who was hidden behind an ant hill. He had several rounds of ammunition stuck in the ground all around him, and had the cheek to hold up his hands and surrender, but a band of twenty Australian Bushmen and New Zealanders fixed bayonets and charged him. The poor brute was on-’ mass of bayonet marks and blood. 1 have had several narrow escapes from being shot. On one occasion fifteen of us were sent out patrolling at Warm Baths for the purpose of finding a Boer laager. That day we must have ridden about fifteen miles through big bills and kopjes, when all at once I heard a voice on tho big kopje in front of us sing out, “ Look out, stand back.” Lance-Corporal Marshall and myself were the advance guard, and we just turned our horses around, and didn’t they pour a volley into U 3. The bullets came whizzing all round us. I hadn’t a very lively horse that day, and to make matters worse ono bullet struck him fair in the chest, and he gave one groan and fell under me, leaving me to get away as best I could. I didn’t care whether I got shot or not that moment, and I remained aj'-ngsiuc my horse till I had fired my last cartridge, and then I ran back to the main body. The nearest bullet I got was through my water bottle, which was hanging next to my heart. Lance-Corporal Marshall, of Christchurch, had a pretty lively horse. Ho had a close shave, his hat being knocked off by an explosive bullet. My brother was with tho retain body. His horse also received a bullet in the off hind leg. Our losses that day only amounted to two men killed and five horses killed and four wounded. There must have been about four hundred Boers against fifteen of us. It was a marvellous how any of us came out of it alive. I have no desire to get into any more ambushes like that again, I can assure you. The only Gisborne boy wo have lost so far is Trooper Hurry, of Whangßra. The Seventh Contingent, under the command of my father, have done vory good work since their arrival, although they had unfortunately lost very heavily. They have made several good captures. I do not think the war can hang out much longer, as the Boers arc coming in in dozens.