A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Lake County Press, Issue 978, 5 September 1901, Page 4

A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

The following letter has been received from Trooper Peter Fletcher, who left Lower Shotovcr to join the seventh X.Z. contingent : Watervallmch, July Bth, 1901. Dear brother, -Since I wrote to you last we have had a long march. We marched from Staiulerton to Watervalhoch. It took us 17 days. It was the best march of the lot, as wo had full rations all the way. We also had fine weather, except, one night, when a terrible thunder storm came on. The lightning was something fearful—-you would see it ploughing up the ground along side of us, hut luckily there was not much rain. We only had one engagement on this march. The enemy attacked us about ten o'clock one Sunday night. They turned one of their pom poms on to us, and it made a scatter, as the shell landed fair in tile centre of us and exploded, killing a young fellow from Southland, and wounding three others. The Boors also captured ten Otago boys, but, after stripping them of everything, they let thom go. Wo tried to c.ipl lire t heir pom pom, but they were too smart for us. As it was the first tune that a British column was through tltat way, we had plenty of burning and destroying houses. We have often boiled our tea with Hash chairs and pianos. It is a pitiful sight to see the poor little children the way they scamper oil' crying when they see us coming. When we come across a potato field we generally take a good supply of thom with us, but they grow very small here no larger than marbles " The country about here is only tit for fattening cattle and growing mealies, but there are plenty of coal and gold mines. It is a great sight to see those mines that have boon blown up by the Boors. The Boors are very quick. One day they are sniping away at us, and the next, t hoy are a hundred miles off. ... . 1 can not tell you much about the war, because we never hear a word about it. hut 1 know that if the Boers like they can keep it going for a year or two yet. Well. I must,' draw to a' close now. as we start, early in the morning for another long march.